The Surprising Connection Between Working From Home and Healthy Skin

For many of us, making the change to working from home (WFH) has been quite a journey, and like any journey, it’s had both pros and cons. On the one hand, the lack of a fixed schedule, coffee with colleagues, and the focus that comes with an office environment can be hard to get used to.

On the other hand, there are a myriad of benefits that come with a well structured WFH routine, including increased autonomy, flexible working hours, and an unbeatably short commute. Among these benefits, one of the most pleasant surprises has been how great WFH can be for skin health.

Let’s take a closer look at how WFH can impact your skin and the things you can do to take full advantage of your time working from home. 

Not being in the office every day gives you the flexibility to go make-up free more often than you usually would. Giving your skin a breather from heavy foundation, under-eye concealer and face powder can do wonders for your complexion.  

The time you would typically spend on makeup can be used to enhance your morning skin routine (e.g. a little more time to cleanse and refresh your skin, etc.). When the air gets drier during the winter months, you can even put on an extra thick layer of your favourite moisturiser to give your skin an extra boost.  

It’s not always easy to eat healthy when you’re at the office for various reasons. Either there’s no time to pick up your salad, or someone brought brownies, or your lunch meeting was catered with less than fresh options. 

At home, there are far fewer temptations or excuses to indulge in food that isn’t absolutely great for your skin. Here are a few examples of the foods you should be reaching for:

• Fruits and vegetables with rich colouring (e.g. spinach, carrots, tomatoes, strawberries) are good sources of carotenoids and vitamin C. Carotenoids give your body a boost of vitamin A, which aids in skin cell reproduction, while Vitamin C is great for immunity, and collagen production.   
• Nuts like almonds and walnuts, and seeds (e.g. flax and chia), contain healthy omega-3 fats. They help fight inflammation, protect cell membranes and help lock in moisture.  

A good way to avoid temptation is to make sure your fridge and pantry are full of tasty, vitamin-packed goodies like those described above and devoid of processed foods. Ingredients like salt, sugar and dairy are especially bad because:

• Salt causes puffiness because sodium binds to water, causing retention if consumed excessively. 
• Sugar can exacerbate conditions like acne, eczema and rosacea. Too much of it can also decrease collagen and elastin production, leading to fine lines and wrinkles.
• Dairy products contain both casein and whey protein which have been linked to inflammation and acne.  

 
Keep your skin healthy and happy by reducing your intake of foods that are high in these ingredients.

Not having to commute every day means less stress, less exposure to environmental pollutants, and of course, a little extra time you usually wouldn’t have. 

These factors alone can boost the health of your skin tremendously because: 

• Less stress positively affects the amount of cortisol in your body, which leads to optimal collagen production, decreased skin irritation, and fewer break-outs. High cortisol levels can also affect your skin barrier in a negative way, leading to drier skin.
• Reduced exposure to environmental pollutants means less clogged pores and an overall brighter complexion.

Use your extra time to maximise the effect of the other two elements with a bit of self-care. For example, you can:

• Explore the benefits of meditation, which can be done in as little as 10 minutes a day. 
• Try out a new face mask to give your skin an extra dose of nutrients while you work (e.g. moisturising cucumber for dry skin, purifying clay or oatmeal for oily skin, vitamin E for fine lines and wrinkles).  
• Infuse your water with healthy additives like cucumber, lemon, mint leaves, or ginger.

It’s easy to lose track of time when you’re working from home, and either end up working too late or indulging in a mindless activity for too long (e.g. watching TV, scrolling through social media, etc.). Unfortunately, in most cases, this will come at the cost of your precious sleep time. 

Sleep should always be prioritised because it’s essential not only for the renewal, healing, and repair of your skin but of your entire body. Ensure you go to bed early by setting an alarm to start your routine and sticking to it consistently.

It can also be quite rewarding to use some of that morning commute time to get in some extra beauty sleep when you can.

The tips above combined with the right skincare regime can have a wonderful effect on your complexion, making it smoother, brighter, and more radiant than ever. The trick is to be consistent (e.g. doing it sporadically here and there won’t give you the outcome you’re looking for). 

The good news is that most of these tips are not only healthy and great for your skin, they’re also fun! Once you start, you’ll find it hard to stop, and your skin will look absolutely fabulous as a result. 

Until next time! 
-- Xoxo, Mary