Beauty Burnout
My 34th birthday is coming up on August 27th and I can’t help but think how crazy it is that I’ve been writing this blog since I was 28?? It’s been such a blur I don’t even know. As I reflect on the wild ride that has been 33, aka a move (with another one coming in September), two surgeries, a lot of loss, a semi-permanent break from facials, living with family, an election, being in school for 6+ months, having all my belongings in boxes, and a total re-evaluation of everything in my life - one of the topics that has been on my brain for a while now has been burn out.
I’ve been feeling burnt out for years which has led me to the diagnosis of my chronic illness and eventually the total overhaul of my lifestyle. I eat, exercise, work, socialize, create, etc. all differently as a result of my burnout. But one of the things that I have yet to properly mourn is how my skin, face, and body are all completely different as a result of this illness and total depletion. I may not break out the way I did when I was a teenager and throughout my 20s, but now I deal with total vitality loss and inflammation. Not to mention the dark circles and complete sensitivity to anything that isn’t super calming and void of any active ingredients. At 33, I am a prime candidate to start incorporating lots of active “anti-aging” ingredients into my skincare according to traditional skincare education. But I can tell you right now that my health and skin will not tolerate it regardless of how clean the ingredients are.
Even though I haven’t given a facial in 6 months, I’m still helping many people online and have noticed a major pattern over the years with people in person. Many of us are on the brink or are in total burnout.
I don’t think this gets discussed enough but I believe our collective burnout is a result of our world is rapidly changing.
From our;
increase in screen time
decrease of movement and outdoor activity
most jobs and schools switching to online-only (hello bad posture and tired retinas)
societal pressure to just keep up
…All of it is really impacted our health in ways we haven’t even begun to uncover yet.
I have recognized that modern-day burnout is damaging our radiance for a while now. Never in our history have we faced this particular set of unprecedented circumstances, and therefore the solutions we relied on before can’t deliver on their promise in the same ways they have in the past.
Not to make this all about appearances, but we need to reevaluate how we take care of our skin as a result of this. Modern-day burnout is forcing us to learn new ways to take care of our whole selves, but are we paying enough attention to actively make long-term changes?
The current guidance on how to navigate certain skin health conditions is so outdated if you consider the real severe changes to our modern world. It has also happened VERY QUICKLY. Think about it, people still think that oil is bad for their skin, acne is only from poor hygiene, and that wrinkles are to be feared. None of which has ever been true.
It’s the same marketing tactics that were used in the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s, which I have paid attention to my whole life. There are only two differences that I have noticed in the last few years. Those differences include; more accessibility and inclusivity. Both of which were overdue and nowhere near the level we need them to be. We have evolved so much since that time in our technology but not our skin health education. For example, did you know that when I went to beauty school in 2006 I had one chapter on how to navigate BIPOC skin? Or that certain common practices such as botox and other injections had JUST gotten approved by the FDA only a few years before? On top of that, ingredient regulation safety laws have not changed since 1938.
You might be thinking “What does technology have to do with our skin?” and my question to you back is “In what way has technology not impacted your life?”. Most of you can admit that you look at your phones first thing in the morning, are spending much more time online for work and social interactions, have access to so skincare products and information more than ever, etc. The first thing I think about is how our increased blue light exposure has been linked to possible hyperpigmentation damage as well as disruption to our circadian rhythm. This results in interrupted sleep cycles which is essential for restful recovery to help support our immune system and overall health. Eventually, this can cause our bodies to showcase depletion such as skin symptoms that are usually only affiliated with certain conditions. This makes it difficult to determine what will work for your skin because the old ways of solving skin problems don’t consider the lifestyle changes that impact us all so differently. Many more people are faced with chronic illness, autoimmune disorders, and overall high levels of stress because of our modern lifestyle. And I don’t see it changing anytime soon since many of us aren’t in a position of privilege to even take a vacation or to safely travel to a deserted beach (or space - I’m looking at you BILLIONAIRES).
I don’t want to scare you - this isn’t meant to be a fear-mongering post claiming how I have the solutions to fix it all. I don’t, none of us really do but it is important to have some foresight on what we need to work towards. Which if we are open to it, can be actually revolutionary! And I’m here for it.
This is why I often focus on an approach that nurtures our precious nervous system. We need restful recovery in order to keep up with the pace of our lives and our society’s expectations (which in my opinion are so flawed). It’s simple math, you can’t output more than you input (1-1 doesn’t equal 2 duh). Consider your skincare as an opportunity to nurture yourself, check in on how you’re doing, and restore even just a little sense of peace in your body. That’s the goal for me - not to fix problems quickly.
Start filling your cup back up - I promise these practices are not just reserved for the privileged few who can afford expensive products and procedures. There is so much you can do (for cheap or for free) and I’m doing them along with you. Learn more with me as we beat the beauty burnout.
I’ll leave you with 3 of my favorite practices to get started;
WimHof breathwork | Why breathwork? Because it will support your immune system in ways that can undo the lack of breathing we do while sitting at our desks or even just laying down scrolling on our phones. Give it a try and let me know what you think. Total time commitment; between 5-10 minutes
Stretching | I have such tech neck as well as esthetician shoulders that I know it’s what has caused my double chin. Stretching helps create space in your body and in your life to help your musculoskeletal system thrive. Plus it supports your breathing and cardiovascular health.
Hydration | Access to clean water is an issue for many people around the world. So if you have access to clean drinkable water, then you need to take advantage of it and stop dehydrating yourself with too much caffeine. It is a foundation of health and will promote all of your systems to work so much more effectively. Ideally, if you can incorporate electrolytes for proper mineral intake - that would be a huge plus!
Are there any practices you have enjoyed that have helped you combat burnout? Share your thoughts below in the comments and thank you for reading! xo- Hayley
