Think burnout only applies to your mental health and not your skin? Think again. Between work, family obligations, and a slew of other influences, the last thing you need is to feel pressured to keep up with the Kardashians’ beauty regimen. The hustle can lead to skincare burnout. 

Yep — your skin gets tired, too. But fortunately, some tweaks to your skincare approach can reset your skin and get you back on the zen wagon.

WTF is skincare burnout, and how do you know if it’s your complexion’s current arch nemesis? Your official skincare bestie is here to break down the warning signs and help you slay the burnout beast for good. 👊 

First things first: what is skincare burnout?

Your skin is the largest organ in your body. While strong and protective, it’s also delicate, especially the skin on your face. 

Facial skin is only about 1.5 millimeters thick. To put it in perspective, that’s almost as thin as craft paper. 😳 That means your complexion is much more likely to encounter stressors that make your skin misbehave compared to other areas of your body.

Like the rest of your body, your skin experiences burnout when it gets overwhelmed. It just manifests a little differently. 

What are the signs of skincare burnout?

When you’re emotionally drained or physically burnt out, you can experience all kinds of symptoms like fatigue, depression, anxiety, and so on. Skin, on the other hand, shows it’s burnt out in its own ways. 

Some clues that hint your complexion might be running on E are:

• Skin that looks tired or dull (despite being caught up on your beauty sleep) 
• Skin that looks red, irritated, or textured for no apparent reason
• Skin that’s overly reactive or unresponsive to skincare
• Excessively oily or dry skin
• Irregular increase in hyperpigmentation or rosacea flare-ups

So what causes skincare burnout, anyway?

It’s easy to blame everyday stress, greasy foods, and boundary-breaking bosses when your complexion goes haywire. And while you wouldn’t be entirely wrong, the truth is that’s just one reason why your skin might be running on fumes. 

Here are some of the most significant contributors to skincare burnout:

Newness overload

I’m all about being a little extra when it comes to self-care, but there is such a thing as too much, especially regarding skincare. Aggressive skincare treatments or overusing potent ingredients too frequently is overkill for your skin. 

Believe it or not, sometimes our complexions do better with a less-is-more skincare approach. So find out what a good simple skincare routine is for your skin and give ample time before introducing new products too quickly.

Stress and anxiety

Ever wonder how skincare affects mental health? We’re all for stepping into leadership roles and embracing your power and strength. Just be careful not to cross the fine line into toxic productivity culture, which is a killer on our mental and physical wellness — skin included.

Letting the stress and pressures of the hustle overlap with other areas of your life sometimes means pushing your self-care to the bottom of the list. Negate yourself for the grind, and your complexion may just let out a cry for help. 

Environmental stressors

We know how bad pollution and smog are to the environment; imagine what it does to our skin. 😖 That combined with forgetting to protect your skin from the sun’s harsh rays, and you’ve got a formula for environmentally-triggered skincare burnout.

So what can you do about it? Let’s talk about how to care for your skin when you’re stressed about your skin. Oy vey!

Kicking skincare burnout to the curb:

It’s no secret that it takes a little introspection and accountability to keep physical and psychological burnout at bay. So why don’t we keep that same energy when it comes to taking care of our skin?

The good news is that avoiding skincare burnout requires a little less soul-searching and a little more intention. Not sure what I mean? You know I’m going to spill the details.

Read on for my go-to tips for avoiding complexion burnout and keeping skin happy, healthy, and gorgeous.

1. Should I simplify my skincare? Heck yes.

Do you really need multistep regimens, expensive treatments, and intimidating facial tools? We’re all about embracing Skinimalism and focusing on minimal products formulated with only the ingredients you need. 

The result? More money in your bank account, extra time to hit the snooze button 😴, and happier skin that relies on less.

So what is the easiest skincare routine? Most experts agree that the core of your skin care should consist of a multi-tasking cleanser, your favorite moisturizer, and a broad-spectrum SPF.

2. Give your skin time to adjust to new products.

I know how tempting it is to chuck one product in the trash and throw another into the mix when you aren’t immediately seeing positive results. But the reality is that swapping out skincare products too frequently is one of the quickest ways to trigger skincare burnout. 

How long should I try a new skincare routine for? According to dermatologists, it could be anywhere between 28 days to 4 months before you notice a change in your skin. So wait it out a bit before switching things up too soon. 

3. Swap the harsh topicals for yummy, ingestible skincare.

Besides cutting ingredients, how else do you get a minimalist skincare routine? Giving your complexion the nourishment it needs with ingestible skincare is one way to scrap potential irritants from your regimen.

For example, retinol is an amazing ingredient for most skin types. It evens your complexion, smooths texture, reduces visible signs of aging, and much more. However, topical retinol can exacerbate your skin concerns before improving them. 

My loophole for getting the benefits of retinol without the retinoid-induced skincare burnout? Skin-supporting supplements, like the yummy Retinol Gummy from embody. Just make sure to get the okay from your doc first. 

4. Prioritize your mental health.

Does stressing about your skin make it worse? It definitely doesn’t help. While stress can impact our entire body, our skin reflects what’s happening underneath the surface. So while you’re trying to do it all, remember to pencil in some self-care. 

Even if it’s just once a week, prioritize a little me-time and do the things that get you in a state of zen. Whether that’s melting into the latest Colleen Hoover romance novel or sweating out the stress on your go-to Peloton class — sparking joy within yourself is the best way to boost your glow on the outside. 

Ready to snuff the flame on skincare burnout?

Us too, bestie. Not only is skincare burnout legit, but it’s challenging to remedy if you aren’t familiar with the signs. Luckily, your #LazySkincareConfidante, embody, has got your bases covered, so your complexion stays happy and glowing — sans the burnout.

Ready to join us in the Lazy Skincare movement? Shop embody today!