The Foundations of caring for your Skin - A non-negotiable list

Brilliant at the Basics: Setting strong foundations 

When it comes to caring for sensitive skin, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by complex routines and endless products. But true skin wellness begins with the basics, habits that support your body as a whole. In this blog, we’ll explore six essential pillars that nourish your skin from the inside out: Sleep, Hydration, Exercise, Nutrition, Trigger Removal, and Mindset Wellness.

Task: Take this time to truly reflect on your daily routine and personal habits. Ask yourself, "are you brilliant at the basics?" If not, the time is now, to reduce overuse of band aid solutions and start building strong foundations for your personal wellness journey.

Tip #1 - Sleep: Rest is Your Secret Weapon  

Reduced Inflammation & Irritation

Lack of sleep increases stress hormones like cortisol, which can trigger inflammation in the body. For the skin, this can mean flare-ups of eczema, psoriasis, acne, or increased sensitivity.

Stronger Immune System

Your immune system also gets a boost from good sleep. A resilient immune system helps your body defend against illness and speeds up healing, including repairing small cuts, blemishes, or skin irritation.

Skin Cell Repair & Renewal

During deep sleep, the body goes into repair mode. This is when skin cells regenerate, collagen is produced, and damage from UV rays, pollution, or stress is repaired.

Stress Reduction & Hormonal Balance

Chronic sleep deprivation throws hormones out of balance, which can lead to breakouts, dullness, or premature ageing. Deep, restorative sleep lowers cortisol levels and boosts growth hormones that support healthy skin and hair.

Sleep is often called the body’s natural reset button, and for good reason. The list of benefits continues such as improved circulation, balanced hydration, improved cognition and more.

Q. Are you getting 7-9 hours sleep per night?

Tip #2 - Hydration: Skin is the largest organ

Hydration is at the foundation of how our body and skin functions every single day. The human body is made up of around 60% - 70% water, and our skin, being the largest organ, relies on hydration to stay resilient, radiant, and healthy.

Improves Healing & Resilience

From minor blemishes to environmental damage, hydration speeds up skin repair and improves resilience. It ensures nutrients reach skin cells more effectively, supporting healing from the inside out.

Strengthens the Skin Barrier

The skin’s barrier relies on water to stay intact. When the barrier is strong, it locks in moisture, keeps out pollutants, and reduces sensitivity. Dehydration weakens this barrier, making the skin more prone to redness, itching, and irritation.

Flushes Out Toxins

Adequate hydration supports the kidneys and liver in flushing toxins from the body. When these organs are overworked due to dehydration, toxins can build up, often showing as dullness, breakouts, or irritation on the skin.

Staying hydrated is one of the most affordable, accessible ways to support your skin.

Q. Are you drinking at least 2-3 litres of water per day and adjusting your intake based on your level of activity, personal circumstances and environmental exposures?

“Hydration is about water, moisturisation is about oil. You can apply a moisturiser, but if your skin doesn't have enough water to begin with, it will still feel dry. That's why both steps are important.” Dr Lahoria - Consultant Dermatologist

Tip #3 - Movement: The Skin Benefits of Exercise

Exercise isn't just about fitness; it's one of the most powerful tools for your overall wellbeing. Regular movement promotes mental strength, improves circulation, reduces stress and encourages a natural glow.

Strengthens the Immune System

A moderate level of physical activity on a regular basis, boosts the immune system, promotes repair and reduces chronic inflammation which is a key contributor to many diseases.

Supports Detoxification

Sweating during exercise helps flush out toxins and unclog pores. Combined with hydration, this can reduce breakouts and leave skin feeling refreshed.

Reduces Stress Hormones

Exercise lowers cortisol (the stress hormone), which, when elevated, can trigger acne, inflammation, and premature ageing. Movement releases endorphins (the “feel-good” hormones), that promotes emotional regulation, leading to reduced inflammation and clearer skin.

Boosts Circulation & Oxygen Delivery

An increased heart rate sends more oxygen and nutrients to every cell, including skin cells. This improves tone, speeds healing, and contributes to that “post-workout glow.”

Exercise is a very affordable method to improving your overall health, including sleep quality.

Q. Is your daily exercise routine, balanced, consistent and tailored to you?

Tip #4 - Food as Fuel: Eating for Skin Resilience

We’ve all heard the phrase “you are what you eat” and when it comes to skin, it couldn’t be truer.

Improves Gut Health (and Skin Health)

The gut-skin connection is very real. A balanced diet rich in fibre (whole grains, legumes, vegetables) supports good gut bacteria, which in turn helps reduce inflammation, balance hormones, and promote clearer skin.

Reduces Inflammation & Sensitivity

Whole, unprocessed foods rich in antioxidants (like berries, leafy greens, and nuts) help fight oxidative stress and inflammation. For people with sensitive skin, psoriasis, eczema, or acne, this can make a big difference in calming redness and flare-ups.

Strengthens the Skin Barrier

Healthy fats such as avocados, olive oil, chia seeds, walnuts, and oily fish are essential for a strong skin barrier. This barrier locks in moisture, protects against irritants, and helps the skin look supple and hydrated.

Balanced nutrition also promotes collagen production, stabilises hormones and energy, and prevents spikes in blood sugar, which can lead to inflammation.

Skincare products are important, but the real foundation of glowing, healthy skin starts from within. Think of good nutrition as skincare from the inside.

Q. Have you had your allergies tested, spoken with a dietician and currently following a balanced diet tailored to you?

Tip #5 - Know Your Triggers: Aiming for Low-Tox Living

When it comes to conditions such as eczema and psoriasis, flare-ups can feel frustrating and unpredictable. But in many cases, they’re not random, they’re triggered by everyday factors that irritate the skin or disrupt the immune system.

Skincare & Household Products

Harsh personal care products and cleaning products often worsen sensitive skin. Reducing the number of products exposed to and switching to natural, organic low-tox options helps to protect the skin barrier and reduce irritation, not to mention endless other benefits such as respiratory and hormonal.

Everyday Irritants

Clothing and bedding fabrics (such as synthetics), hot showers, chlorine, and even sweat can act as triggers. Choosing soft, breathable fabrics such as organic cotton, adjusting daily routines and filtering out chlorine can make a big difference.

Food Sensitivities

Foods such as gluten, dairy, nightshades or highly processed foods may trigger inflammation in the body, worsening symptoms of eczema and psoriasis. Allergy testing and speaking with a dietician can help identify patterns and map out a tailored plan individual to you.

Environmental Triggers

Climate changes can greatly contribute to irritation and flare-ups by striping moisture and weaking the skin barrier. Moreover, any response to these changes such as using aircon, heating systems and increasing shower temperatures will all impact.

Learning to recognise and manage your triggers is one of the most empowering steps you can take toward calmer, healthier skin.

Q. Are you aware of your response to environmental triggers and how you can eliminate or reduce these triggers?

Tip #5 - Mindset & Mental Health: The calm through the storm

Your mindset plays a powerful role in how your body functions. It is deeply connected to your skin health, success rate of your wellness journey and likelihood of sticking to effective routines. By nurturing emotional wellbeing, managing stress, and practising self-acceptance, you create balance within the body. Living with eczema, psoriasis and other skin concerns can significantly impact on mental health and support should be accessed.

The Mind–Skin Connection

The skin and nervous system are closely linked. Stress, anxiety, and negative emotions trigger cortisol and inflammatory responses, often leading to flare-ups, redness, or itchiness. Working towards a balanced mindset helps break this cycle.

Encouraging Healthy Choices

A strong, positive mindset makes it easier to stay on track, choose nourishing foods, stay hydrated and maintain consistency with both self-care and personal care routines.

Whole-Body Wellbeing

When your mind is balanced, your body follows. Improved mood, reduced anxiety, and emotional resilience create an internal environment where we have the potential to thrive. Accessing mental health supports and practicing mindfulness is increasingly recognised as essential when managing life struggles and for promoting personal growth.

Building Resilience & Support

Accessing support through trusted family, friends and mental health professionals can promote strength, resilience, social inclusion, lift moods and empower you to manage symptoms with confidence whilst reducing stress and anxiety.

Q. What mental health or mindfulness supports are you accessing? Is It enough?

Empower yourself and accelerate progress

If nothing else, I truly hope from reading this that you read between the lines and recognised how it is all connected. By tracking your lifestyle, environment and routines, you can identify what contributes to your flare-ups and take steps to avoid or minimise them. Empower yourself to make change and accelerate progress through a strong team of supporters, don't go it alone. Triggers are as unique as you are!