5 Simple Reasons Your Beauty Routine Can Reduce Stress & Anxiety

A 2018 study in the Frontiers of Psychology journal shows that if you’re anticipating something good, such as looking forward to pampering yourself, it can make you feel better. Anticipation for positive events activates the part of the brain called the bilateral medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC). This enhanced brain activity directly correlates with a higher level of mental health and overall well-being. What’s in your beauty regime that makes you feel better the most? How does your skin care help reduce your stress For many, their skincare routine can be something mundane, yet if you think about its good effects on your brain, then you’ll see it in a new light. This new awareness might even make you feel better. The researchers in the study above also explained that their results were consistent with the goal theory of well-being. According to this theory, having goals and progressing through them can benefit your well-being. They explained that the benefits you reap from having these goals aren’t just focused on when you achieve the goal but also through positive anticipation that something good will happen as you make progress. So, even when you still haven’t reached your main goal, the anticipation and all the little achievements you surpass along the way can already make you feel better. In a way, that can relate to your entire beauty regimen. Your goal is to pamper yourself and make your skin feel refreshed. Beauty routine for stress So, even just putting on a toner or face mask and working on other goals in your beauty routine can have positive effects on your mental health. You don’t see it, but your brain is being rewired to feel better with each little goal you meet. Surprisingly, the study authors discovered that the amygdala didn’t show any activity during their positive anticipation tests. It’s surprising because this part of the brain is thought to be the emotional center. The researchers hypothesized that the amygdala might be responsible for negative anticipation so that you can be ready for the fight or flight response. However, it doesn’t appear to be involved in anticipating positive events. That might make sense because if you feel good, you won’t need to worry about how you respond to the situation.