THE EMOTIONAL REFLECTION OF THE SKIN

The Emotional Connection to Beautiful Skin?

Anxiety, sadness, stress... The skin is a reflection of our souls. And why?

From a personal grooming perspective, cosmetic solutions often concentrate on the impacts of external elements on the skin, seldom examining how the skin can be influenced by what lies deep within: our emotions.

As the researcher and dermatologist Laurent Misery points out, the relationship between the nervous system and the skin is clear and direct. The skin reflects our emotions and internal conflicts because it is linked to the nervous system from its embryonic development.

The skin and brain are embryonic siblings because of their common origin in the ectoderm." Laurent Misery???????

At the forefront of this scientific trend is psychodermatology, an area of dermatology that addresses the links between psychiatry and dermatology. In simple terms, we could say that it primarily examines at the exacerbation or chronicity of various dermatological diseases due to skin-brain interaction. Some of its findings are, for example, that continuous psychosocial stress can lead to atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and acne. However, it is not only long-term situations that become reflected externally. Overall, all our emotions, especially negative ones like anxiety, worry, fear, and nervousness, in addition to other aspects of daily life, have an immediate impact on our skin.? This is attributed to the release of hormones such as cortisol and the availability of neurotransmitters and neuropeptides, many of which are common to the skin and central nervous system because of the identical ectodermal origin of the two structures.

This is how emotions affect the skin.

Elevated levels of cortisol and other psychosocial stress markers, such as cytokines (IL-8, IL-17, IL-23), TNF-a and chemokines (CXCL10), beta-defensin, and keratin-16 cause inflammation of skin cells. They also impoverish the dermal framework, alter the lipid quality of the epidermis, and disrupt processes such as keratinization, resulting in dry, dehydrated, and less elastic skin.? This cascade of endocrine and immune modifications disrupts the homeostatic capacity of the skin and increases its vulnerability.

In addition to the hormonal and molecular effects of stress on the skin, there is also the muscular tension that an individual suffers in this situation. This instability extends to the face and causes facial expressions such as frowning or eyebrow-raising, thereby exacerbating the depth of wrinkles.

Mental Beauty: The Emergence of a New Beauty Category

Traditionally, the study of skin care has been approached from a biomedical standpoint, focusing primarily on the cause. At Ayuna, we recognize the urgent need for a new paradigm to drive progress in the beauty industry. The evidence we support underscores the profound link between emotional behavior and skin health, advocating for a biopsychosocial model that explores the concept in a multidimensional way. This holistic approach delves into the intricate interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors, paving the path for a comprehensive understanding of beauty care.

While most theories applied in cosmetics rely on linear cell concepts (DNA sequences, protein sequences, etc.) or cycles (metabolism and the cell renewal cycle), our research views the skin not just as dermal tissue but also as a nervous, endocrine, organizational, and social organ. It doesn't depend solely on single-function solutions but instead explores the multidimensional dynamics between cells, tissues, and the extracellular space, integrating the aspect of 'mental beauty' to acknowledge the role of cognitive processes in personal care.

Ayuna has been a pioneer in introducing the concept of "mental beauty," aiming to shift consumers' inner dialogue to essentially “think” their way to beauty. At the IFSCC 2023 Congress, we presented innovative research detailing transformative techniques.

Through this work, Ayuna, who champions well-aging from a clean-ical perspective aims to bring a new dimension to cosmetic science, focusing on Mental Beauty to enhance people’s overall satisfaction. ?

“In the beauty industry, we have the unique opportunity to bring daily moments of joy and serenity to the lives of people,” says Isabel Ramos, CSO scientific director and co-founder of AYUNA - Less is Beauty.

The starting hypothesis was that the daily use of cosmetic products offers an opportunity to address the internalized aesthetic standard that causes dissatisfaction and to improve users' self-perception of beauty, not only through the sensory nature of the products themselves, with their textures and aromas – which is also true, but also because implementing techniques such as mindfulness, intention and purpose in the daily care ritual can bring about a change in the inner dialogue that enhances positive messages.

MENTAL BEAUTY is a key ingredient.

Until now, cosmetics have focused on everything we do not like about ourselves. A new narrative is here. AYUNA asks us not to place responsibility on the product, what you think about you can be the ultimate beauty formula that works the miracle and brings about transformation.

Loving oneself through ritual. Embrace the ritual. Establish positive messages, celebrate life daily, and accept the physical and hormonal changes inherent in our evolution. Eradicate mental stress. This ability to rewire the brain is called neuroplasticity. Our brains are malleable, and adopting new habits or adapting existing ones is a proven way to rewire neural pathways. Creating new pathways is the key to making deep and lasting changes in our habits and thoughts that can ultimately help us forge the highest version of ourselves.?

Ramos, I. (2023). Mental beauty: The unexplored and positive impact of cosmetics on self- perception and psychological well-being. IFSCC 2023 poster PRB-134. Available (with login) at https://app.eventwo.com/ifscc2023#