The Plug’s Office Glow-Up Guide: 3 Skincare Tips & Essentials You Need to Know

2 out of 3 Americans don’t know how to properly take care of their skin (1). But what does this mean? What many people don’t realize is that the act of not maintaining their skin health can worsen over time with an increase in breakouts, acne, dry skin, and the development of skin cancer (2). But what if you were the 1 out of 3 people who know how to maintain their skin health? Well, here’s the thing: many of those people may not even realize that their skin health worsens every time they clock in for work. You heard us right! Many people never noticed that their workplace can affect their skin health. From having the air conditioner blasting at the office 24/7 or spending your 9 to 5 in front of the computer, your work environment can be one of the major reasons why your skin isn’t glowing to its true potential. Now, let’s dive a bit deeper into how your workplace can impact your skin health.

The moment you clock in for work, what’s the first thing you might notice when you walk into your office? Whether it’s your checklist for the day or the sounds of email notifications pinging from your computer, you probably notice how cool or dry your office may feel. We love the cooling sensation from our air conditioner, but what if we told you that air conditioners can impact your skin health? According to H&H Heating & Air Conditioner Inc., air conditioning can have a negative impact on your skin since the cooling system can remove moisture from your skin, leaving behind dryness (3). The dry effects of air conditioning can worsen your skin health, leading to the development of dermatitis, psoriasis, eczema, and rosacea (3). But it doesn’t stop there! If you continue to regularly blast your air conditioning unit at the office, the appliance can also cause flaky skin, itchy skin, and/or chapped lips. Not only that, if you don’t regularly replace the moisture that was stripped away due to the cooling system, your skin is more prone to premature aging like wrinkling and creasing. Shivers. It’s giving us the chills, and we know it’s not because of our air conditioner. Let’s take a break from using the AC and check out those email notifications from our computer.?

Once you open your inbox, you may notice your stress levels starting to rise due to seeing all of those important emails, tasks, and meetings that you will have to deal with before you clock out. But it doesn’t seem like your stress levels are the only thing coming into play; you might notice your skin flaring up, developing acne, or showing signs of aging due to work-related stress. According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, stress can negatively impact your skin health, leading to increased inflammation, oil production, and aging. Your stressful tasks can cause glands to produce more oil and develop acne or trigger skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema to easily flare up. Additionally, your stress hormones break down the collagen and elastin in your skin, which can interfere with rejuvenation, causing your skin to quickly age and develop wrinkles (4). Who knew that stress could give you such a glow-down? Let’s take a deep breath and try to lower our stress levels so that we can check off our tasks for the day behind our computer.?

And are you struggling to keep your eyes open? Unfortunately, spending hours behind the computer to complete your tasks, respond to emails, and/or attend virtual meetings can cause eye fatigue and eye strain. We just can’t seem to catch a break! According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, if you don’t give your eyes a break, people can experience dry eyes, eye strain, fatigue, eye discomfort, and headaches due to working on a computer for many hours (5). Studies have shown that people who tend to stare or focus on their computers will reduce their blinking rate and dry out their eyes (5), and for those who experience blurry vision while looking at computer screens, you probably did not realize how much you are squinting your eyes to adjust your vision. Squinting while working behind the computer screen actually contributes to crow’s feet and other wrinkles around your eyes. Who knew that the workplace contributes so much to our skin health? It’s time to clock out, turn off the computer, and head back home.

After a long day at work, you may start wondering if there’s a solution to maintaining your skin health while working. Trust us: there are plenty of ways to take care of your skin at the workplace. Before you catch some Z’s, let’s learn three ways to improve your skin health without your work environment getting in the way of your glow-up.?

1. Build a Skincare Routine

It’s never too late to look after your skin! When you wake up for work, try maintaining a basic skincare routine for what you want to focus on. For instance, applying a layer of moisturizer first thing in the morning and consistently throughout the day will prevent the air conditioner from removing moisture from your skin and participating in the development of dry skin. Additionally, try a serum focused on repairing damage to your skin barrier and relieving flare ups or apply retinol eye cream under the eye to reduce the appearance of crow’s feet or other wrinkles. Lastly, before you dive into your breakfast, try taking The Plug Pills 30 minutes beforehand to help improve your liver function, which can help prevent the development of acne, rashes, dry skin, and other skin issues.?

2. Let’s Get Physical?

You heard that right – it’s time to get physical! After you clock in for work, try to avoid sitting for a prolonged time by stretching at your desk or walking around the office to improve your blood circulation. Try giving your eyes a break as well; look away from your computer screen every 20 minutes and gazing softly at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds to reduce eye strain.??

3. Quench Your Thirst?

Hydration helps you stay on top of your game! When you take your 15-minute break, drink water to reduce headaches and boost your mood around the office. After your break, pour yourself some green tea to improve cognitive function and alleviate stress during your meetings. And in between your meetings, create a habit of sipping on The Plug Drink to prevent dehydration and boost your skin health while working at the office.?

After a long day at work, you walk towards your mirror to notice that your skin is glowing like the sun just by following our glow-up guide. Amazing, isn’t it? All thanks to you for learning everything about the importance of maintaining your skin health! Don’t stop now – remember to continue your skincare routine by taking The Plug with you to work to boost your skin health and hydration levels throughout your busy days. Let’s glow up together at the office this season!

Bibliography?

1. Americans Admit They Don’t Know How to Take Care of Their Skin [Internet]. Associated Skin Care Professionals. 2023 June 26. Available from: https://www.ascpskincare.com/updates/blog-posts/americans-admit-they-dont-know-how-take-care-their-skin?

2. Keep Your Skin Healthy: Protecting Your Outer Self [Internet]. 2015 Nov. National Institutes of Health: News in Health. Available from: https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2015/11/keep-your-skin-healthy?

3. Your HVAC can be Aging You. Combats AC Effects on Your Skin [Internet]. H&H Heating And Air Conditioning Inc. Available from: https://www.delcohvac.com/blog/your-hvac-can-be-aging-you-combat-ac-effects-on-your-skin/?

4. Feeling stressed? It can show in your skin, hair, and nails [Internet]. American Academy of Dermatology Association. 2022 July 21. Available from: https://www.aad.org/news/stress-shows-in-skin-hair-nails#:~:text=Stress%20can%20cause%20increased%20inflammation,who%20are%20prone%20to%20outbreaks.?

5. Ergonomics for the Eyes: Simple Adjustments to Your Office Environment Can Help Reduce Visual Fatigue [Internet]. American Academy of Ophthalmology. 2016 Feb 17. Available from: https://www.aao.org/newsroom/news-releases/detail/ergonomics-eyes-tips-avoid-computer-eye-strai?