What's The Deal With Neurocosmetics?
A calming face mask, the gentle strokes from a Gua Sha, mood-elevating essential oils — skincare is a sensorial experience that's ritualistic and almost therapeutic. Finding that sweet spot between skincare and mental wellbeing is neurocosmetics, an upcoming segment within skincare that connects beauty with the brain through formulations that communicate with neural pathways. Simply put, a happy mind equals happy skin. But can your brain truly liaise with your skin, or is it simply a placebo? The experts weigh in!
The mind-skin connection
Considering your mind and skin share the same neuromediators, the impact your brain and skin have on each other isn't surprising. 'The mind-skin connection is now well-established both in ancient systems like Ayurveda and in modern psychodermatology,' says New York-based Reiki master, intuitive healer, and founder and CEO, Kaia Skincare, Kalpana Semple.
Stress, anxiety, and trauma can directly manifest as inflammation, breakouts, eczema, and premature ageing and conversely, chronic skin conditions can cause emotional distress. 'Stress and skin are closely linked,' explains consultant dermatologist and international psychodermatology expert, Dr Alia Ahmed. 'I often tell my patients, 'stress causes skin disease and skin disease causes stress'.' Feelings of emotional distress lead to the release of cortisol, which is known to impact the immune system, drive allergic responses, delay healing, and disrupt the skin's natural barrier.
As someone who's been living with autoimmune conditions herself, Roshni Jaiswal, founder and CEO of Justhuman, a neurocosmetics-based skincare brand, has firsthand seen how her emotional state impacted her health and her skin's health. 'It's a two-way street — how I feel affects how my skin behaves, and how my skin looks, impacts how I feel.' It's a vicious cycle.
Enter the world of neurocosmetics
Where neuroscience meets dermatology, neurocosmetics lies at the heart of the brain-skin connection.'It is suggested to interact with the skin's nervous system and then influence the brain-immune skin axis,' explains Dr Ahmed. 'Essentially, skin interacts with the brain and the immune system through chemical messengers that are released in response to stimuli such as pain, touch, and temperature changes.'
These formulations can target various skin concerns, including acne, dark circles, dehydration and dryness, redness and inflammation, pain management, skin sensitivity, and so much more. 'Our skin is a sensory organ, rich with nerve endings, neuroreceptors, and neurotransmitters,' Jaiswal explains. 'It doesn't just react to the environment, it actively communicates with the brain.'
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