YOUR SKIN PLAN
PHASE ONE
Thank you for sharing everything with me.
Although you've always described your skin as oily, the dry, red, itchy patches around your nose tell me something is happening underneath.
Your skin is showing signs of a compromised skin barrier and what appears to be perioral dermatitis.
Looking at your routine, there are a few things that may have contributed
- introducing retinol
- layering multiple active serums
- high levels of ongoing stress
- naturally oily skin being stripped a little too much
The good news is this is something we can absolutely calm down, but it does require us to simplify things for a while.
YOUR
LIFESTYLE
What's likely driving your skin
1. Chronic stress
Being a primary school head teacher is an incredibly demanding role.
You've mentioned your stress has been high enough that your GP was considering signing you off work, and that alone tells me your nervous system has been under a huge amount of pressure. When cortisol remains elevated for long periods it can increase oil production, slow skin barrier repair, increase inflammation & delay healing make conditions like perioral dermatitis much more likely to flare. This doesn't mean stress is the only cause, but it's definitely playing a role.
YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH STRESS.
Stress has been highlighted as a prevalent factor that is negatively impacting your health and wellbeing. The following guide is here to help you understand and manage stress so you can start to physically feel and see results. Navigate the guide from the tabs above, or the buttons below.
STAGE OF STRESS:
TYPE OF STRESS:
You struggle with:
Emotional, Physical, Environmental
STAGE
O1.
ALARM PHASE
Your System Is In Active Fight-or-Flight.
Right now, your nervous system is in the early stress response.
Adrenaline and cortisol are elevated.
Your body is alert and reactive.
You may feel:
Wired but productive
Anxious or overstimulated
Prone to stress cravings
Reactive in decision making
Struggling to fully switch off
Blood flow is being diverted away from the logical part of the brain, which is why when stressed you may operate more on reflex than reason.
At this stage, your body is still adaptive — which means it responds well to calming support.
Our focus is lowering stimulation and signalling safety.
NERVOUS SYSTEM SUPPORT
Ashwagandha
L-theanine
Passionflower
Valerian
Holy basil
5-HTP (where appropriate)
Magnesium
LIFESTYLE FOCUS
Reducing caffeine
Breathwork
Gentle evening wind-down routine
Lowering stimulation at night
Essential oils such as lavender or lemon balm
TYPES OF STRESS
Stress can show up in 3 ways:
Physical Stress: Work pressure and overcommitment, being busy with no true rest, over-exercising, injury recovery, poor sleep, blood sugar instability.
Emotional Stress: Unhappy or unsafe relationships, loss or grief, past or present trauma, feeling unworthy or misaligned with your true self, living in constant self-criticism.
Environmental Stress: EMFs, pollution, endocrine disruptors, ultra-processed foods, free radical exposure.
REGULATING EMOTIONAL STRESS
Healing does not begin with elimination diets or new supplements. It begins with safety. Some foundational shifts include:
In relationships, friendships, and work environments.
If something consistently dysregulates you, it needs addressing.
REGULATING PHYSICAL STRESS
Healing often requires doing less — not more.
If someone is training five days a week with high-intensity cardio or HIIT sessions, we may look at reducing this to around three sessions per week, lowering the overall intensity, or replacing some workouts with more restorative forms of movement. This could include Pilates, yoga, walking, or strength training with longer rest periods between sets.
Exercise should regulate the nervous system — not overstimulate it.
REGULATING ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS
It’s impossible to remove every environmental exposure completely, and trying to do so often creates more stress than benefit. The goal is not perfection, but gradually reducing overall load where it feels realistic and supportive.
Supportive shifts may include using stainless steel or cast iron cookware, drinking filtered water, choosing organic produce where possible — particularly for high-pesticide foods — and avoiding smoking or vaping. Other helpful strategies can include improving indoor air quality through ventilation or air purifiers, turning Wi-Fi routers off at night if practical, placing phones on airplane mode while sleeping, introducing more indoor and outdoor plants, and reducing the use of synthetic fragrances within the home.
YOUR DAILY ROUTINE:
This routine has been custom made for your needs and lifestyle:
Your Morning Routine
Wake up
- Aim to wake at a consistent time each training day.
- Have a large glass of water with electrolytes before your workout.
- If you feel hungry before training, have something light such as half a banana or a rice cake.
Gym
- Continue with your current training routine as you're already balancing strength, cardio and recovery well.
- Focus on training because it makes you feel good, not because you "have to".
Post workout (within 60 minutes)
- Prioritise breakfast with at least 25 30g of protein.
- Your eggs are a great start. Continue adding your collagen if you enjoy it.
- If you find you're hungry sooner, consider adding a slice of sourdough or some oats to support recovery from your Hyrox sessions.
Before work
- Spend 5 minutes outside in natural daylight if possible. This helps regulate your body clock, supports cortisol at the right time of day and can improve both sleep and stress resilience later on.
During Your Working Day
As a head teacher, your nervous system is constantly on, so I'd love you to build in tiny reset moments.
Try to
- Take 2 - 3 minutes between meetings to slow your breathing.
- Eat your lunch away from your desk, whenever possible.
- Chew your food slowly rather than eating whilst answering emails.
- Stay hydrated throughout the day (aim for around 2 - 2.5 litres, more on training days, added electrolytes are fab).
- If you're feeling overwhelmed, step outside for a few minutes rather than pushing straight on.
These small moments help signal to your body that it's safe, which is important for both stress regulation and skin healing.
Evening Routine
After work
- Give yourself a clear transition from work to home. Even a 10 - 15 minute walk or simply changing clothes can help your brain switch off from head teacher mode.
Dinner
- Continue building meals around protein.
- Include a source of healthy fats and plenty of colourful vegetables where possible.
- Don't worry about being perfect, consistency matters far more than perfection.
An hour before bed
- Dim lights.
- Reduce phone or laptop use.
- Read, stretch, listen to music or do anything that genuinely helps you unwind.
Before sleep
- Continue using your weighted eye mask and ear plugs if they're helping.
- Aim for a consistent bedtime that allows around 7.5 - 8.5 hours of sleep, especially before training days.
A Few Focus Areas for the Next 8 Weeks
Rather than trying to change everything, I'd like you to focus on these simple habits
- Prioritise recovery just as much as training.
- Keep protein consistent at every meal.
- Stay hydrated, particularly on Hyrox days.
- Build in small moments during the day where you intentionally slow down.
- Protect your sleep routine as much as possible.
- Remember that healing your skin isn't just about products, it's also about giving your body the right environment to repair.
ADDITIONAL LEARNING RESOURCES
These documents have been together as general educational tools to help you understand stress better, and therefore be able to control it.
NAME OF PDF
NAME OF PDF
NAME OF PDF