AN EXPERT GUIDE TO BEAUTY RITUALS AND BETTER MENTAL WELLBEING
There’s a reason a skincare routine feels good far beyond the glow it leaves behind. Whether it’s the comforting familiarity of your favourite cleanser, the grounding ritual of an evening double cleanse or the quiet satisfaction of sealing everything in with a rich moisturiser, skincare has become about far more than aesthetics alone. While cleansers, serums and moisturisers are often associated with glow-enhancing results, experts are increasingly recognising the deeper emotional benefits of daily beauty rituals — from reducing stress and anxiety to improving sleep and supporting self-esteem.
In a world that constantly demands our attention, beauty routines offer something increasingly rare: a moment of pause. Which is why we sat down with Dr Debora Lee from Dr Fox Online Pharmacy to discuss the emotional connection to skincare... because it isn’t imagined — it’s deeply rooted in science. “The skin is the largest organ of the body,” she explains. “So, you’re only as healthy as the skin you are in.”
From regulating temperature and protecting against environmental stressors to acting as one of our primary sensory organs, your skin plays a major role in how we experience the world — and how we feel within it.
“The skin protects your body from invasion from foreign organisms, plays a vital role in regulating body temperature and has an essential role in sensation,” explains Dr Lee. “Just as we need to be aware of and control our blood pressure to stay well, we need to take good care of our skin.”
That’s why establishing a consistent skincare routine can have such a profound impact on mental health.
In This Article:
- Why Daily Beauty Rituals Help Reduce Stress and Anxiety
- The Brain-Body Connection: Why Skincare Feels So Calming
- Circadian Rhythms and Why Your Skin Loves Routine
- Can Skincare Improve Self-Esteem?
- The Feel-Good Hormones Behind Beauty Rituals
- Why Beauty Rituals Matter Now More Than Ever
Why Daily Beauty Rituals Help Reduce Stress and Anxiety
Humans thrive on routine. And perhaps that’s why so many of us instinctively reach for our skincare rituals during stressful periods — because consistency feels comforting. When life feels chaotic, repetitive rituals create a sense of predictability and control — two things the nervous system craves.
Dr Lee explains that routines help lower stress because they reduce the number of decisions the brain has to make throughout the day. Over time, these actions become automatic habits, helping conserve mental energy and prevent burnout. “The body likes routine,” she says. “Being consistent lowers stress and means the body knows what to expect.”
She also explains that repetitive behaviours eventually become second nature. “A routine is a constant repetitive behaviour. But after a while, the self-care routine becomes a habit which is easy to carry out and doesn’t require much thought or effort,” she says. “The difficulty is getting it established in the first place.”
In many ways, that’s exactly why skincare resonates so deeply right now. Between overflowing calendars, endless notifications and the pressure to always be ‘on’, small rituals can feel grounding in a way few other things do.
This is especially important during periods of stress or anxiety. Research shows unpredictability increases feelings of overwhelm, whereas consistency helps regulate mood and improve emotional resilience.
“Your brain likes things to be orderly and predictable,” says Dr Lee. “It doesn’t like to be constantly overloaded with unnecessary decisions. Unpredictability increases anxiety.”
Cult Beauty’s Routine Essentials
For those looking to create a calming morning and evening ritual, consistency is key and these are what Dr Lee suggests:
Dr Lee’s Morning Routine Staples:
- Gentle cleanser
- Hydrating serum
- Moisturiser
- SPF 30+
Evening Routine Staples:
Makeup remover or cleansing balm - Second cleanse
Treatment serum or retinol - Nourishing night cream
Dr Lee recommends focusing on consistency over complexity. Establishing a simple morning and evening skincare ritual can help support both skin health and emotional wellbeing over time. She also suggests exfoliating twice weekly using a formula suitable for your skin type.
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The Brain-Body Connection: Why Skincare Feels So Calming
One of the most fascinating links between skincare and mental wellbeing lies within the nervous system.
When stress levels rise, the hypothalamus activates the sympathetic nervous system — better known as the body’s “fight or flight” response. Heart rate increases, breathing speeds up and the body enters a heightened state of alert.
But gentle, repetitive actions — like cleansing the skin, applying moisturiser or massaging in facial oil — can activate the parasympathetic nervous system instead. This is the body’s “rest and digest” mode, associated with calm, relaxation and recovery.
“Having a routine, such as a self-care or beauty routine, takes decision-making out of the picture,” Dr Lee explains. “The physical act of washing, stimulating the skin, patting it dry, applying lotions and moisturisers is a gentle, self-caring pastime.”
“The physical act of caring for the skin is soothing in itself,” she explains. “It activates the parasympathetic nervous system, slowing the heart and breathing rate and cooling the body down.”
She adds that activation of the parasympathetic nervous system is essential for proper sleep — which is also when much of the skin’s overnight repair and regeneration takes place.
Dr Lee explains that the physical act of caring for the skin can activate the parasympathetic nervous system — the body’s “rest and digest” mode — helping encourage relaxation, recovery and better sleep.
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Circadian Rhythms and Why Your Skin Loves Routine
According to Dr Lee, skin health is closely linked to circadian rhythms — the body’s internal clock.
Skin cells contain what scientists call “clock genes,” meaning many core skin functions fluctuate throughout the day. Processes like skin temperature, hydration levels and DNA repair all operate on a timed cycle.
Dr Lee points to research showing that trans epidermal water loss, keratinocyte proliferation, skin blood flow and skin temperature all shift according to the time of day. “Skin absorption is better at night,” she explains. “Hence, moisturisers and skin preparations may be better applied in the evenings.”
At night, skin absorption improves and repair processes peak during sleep. This is why ingredients like retinol, treatment creams and richer moisturisers are often most effective in the evening.
“Having a regular morning and nighttime routine helps your skin work with its natural circadian rhythms rather than against them,” the doctor explains.
According to Dr Lee, skin health is closely linked to Circadian rhythms, with many essential skin functions operating differently throughout the day and night. She notes that skin repair and DNA recovery peak during sleep, making a consistent evening skincare routine especially important.
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Can Skincare Improve Self-Esteem?
There’s also a strong psychological relationship between self-care and self-worth.
“Caring for yourself means valuing yourself,” says Dr Lee.
Making time for personal hygiene, skincare and sleep sends an important signal to the brain: I deserve care. In the same way we prioritise movement, nutrition or sleep, skincare can become another meaningful pillar of wellbeing.
“It’s certainly true that self-care is strongly linked to self-esteem,” says Dr Lee. “Those who care for themselves properly are more likely to have good mental and physical health.”
This can be particularly impactful for people struggling with stress, low mood or anxiety. Dr Lee also notes that neglecting personal hygiene is often associated with depression, whereas maintaining routines can help restore structure and confidence.
Recent studies support this link. In one 2024 randomised controlled study, participants who regularly applied makeup experienced significant reductions in depression symptoms alongside lower cortisol levels.
Dr Lee highlights that applying makeup engages multiple senses at once. “Applying make-up uses three key senses — touch, smell and vision — which can stimulate feelings of pleasure, and improve mood and self-confidence,” she explains.
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The Feel-Good Hormones Behind Beauty Rituals
There’s also a scientific reason skincare routines can leave us feeling calmer and happier.
According to Dr Lee, gentle repetitive touch stimulates the release of four key “feel-good” chemicals:
Oxytocin — associated with connection, trust and comfort Serotonin — linked to mood regulation and happiness Dopamine — involved in pleasure and reward Endorphins — natural mood boosters that reduce stress and discomfort
Combined with calming sensory experiences — like soothing scents and silky textures — skincare rituals can help create a powerful emotional reset.
“A calming smell such as lavender or chamomile activates the parasympathetic nervous system, telling the body it’s time for rest and sleep,” says Dr Lee. “A soft, light touch is soothing, pleasurable and conducive to relaxation.”
It’s why skincare often feels as therapeutic as it does transformative. The cooling glide of a serum, the cocooning texture of a night cream, the spa-like scent lingering on the skin afterwards — these tiny sensory moments can become surprisingly powerful acts of emotional regulation.
Why Beauty Rituals Matter Now More Than Ever
In a culture built around constant productivity, skincare routines offer something increasingly rare: pause.
And while a cleanser or serum may not solve everything, the ritual itself can become a meaningful act of self-kindness. “Adopting a self-care regime means being kind to yourself,” says Dr Lee. “Kindness has been recognised as a powerful factor for health.”
Whether it’s a five-minute morning cleanse or an elaborate evening ritual, these small moments of consistency can help regulate emotions, reduce stress and create a sense of calm.
Because ultimately, skincare isn’t just about looking better. It’s about feeling better too.
Rina is Cult Beauty’s SEO Content Strategist and Beauty Expert and has always had a passion for beauty and skin care (rich moisturisers are her obsession). What started as a love for The Body Shop and their famed Born Lippy lip balms (in ‘Watermelon’ of course!), she is now more interested in finding products with proven effectiveness instead of broken promises. A loud and proud VIEVE fan, Rina owns nearly every item of the range and recommends the brand to anyone who will listen... When she’s not intently reading ingredient lists, you can find her either immersed in multiple true crime podcasts or a fantasy romance novel, with an *extra* hot cappuccino in hand.
