Can skincare cure anxiety? Are neurocosmetics the next big thing or another grift to avoid?

Should we be turning to our beauty routine for mental health support, asks Emilie Lavinia. As someone with an impressive skincare cabinet of peptide-boosting products and various bottles labelled “happy oil” and “sleep cream”, I was fascinated when I first came across psychodermatology, a field of study that addresses the interactions between the skin and mind. In the past I’ve investigated how botox might be affecting our ability to communicate, how stress accelerates skin ageing and how beauty standards are killing our sex lives, but I’d never come across the term “neurocosmetic” before. The term made so much sense given everything I’d been learning about the connection between the brain and the skin.

Neurocosmetics are the latest in a host of wellness trends to hone in on the link between the topical products we use and our mood. Broadly, the idea is that as skincare products come into contact with nerve endings within the dermis, the active ingredients in those products influence your brain chemistry. There are several applications for this idea, but you’ve no doubt seen an uptick in products and clinical beauty treatments that claim to “boost mood”.

“There is thought to be a bidirectional relationship between our skin health and our mental state. I regularly see patients in my practice who describe experiencing worsening eczema, rosacea flares, and acne breakouts during periods of heightened stress in their lives. These skin symptoms can be explained by the release of the stress hormone cortisol, which can lead to increased inflammation in the skin and a reduction in skin barrier function,” she explains.

Skincare for your brain is by no means a new invention – if you rub anything on your skin it’s likely to have some kind of effect. The skin is our largest organ and it does a great job as a shield, soaking up or deflecting whatever comes into contact with it. Herbalists in ancient cultures were aware of this and noted the effects of certain plants on the skin and the subsequent effect on our mood. However, we’re now seeing the concept of the brain-skin axis drawing a lot more focus and neurocosmetics celebrated as a science-backed solution for a skincare-obsessed society experiencing more acute mental health issues than ever before.

The neuro boom might be taking place because we’re all generally more aware of what we’re putting on our skin. Narratives around clean beauty and low-tox living have left us worried about whatever harmful chemicals might be leaching into our bodies from bleach-dyed tampons and highly-scented creams with outdated formulas. Or perhaps an increased awareness of mood and mental health has led us to the point where we’re happy to seek a solution to anxiety in a face serum. A better understanding of the prevalence of mental health issues is certainly not a bad thing – though some have argued younger generations are a little too in touch with their feelings, possibly to their detriment.

It could be that the primary reason for the popularity of neurocosmetics is the enormous shift we’re currently witnessing in how consumer products are marketed. Every brand seems to be launching a wellness product that hinges on the successes of the feel-good, self-care revolution. From pimple patches to oil for dry skin, anything can be marketed as a mood-altering product if it encourages you to take better care of yourself. But how far can cosmetics actually impact our brain chemistry? Is this all just semantics and clever marketing?.

Technically, if massaging your face with some unscented oil makes you feel good and gives you a lift, that oil could be considered a neurocosmetic and it could certainly be marketed as one. However, what we’re actually discussing when we use the term is certain ingredients that directly impact the brain, typically those with nootropic or aromatherapeutic properties. “Neurocosmetics can help alleviate itching and discomfort, manage inflammation and redness, and address stress-related skin conditions like acne and eczema, which are often exacerbated by stress. Moreover, neurocosmetic products have been shown to promote alertness, improve sleep quality, and potentially enhance memory through stimulation of the olfactory bulb. They also contribute to feelings of relaxation and wellbeing,” she says.

Read more: What happened when I tried a traditional Russian wellness ritual loved by biohackers. There’s a clear link between our mental state and our skin and this can be characterised in a number of ways. When we’re stressed we might experience eczema, breakouts or conditions like psoriasis might worsen. We might experience puffiness or what’s known as “cortisol face” as stress hormones flood the body in ways we might not be used to. By contrast, when our skin looks and feels good we feel more confident and calm. The skin, explains Dr Persaud, is both a sensory interface and a neuroactive tissue that physically responds to stimuli and sends messages to the brain to help us respond emotionally.