Living in Colorado, skin care is a major battle with the relative humidity sometimes dropping as low as 10%...and when stress creeps in, I have to be even more on top of my skin care game! Though I live a relatively stress-free life as a yogi, no one is immune to stress - it happens.

When we were building our house, we lived in a small apartment downtown. At first we were enamored with downtown living, but after a year and a half of eating our way through Pearl Street’s amazing restaurants and dealing with the snafus of home building, we put on weight and I could feel that my skin was on the edge.

You’ve probably seen the effects of stress on the skin – dry itchy rashes, more frequent breakouts, and a dull complexion.

Having healthy, glowing skin starts with using the best products to cleanse, exfoliate, and moisturize – but none of that matters if stress is dominating your life.

Here are some tips to reduce stress, detect the warning signs of duress, and keep your skin glowing:

Pay Attention to Your Body

When you're busy and overwhelmed it can be hard to pick up on the signs of stress. Signals might include feeling tired, trouble sleeping, or getting sick more often than usual. Pay attention to these signs and then find ways to incorporate relaxation moments into your life. For example, reading a good book, taking naps, scheduling time with friends, or attending a yoga class.

For a moment of bliss and calm, use Yuni's Pocket Savasana to mist the air around you!

Keep up your skin care ritual

When we get busy and under pressure from stress, skin care often takes a back seat to other priorities. Make a point to prioritize your ritual!

Proper skin care is a 5-step process:

• 1. Cleansing
• 2. Exfoliating
• 3. Toner
• 4. Serum
• 5. Moisturizer

Take the time to cleanse and exfoliate daily and apply toner, serum and moisturizer. Once a week, indulge in a mask.

Get to the Bottom of It

Of course your skin care ritual is critical to keeping your skin healthy and glowing, however, nothing will help if you're not getting to the bottom of what is causing your stress.

Is it a relationship that is unhealthy or full of conflict? Are you unhappy in your job or work environment? Is clutter around your home or office blocking you from being productive or creative? Are you doing the things you're most passionate about or just coasting along in life?

When I start feeling like I'm coasting vs. living on purpose I usually turn to meditation, a good talk with a friend or my partner, and get out alone in nature to reconnect with what’s truly important.

Stress is inevitable, but it need not dominate your life (or your skin!).

What are your tips for handling stress? Please leave a comment and share ideas!

About the Author:

Amy Ippoliti is known for bringing yoga to modern-day life in a genuine way through her intelligent sequencing, clear instruction, and engaging sense of humor. She shares her passion for yoga, health, earth conservation, and with her writings for Yoga Journal, Mantra Magazine, Mind Body Green, prAna Stories, and Elephant Journal. She has appeared on the covers of Yoga Journal and Fit Yoga Magazine and has been featured in Self Magazine, New York Magazine, Allure (Korea), and Newsweek and on the front page of Yahoo.com. A teacher on  YogaGlo.com, she is a pioneer of advanced yoga education, co-founding  90 Monkeys, an online school that has enhanced the skills of yoga teachers and studios in 65 countries. She is the co-author of the new book, The Art and Business of Teaching Yoga.