Why forest bathing is so great for our skin

Forest Beauty - why forest bathing is so great for our skin

Immerse yourself in the forest, with all your senses. The practice of Shinrin Yoku from Japan not only has a great effect on our health, it also supports our natural skin glow. How it works and why the forest is so healing. An impulse talk with Shinrin Yoku Teacher Lara.

"Every human being carries biophilia within them. The love of living things, of nature. But our digital, fast-paced everyday life is usually anything but close to nature. The result? Stress. Which affects our health and also our complexion.

Forest bathing immerses us in the forest with all our senses. Our body remembers its natural closeness to nature and relaxes. But what does this have to do with our skin?

The power of phytoncides

Phytoncides are bioactive plant substances that the trees release into the air. In this way, they communicate with other trees through the air. So you can also call them plant vocabulary. We absorb the phytoncides through our breathing, but also through our skin. They stimulate our immune activity - our body produces more defence cells. A stronger immune system makes us less susceptible to illness. And getting sick less often keeps us alert.

More relaxation = less stress

Because of our natural connection to the forest, our parasympathetic nervous system is very quickly stimulated during conscious time in the green. As the counterpart of the sympathetic nervous system, it ensures that our cortisol level in the blood drops. The stress hormone cortisol slows down the movement of skin cells and renewal stagnates. When we are very stressed, the skin eventually looks lifeless and sallow. So letting our cortisol levels drop is a real treat for our skin!

Fresh air cure

On average, one cubic metre of city air contains 1 million microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, viruses and fine dust. The air is cleaner, clearer, the body absorbs more oxygen with every breath and less fine dust is deposited on the skin. You can feel and see this after regular visits to the forest.

Everything in motion

Exercise in the fresh air gets the blood circulation going - just think of the fresh apple cheeks after a nice walk. The lymphatic system also gets going, is better able to remove toxins and distribute nutrients more effectively in the cells. The green environment in the forest also stimulates our liver and kidneys and helps our detoxification system. All great allies for clear and glowing skin.

Lucky charm

Forest bathing makes you happy! It's even been proven to lift our mood, reduce anxiety and boost creativity. When we are happy, we have that very special glow - you can literally read it off our face.

Good night, baby

Rumpled when you get out of bed in the morning? Not after forest bathing. Time in the forest supports a restful and deep sleep. Our body has enough time to regenerate and recharge. So we are fitter in the morning and radiate this.

Take plenty of time on your next forest walk to arrive in the forest in peace and quiet. Favourite tip: Take a blanket with you, lie down on the forest floor and simply watch the sky. Or go for a guided forest swim - relaxation guaranteed."

If you would like to find out more about Lara's work in the forest and her workshop dates, please visit her website.