You can’t control the scoreboard, but you can control your skincare.
It’s that time of year again - Finals Season. Whether you’re glued to the TV watching every bounce, tackle, or goal, it’s the ultimate emotional rollercoaster: highs, lows, heartbreak, euphoria... and cortisol. Lots of cortisol…
We often forget the invisible damage happening off the field... Yes, finals fever isn’t just tough on your heart, your liver, or your nerves - it’s tough on your skin.
So, what’s going on under the surface during Finals Season? Let’s break it down
STRESS + SKIN = THE REAL OPPOSITION
When you're emotionally invested in your team’s performance, your body reacts as if it's under attack. Whether you’re feeling pumped or devastated by a dodgy umpiring decision, your body releases cortisol - the primary stress hormone.
Cortisol prepares your body for action - think, fight or flight.
Here’s how it impacts your skin:
- Increased oil production: Cortisol triggers your sebaceous (oil) glands to go into overdrive. More oil means more clogged pores.
- Breakouts: The excess oil mixes with dead skin and bacteria, leading to acne, blackheads, or even painful cystic breakouts.
- Redness + inflammation: Stress can cause the skin to become irritated, sensitive, and inflamed.
- Premature ageing: Long-term stress contributes to the breakdown of collagen and elastin, meaning more fine lines and wrinkles.
Add to this, the absolute must have’s for the finals season
BEER, BURGERS + DOGS (the edible kind, not your best friend)
Let’s be honest: finals footy and clean living don’t exactly go hand in hand.
Between the drinks, the bar snacks, the late nights, your gut, and your skin are doing some serious overtime. Fatty foods and alcohol don’t just affect your waistline—they affect your skin barrier, your hydration levels and your natural detox processes.
- Alcohol dehydrates the skin, making it look dull and tired.
- Fried + processed foods trigger inflammation and throw your gut microbiome out of balance - which affects your skin.
- Poor sleep prevents the skin from properly repairing itself overnight.
It’s a perfect storm of factors, and your skin wears the damage like a badge of dishonour.
MIND-OVER-MATTER: THE GUT-SKIN-STRESS TRIANGLE
There’s an undeniable connection between your mind, your gut, and your skin.
During high-stress periods like Finals Season, your gut flora changes, your digestion slows, and your immune function takes a hit.
If you’ve noticed your skin breaking out or acting unusually during big matches or intense games, that’s no coincidence. Your body doesn’t separate emotional stress from physical stress - it just reacts. That surge of hormones you feel during "Festival of the Boot" - no matter what code, throws your skin’s balance off-kilter.
But here’s the good news: while you can’t control the umpires or the scoreboard, you can control how you care for your skin
YOUR 4-STEP SKINCARE GAME PLAN TO SURVIVE FINALS FEVER
Let’s simplify your skincare into a no-nonsense, 4-step routine that works!
1. CLEANSE – Twice a Day, No Excuses
Stress stimulates the sebaceous glands - especially in men - causing excess sebum (oil). Combine this with sweat, grime, and environmental pollution, and your pores are begging for a deep clean.
FACE WASH - Gentle yet effective
Use: Morning & night
Bonus tip: Cleanse after watching a game if you've been sweating, screaming, or crying
2. SCRUB – 3 Times a Week Unblock the Damage
Excess oil = clogged pores.
Clogged pores = blackheads and breakouts.
Exfoliation is key. A good scrub removes dead skin cells, prevents blockages, and keeps the skin looking fresh - even when you’re not feeling it.
FACE SRUB - Gentle enough for even the most sensitive skins.
USE: 3 times a week - can be used daily.
CHARCOAL FACE SRUB - For a deep clean leave on skin for 10mins wet fingers and scrub. Remove with damp cloth.
Use: 2-3 times a week
Bonus tip: Gentle but thorough is the goal. You're not sanding timber.
3. HYDRATE – The Hidden MVP
Just like you rehydrate after a big weekend, your skin needs its own rehydration strategy. Dehydrated skin is more prone to redness, sensitivity, and oiliness.
ANTI AGEING SERUM - super Hydrating for even the most traumatised skins. A lightweight serum with anti-inflammatory, antioxidants, niacinamide and calming on the skin.
Use: Daily
Bonus tip: Hydrated skin balances oil, prevents breakouts, and helps you look less… wrecked.
4. MOISTURISE – Lock It In, Protect the Barrier
Moisturised skin = healthy barrier.
Healthy barrier = less irritation, less redness, fewer breakouts.
All three are non-comedogenic (so won’t clog your pores).
MOISTURISER or OIL-FREE MOISTURISER or SPF15 MOISTURISER
Use: Daily
Bonus tip: Moisturising seals in hydration and protects your skin from environmental aggressors like pollution, UV rays, and wind.
FINAL WHISTLE: SKIN WINS ARE STLL WINS
Finals Fever is real. It’s chaotic, emotional, and thrilling - and it’s easy to forget self-care when you’re deep in the trenches of team loyalty.
Rally your skincare squad:
- Cleanse
- Scrub
- Hydrate
- Moisturise
CHARLES + LEE... keeping the rugged a little more refined.