9 Celebs Who Took Control Of Their Stress & Are More Radiant Than Ever

Celebrities will be the first to admit that their glamorous lifestyle doesn't exactly do wonders for their skin. Thanks to busy schedules, financial strains, haphazard bedtimes, and the general strain of being in the spotlight, many celebrities end up taking on a whole lot of stress. Now, we all know that stress can do damage to our bodies in serious ways. However, it has also been proven to be the trigger for numerous skin conditions. 

In a 2022 press release shared by the American Academy of Dermatology Association, board-certified dermatologist Keira Barr, MD, FAAD. explained why stress could bring on dermatological issues. "Our brain and skin are intimately linked, and they communicate with each other," Dr. Barr explained. "This means that when we experience chronic stress from work, relationships or current events, the skin is both a target and a source of stress hormones, which can make the skin more vulnerable to itch, inflammation, irritation, and infection." Healthline notes that stress can lead to flare-ups of skin conditions like psoriasis, eczema, and contact dermatitis. 

Stress can not only be a sneaky and surprising cause of breakouts but also act as a trigger for premature aging by potentially causing wrinkles and eye bags. Stress can also be a surprising cause of dry skin that people never expect. Over the years, many celebrities have opened up about how they have experienced the ill effects of stress on their skin firsthand. Although it took some time and effort, they eventually managed to find ways to keep their stress levels in check and subsequently reaped the benefits it had for their skin.

Speaking to Business Insider in 2026, Kelly Rowland shared that she had been diagnosed with eczema shortly after she welcomed her son in 2014. To help control the flare-ups from inflammation, the former Destiny's Child member had made a conscious effort to reduce stress. 

Rowland noted that stress was such a major trigger that it could override the efforts she had made in her diet regimen and bring on a flare-up. When Rowland found herself getting stressed out, she knew she could rely on a good bath with essential oils or some meditation to ground herself. Rowland also reduced work-related stress through setting boundaries.

In a 2017 interview with Byrdie (via Teen Vogue), Lucy Hale revealed that she began experiencing breakouts shortly after she turned 21. While she physically tended to her hormonal acne with a good skincare routine, she also tended to her mind and kept her stress levels in check for better results. 

The "Pretty Little Liars" alum's idea of a stress buster was a sweaty SoulCycle class. In a 2022 interview with Glamour, Hale shared that instead of tearing up about her acne, as she had in the past, she had started questioning whether she was stressed or dehydrated to get to the root of the problem.

Speaking to Refinery29 in 2023, Mandy Moore shared that she went through a period where she "wanted to tear [her] face off" due to eczema flare-ups. In a Byrdie interview that same year, the "This Is Us" alum shared that stress was a major trigger for the skin condition. 

In addition to focusing on diet and exercise, Moore had created a self-care routine to help herself feel better as a whole. During a 2023 chat with Prevention, Moore said that she tried to find time in her busy schedule for a nice bath, reading a book, or even just for cuddles with her cats.

Speaking to Parade in 2021, Jonathan Van Ness shared that when they were 23, they had spotted "little red dots" on their skin and found that it occasionally felt tight and itchy. After going through a round of misdiagnoses, the "Queer Eye" star's condition was identified as psoriasis. 

In a 2018 Instagram post, Van Ness was happy to report that they had gone six months without a psoriasis flare-up. They suspected that the change might be because they had gotten their stress levels under control and started gratitude journaling. In their Parade interview, the hairstylist revealed that practicing yoga had also helped them in a major way.

During a 2023 interview with Yahoo! Life, Kerry Washington shared that she had been dealing with eczema and dry and sensitive skin throughout her life. While it was easy for her to stick to a good skincare routine, her busy schedule made it much harder to implement lifestyle changes like reducing stress and consistently getting good sleep. 

Still, the "Scandal" star was determined to keep her stress levels in check through smaller acts of self-love, including journaling, taking a nice bath, spending time with her loved ones, or even just hanging out with her pets.

In a 2020 YouTube video for Vogue, Selena Gomez shared that she was more prone to breakouts when she was stressed. "When you are taking care of your skin you are taking care of your body and your mind and your soul just because I think it's all connected," the Rare Beauty founder said. So, she unsurprisingly focused on crafting a self-care routine to go along with her skincare routine. 

That same year, Gomez shared in an Instagram video (via Women's Health Magazine) that she made sure to take some time away from her busy schedule to do a Dialectical Behavior Therapy worksheet daily. Additionally, Gomez enjoyed going on walks, taking relaxing showers, and journaling.

Speaking to PopSugar in 2024, Suni Lee shared that she had dealt with eczema throughout her life. The condition would leave her "constantly itching and uncomfortable" and even heavily affect her sleep. 

After the Olympic gold medalist realized that stress triggered her flare-ups, she made conscious efforts to ground herself through journaling and positive visualization. There's no doubt that Lee is well aware that journaling is good for mental health. Additionally, in a 2024 E! News interview, Lee noted that going to therapy had also helped her combat her self-doubt and reduce stress in a major way.

Speaking to New Beauty in 2024, Tia Mowry stated that she had only received an eczema diagnosis when she was around 26, despite dealing with "scaly" and inflamed skin for quite some time. Similar to most people in her shoes, the "Tia and Tamera" alum eventually realized that her condition worsened when she was stressed out. 

So, she identified the stressors in her life and practiced meditating and journaling to keep them in check. During a 2024 interview with The Zoe Report, Mowry shared that she also relied on positive affirmations to keep stressful thoughts at bay.

During a 2017 chat with the Los Angeles Times, Katie Lowes shared that she had been diagnosed with psoriasis around 2010, a time when she was dealing with the concurrent stresses of being a public figure and planning her wedding. 

At one point, her condition got so bad that she had to opt out of her save-the-date photoshoot. After that, the "Scandal" star decided she needed to make some changes. Since stress was a major trigger, she prioritized movement, practicing Hatha yoga thrice a week and going on hikes twice a week. Lowes had also looked into what foods to eat and what foods to avoid for inflammation for better results.