Since lockdown began, I’ve been making some changes. I’ve omitted wearing make-up from my daily routine (bar the occasional weekend), I’m taking a lot more time to focus on my skincare regime and I’m drinking more water than usual. So why is my skin breaking out?!

Surprisingly, I’m not the only one. When the topic came up during a Stylist editorial meeting, everyone responded along the lines of “ME TOO”. Multiple friends have brought it up in WhatsApp conversations and a quick scroll through Twitter shows it’s a common problem for everyone at the moment. But why?

“I would put at least some of the reason down to stress,” explains Debbie Thomas, advanced skin and laser expert and founder of D. Thomas Clinic. “Worrying about your own health, your family and potentially your job will leave you feeling stressed.

“Additionally, lifestyle changes – whether good or bad – can also upset the hormonal balance again resulting in your skin acting up. You may think doing more exercise and eating more home cooked meals should mean you’re in better shape with glowing skin, however sometimes it can take a while for your body to settle – it can go through a purging phase where it pushes toxins out.”

Daniel Isaacs, director of research at Medik8, also points out that just because we’re sitting at home, doesn’t mean our skin isn’t experiencing a build up of dirt, oil, environmental aggressors and pollutants. “Impurities like these can block pores, making a flawless, smooth complexion difficult to achieve.”

Along with blemishes, most of us may notice our complexion looks duller/slightly grey compared to usual. Thomas says this could be down to becoming lax on skincare: “By not wearing make-up, some people may skip their evening skincare routine. But even without make-up your skin still produces oil and sweat that should be cleansed away”. A lack of vitamin D and, again, stress could also contribute to a duller complexion.

Here, the experts break down each of our current skincare concerns and share their advice on how to overcome them…

Coronavirus lockdown: this is why your skin is breaking out at home