Crashing waves. The glug of wine. A pitter-patter of rain. The kind of ASMR capable of shifting your brainwaves into an instant state of chill. But for the latest beauty trend, it’s not just about the ways in which sound can alter your mindset and mood, but rather how it can boost your skin too. No longer are your senses of ‘smell’ (see: scented serums to increase neural connectivity) or ‘touch’ (high-tech gadgets harnessing acu points) reigning supreme in the sensorial skin department, those tapping into the skin-mind connection are turning to sound to bring skin equilibrium. However, with claims of reducing cortisol and boosting collagen, is it really a catch-all skin hero guaranteed to make your complexion glow, or does it (ahem) sound too good to be true?
Sound therapy covers a range of different sound treatments (think sound baths, gongs, chimes and tuning forks) with the goal of using frequencies and sound waves to relax the mind and body. Though more of a self-reflective practice, sound therapy is often used interchangeably with the more Goopified ‘sound healing’. 'Both work by calming and regulating our nervous system,' explains Farzana, a practitioner-level sound therapist, known to her followers as The Sound Therapist. ‘The sound stimulates the vagus nerve; a cranial nerve that makes up a large part of our rest and digest system.’
Not only does this lower your heart and breath rate to reduce cortisol (the stress hormone) but it can also help you manage stressful situations better. ‘Through a process called entrainment, it also works to slow down your brainwaves so you’re able to mentally switch off, helping you feel rested and better able to deal with any stress that might arise,’ she adds. Once falling under the restorative - read: woo woo - umbrella, the studies are beginning to stack up in its favour too. One found that meditation aided by Tibetan bowls decreased stress levels, while another study from the University of Bonn in Germany found that using binaural beats helped ease anxiety.
If you’re wondering how all of this applies to your dermis, it’s that same six letter word that rages war on your skin, too. ‘Your skin is the largest organ and when you’re stressed or run-down, not sleeping enough or eating well, this shows up on your face,’ agrees Sarah Bradden, skin expert and founder of The Bradden Method. ‘When levels of the hormone cortisol rise this can have many different effects on the skin such as increasing oil production and provoking acne breakouts,’ adds Dr Thivi Maruthappu, a consultant dermatologist and dual nutritionist.
Both agree that sound can have a big impact on the health of your skin given the proven impact it has on lowering cortisol. The inflammation caused by stress can also cause skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis and breakouts to flare up, adds Farzana. ‘Your body uses its energy "fighting" the impending danger (the fight-or-flight response) leaving your skin health low on the list of priorities,’ she adds.
But is there any evidence to back it up? ‘We can pro-actively use calming music, rhythmic beats, chanting or nature sounds to reset the nervous system and reduce feelings of stress and induce calm,’ says Dr Tara Swart, a leading neuroscientist, author and lecturer. But when it comes to hard evidence linking skin to sound, you won’t find it. And some derms will scoff at the concept. Listening to reverse wrinkles? Probably not. But when you consider that most skin conditions are linked to stress and anxiety, could treating the body as a whole yield tangible results?
Those in favour of the skin-mind connection – the idea that the mind is connected to skin health – would argue that sound healing does have a place in your skincare arsenal. ‘We can now see the impact of stress on the skin through the multiple metabolic pathways causing dryness, dehydration, inflammation and sensitivity as well as decreased collagen and elastin,’ adds Annee de Mamiel, the founder of de Mamiel skincare. Studies now show that mindfulness methods, can help reduce stress and aid a number of different skin conditions like acne, she adds.
‘What you hear, touch, taste, smell and see impacts your state of mind, which is reflected in your skin,’ says Kylene Campos, Chief Marketing Officer of Tatcha. It’s one among a number of reasons why the skincare brand is turning to sound to unlock the skin-mind connection. Creating a skincare-inspired soundscape alongside their Indigo Overnight Repair treatment, a microbiome-friendly serum, the Indigo Calming Ritual was created with a music agency who recorded the sonic footprint of the indigo plant (an ingredient found in the serum). In a study of 50 participants, researchers monitored the brain’s theta waves to evaluate participants’ stress levels and alpha waves for relaxation levels, both of which were reduced.
They’re not the only ears to have pricked up. UK-based beauty brand Kloris has also created soundscapes to enhance the experience of its CBD-infused skincare. The idea is that the soundscapes go hand in hand with your skincare routine to create rituals. Another brand who’s been tapping into the senses for some time is de Mamiel. The brand's latest venture sees a collaboration with OPO, a platform created by sound meditation expert, Chris Connors, that harnesses neuro-sonic 3D soundscapes. ‘Using a neuro-sonic 3D soundscape to provide a synergistic combination of sound and scent encourages vibrational alignment and induces relaxation,’ de Mamiel says. ‘When used alongside the restorative complex of oils and targeted skincare we are supporting better mental, physical and emotional health for everyone and this has a positive impact on the skin,’ she adds.
Farzana believes that as the modern world reconnects with sounds, rituals and the system of self-healing, it’s only natural for it to filter down into skincare routines. ‘For me it makes perfect sense to turn the application of skin-nourishing treatments into a multi-sensorial, mindful activity,’ she says. Now the term ‘clear skin sound healing’ even has over 500 million views on TikTok. ‘People are generally prioritising their mental health and well-being and skincare rituals are certainly part of that,’ adds Campos.
And it doesn’t stop at skincare either. A new wave of sound-based treatments is also taking hold in salons and spas too. Harrods’ Wellness Clinic has recently added sound healing to its luxury offering, led by practitioner Harriet Emily. Meanwhile, Paolo Lai, a reflexologist based in London, offers sound healing facials on his holistic-meets-modern treatment menu, as does Ashmira Botanica, a skincare brand currently holding residency at The Langham spa. ‘Sound healing facials use a combination of massage techniques and sound healing tools such as singing bowls and tuning forks, along with oils and creams also charged with sound vibrations,’ says Lai.
So is sound therapy a one-way ticket to a megawatt glow? It’s never going to be a catch-all cure, nor is it the sole solution to improve skin health. But, by incorporating sound you can regulate the fight-or-flight response and reduce stress – which ultimately will serve your skin well. The biggest takeaway is looking at the body as a whole, adding moments of mindfulness and perhaps using sound-based beauty as an adjunct to your current skincare routine.
