You look in the mirror and your face feels different. Rounder, softer, almost swollen. No change in diet, no lack of sleep can explain it. It’s like your body is holding something you can’t name. That’s what many women call moon face, and it often has less to do with food or fitness and more to do with hormones.
Moon face happens when your body is under long-term stress.
Elevated cortisol, the stress hormone, signals your body to store water and sodium, slow digestion, and protect you from perceived danger. Your lymphatic system becomes sluggish, and the puffiness you see is simply your body’s way of saying, I need calm.
In general, hormonal imbalance plays a key role.
When estrogen and progesterone are out of sync, inflammation increases and your face can appear fuller, especially around the cheeks and jawline. It’s your endocrine system reflecting your inner state, a mirror of how overwhelmed your body feels trying to keep up.
What helps:
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Infuse regulating practices, rituals and rest to your day to day routine
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Drink/eat mineral-rich and add a pinch of natural sea salt to support adrenal balance.
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Eat enough protein and healthy fats to stabilise hormones (starving or restricting only raises cortisol).
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Avoid constant cold exposure: Warmth helps the feminine lymph flow better
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Sleep between 10 pm and 2 am when your body naturally resets its hormonal rhythm.
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Gently massage your face in upward strokes to support lymphatic drainage, but only after addressing stress and sleep – not as a quick fix.
The goal isn’t to “fix” your puffiness, but to learn to listen and read your body and understand it. Moon face is your body whispering that she’s tired of being in fight-or-flight. Once your body feels safe again, your face will soften naturally – not from pressure, but from peace.
