De-Stressing Through Biohacking: What Went Down at Our ‘Stronger Than Stress’ Workshop

Stress is an inevitable part of life. Whether it’s that deadline you’re chasing, managing personal relationships, or traffic in the morning — all these daily stressors and triggers are often beyond our control. But one thing you can control is how you react to it. 

Last July 16, Pure Culture held the first ‘Stronger Than Stress,’ a workshop that focused on de-stressing techniques and easy, natural self-soothing hacks you can do everyday. This hybrid event was attended by some of the sustainable skincare Philippines community, and led by biohacking pioneer and anti-aging expert Eli Abela, together with Pure Culture co-founder and beauty expert, Kim Reyes-Palanca. 

“Your skin is a barometer of your health. If you’re feeling tense or tight, and your skin is acting up, that’s a symptom of stress,” said Kim. “Unfortunately, we cannot avoid stress, but we’re here to help you increase your immunity. People have forgotten that immunity isn’t just physical. It’s mind, body, and skin — all coming together.” 

Indeed, studies have shown that stress and anxiety are linked to skin problems, such as acne, psoriasis, eczema, rosacea, and more. In turn, it could impact one’s mental health even more, while also speeding up aging and making you more vulnerable to other illnesses. But the solution isn’t expensive facials and more spa days. 

Instead, the workshop introduced another approach that is more holistic and founded on natural, time-tested methods: biohacking. “Simply put, biohacking entails optimizing your own body to improve your mental, physical, and emotional self,” explained Kim. “Biohacking touches on various areas of life, including lifestyle habits, memory, focus, and athleticism. It could be as simple as meditation to boost cognitive function, or following a personalized diet to suit your genetic make-up.”

In ‘Stronger Than Stress,’ one of the main biohacking techniques that was shared is Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT). “Also known as ‘tapping,’ EFT involves tapping fingers on acupuncture points around your body for emotional and physical self-regulation. It’s a great way to address physical and emotional conditions,” stated Eli. “You can use it for many purposes — from clearing childhood trauma and stress relief, to boosting immunity and minimizing physical trauma.” 

Guests learned tapping sequences to improve their energy flow during stressful situations. Eli shared, “Tapping allows you to come back to a more balanced state and become more resilient. You get to access higher executive systems that help you think of solutions instead of mulling on the problem. For example, is the guy cutting you off mid-traffic really worth your energy? EFT gives you the power to choose.” 

Another highlight of the event was the skin rewilding workshop. “Skin rewilding is all about restoring your skin’s natural ecosystem,” Kim explained. “Your skin is alive and teeming with trillions of microbes, which impact your health and influence your body’s health. At Pure Culture, we believe in building a symbiotic relationship with nature, and nurturing the biome to bring out the best of your skin.” 

In line with this, the event included an introduction to some of Pure Culture’s luxury skincare line of biome-friendly products, such as the Wild Algae Quench Crème and gua sha tools. Kim continued, “The key to a healthy glow is a ‘wild’ and well-nourished skin microbiome that can self-regulate and self-repair, and that’s exactly what our products aim to do. Our Quench Créme, for example, is designed to calm and soothe skin, so that it can heal, control, and protect against inflammation.” 

To conclude the workshop, what followed was a Quench Créme and gua sha demonstration by Kim, who is also a certified gua sha teacher. “There’s a common misconception that gua sha is just for sculpting the face, but it’s actually an ancient practice with various science-backed benefits — like removing toxins through the lymphatic system, boosting circulation, and improving collagen production.” Beyond that, it’s also an effective practice in self-care and mindful beauty, promoting a positive flow of energy while reducing stress.

Kim added, “We’re all about rituals, not routine. It’s about making time for beauty with intention and attention. That’s how you manage stress and build resilience too.” 

For more events and the best of natural skincare Philippines, follow @purecultureph on Instagram and keep posted for updates.