Love & Esthetics Blog

selective focus portrait photo of woman with a towel on head looking in the mirror

The Lowdown on Sensitive Skin

The colder months are here, the heat is turned up and the air is harsh, this can be a recipe for disaster for an already sensitive skin.

If you’re someone whose skin gets irritated in the winter, you’re not alone. The lack of humidity in the air dries us out, exasperating certain skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, and just overall sensitivity. 

But I’m here to tell you it doesn’t have to be this way! With a few tweaks to your skincare routine, as well as adding certain foods and nutrients to your diet, we can keep that sensitivity under control, if not eliminate it all together! 

First let’s talk about what causes sensitivity. The majority of sensitivity stems from impaired barrier function. Our skin has a layer on the surface called the “barrier” or the acid mantle. This layer is what protects our skin from the elements. When the acid mantle is compromised, our skin loses its natural defense, and is more susceptible to dryness, dehydration, and sensitivity. 

Some signs that your skins barrier might be compromised:

  • Flaky skin
  • Overly reactive skin (stings or burns)
  • General redness 
  • Breakouts
  • Tight feeling skin
  • Dermatitis

Now that you understand the cause of sensitivity, here are a few skincare products, as well as ingredients, to look for to improve the appearance of your skin, to soothe sensitivity, and to keep your skin healthy through the winter. 

Let’s start with products. These three products should be in your everyday skincare regime:

1. Oil: When your skin is dry, it is lacking oil. Oil will not only provide lubrication to your skin to reduce that tight feeling, it also creates a protective layer to prevent trans epidermal water loss (TEWL).

2. Serum: It’s easy to confuse dehydration and dryness, but the two often come hand in hand. If your skin is dehydrated oil will only do so much. Using a water based serum will provide a punch of active ingredients to treat sensitivity, and add that extra dose of water the skin is looking for. A toner can also be a great option, like Blissoma Botanicals Serene Sacrad Waters Toner

3. Cleanser: Cleansing is the first step in the skincare routine and one of the most important not only for sensitive skin, but for all skin types as it sets the tone for the rest of the regime. Cleansers can be stripping, and when your dealing with sensitive skin and a compromised barrier that is the last thing you want. Avoid cleansers that foam or suds, and stay away from artificial fragrance. The cleanser should be soap free, and pH balanced. Avoid over cleansing as this can dry the skin out more and contribute to sensitivity. 

4. Facial Masks: This should be a weekly staple. Face mask are jam packed with nutrients for the skin. It’s is one of the best ways to help repair the barrier and deliver skin healing ingredients through the epidermal layers. It’s also a great way to practice some self care, make it a ritual. Pour your favorite cup of tea, light a candle, listen to some music, whatever makes you feel good while your doing your mask.

Now that we know which products to use, even more important is what ingredients to look for in these products:

  • Reishi, or Ganoderma lucidum, is mushroom know for its calming effects on the skin. Rich in beta-glucans, which have the ability to modulate the skins immune system, as well as deeply hydrating the skin and reducing the signs of aging. It reduces inflammation, increases antioxidants in the skin, and makes sensitive skin more resilient. Try the Beta-Glucan mask from Blissoma
  • Sunflower Seed oil – this mostly non allergenic oil is the perfect oil for those with reactive skins. This mild oil is jam packed with the skin healing vitamin E in the form on alpha-tocopherol which has an anti inflammatory affect in humans. Not to mention it’s also high in antioxidants and carotenoids for age defying properties. Try the Herbal cleanser from Blissoma 
  • CBD – this powerhouse ingredient has so many benefits to the body as well as the skin, But it’s ability to combat inflammation in the skin is unmatched. CBD has anti microbial properties as well as anti inflammatory properties making it suitable for acne skin as well. It soothes the skin and reduces irritation, and is rich in antioxidants which protects the skin against oxidative stress. Try the 3 Part Beauty System from Moon mother hemp CBD oil
  • Bluetansy – this essential oil, as well as other blue essential oils like blue chamomile, contains a compound called Azulene. Azulene is calming, anti inflammatory, antibacterial, and helps Aid in skin cell regeneration. Blue Tansy is also a natural relaxant, calming the nervous system with its aroma. It also has anti-allergenic properties which means it can help reduce skin reactions to allergens it comes in contact with. Blue Serenity balm 
  • Marshmallow root – the antiinflammatory powers of marshmallow root make it a perfect ingredient for sensitive, Irritated skins. Its one of the best herbs for dry, itchy skin as it deeply moisturizes the skin. Try the Pure sensitive complex Blissoma 

Getting regular facial treatments, as well as using the correct skincare products at home, can help repair the skins barrier, hydrate, nourish, and sooth sensitive skin. Our Canna-Calm facial is specifically designed for sensitive skin in mind, using the above ingredients combined with techniques to heal the skin from the inside out. Click here to book your appointment!

Besides topical skincare, it’s important to care for you body as a whole to combat sensitive skin. Eating a balanced diet, drinking lots of fluids, moving your body regularly and trying to reduce stress will all benefit the skin. 

To try one of the products discussed above, feel free to contact me to order!

woman getting a facial treatment

The Body Keeps the Score – Facial Mapping

Facial Mapping has been used for centuries in other cultures, like in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurvedic Medicine. It helps the practitioner identify imbalances within the body. 

Depending on which school of thought you’re using, each area of the face corresponds to an area of the body, which are connected by qi, or chi, or life force energy. 

Our skin is a reflection of our internal health, and when we have imbalances internally, it will eventually manifest in our skin. One example that is often used in the skincare world is how breakouts around the chin are associated with hormonal fluctuations. 

Trapped trauma or emotions can also show up in the skin. When we have experiences that create stress within the body that are not properly dealt with, the emotions surrounding it gets stored in our tissues.

We react to emotions using our face, these are our facial expressions. When we experience a specific emotion, our face can communicate how we are feeling with the world.

For example, when we experience fear, we open our eyes wide (orbicularis oculi muscle) we open our mouth (orbicularis oris muscle) and we raise our eyebrows (frontalis muscle).

When we experience anger we flare our nostrils (nasalis muscle), furrow our brows (curragator muscle), and tighten our lips (orbicularis oris).

And when we are happy we smile, squinting our eyes (orbicularis oculi), and the corners of our mouths lift (zygomaticus muscle).

When we experience an emotion over and over again, or when we have a significant event in our lives linked to a certain emotion, we start to subconsciously make the expression associated with that emotion. Our body, and muscles, are holding onto that emotion through muscle memory.

This is why when someone asks you “whats wrong?” when nothing seems to be wrong, its is your subconscious state making the facial xexpression, aka your facial posture.

By looking at the skin we can see fine lines, or feel tension around areas of the face. This tells us that the person is subconsciously holding onto emotions. 

When talking about “emotional release” around using Gua Sha, cupping, or even manual massage, we are talking about releasing these stored emotions from the tissue. It is relaxing your facial postures and ironing out the tension. As we release muscles, fascia, and lymph that is intertwined, these trapped emotions can also release along with it. 

We can restore the flow of qi, or energy into these areas, allowing oxygen and nutrients to flood the tissue, allowing the body to heal and repair both on a physical level (releasing the muscle) but also on an energetic and emotional level. This is a true holistic healing treatment.

Most people feel a sense of relief after, but some may experience uncomfortable side effects. This work might bring these emotions to a head, making the person feel a little more emotional then usual, or a bit “off”. Releasing any kind of toxin from the body, even an emotional toxin, can also lead to some physical feelings like being a little lightheaded.

Home care is so important to bring the body back to balance and continue the work that was done. Breathing exercises, or self care rituals can further release any stagnant fluid, emotions or waste from the body.

various beauty products on ceramic shelf in bathroom

Beauty & The Bacteria

When you think of healthy skin, do you think of microscopic bugs, virus’s, fungi, and bacteria? You should.

Our microbiome is a complex ecosystem of microorganisms that live both inside of us, in our digestive tract, our lungs,  our reproductive system, and our bio-fluids,  and outside on our skin and in our pores and follicles.

When in balance, we have a healthy diversity of microbes that work harmoniously to keep our skin, and body, healthy. These “bugs” communicate with each other, protecting us from harmful pathogens. If you’ve heard of the Gut-Skin connection, this connection is because of the communication of microbes between the skin, and the gut.

When our skins barrier function is compromised, it leaves us in a state of dysbiosis, or imbalance, leading to certain skin conditions, for example acne. The health of our gut microbiome will play an important role in re-balancing our skin. If our gut microbiome is also in a state of dysbiosis, our body is not able to heal and repair, leading to inflammation. The imbalance in our skin only worsens, and we end up with chronic inflammatory conditions within the skin and body.

When a client comes in with certain conditions like acne, rosacea, or dermatitis, one can assume they are in a state of dysbiosis. Treating these conditions topically will improve the appearance short term, but will not resolve the issue. We must reduce the inflammation, repair the barrier, and repopulate the microbiome in order to see lasting improvement to the skin. This takes time and consistency, and its important to explain this to the client, there is no quick fix.

So how can we help our clients?

Reduce inflammation and discomfort. 

We are supporting the body’s natural healing processes in this phase. This can be done easily with topical treatments and products, and is where as Estheticians we will be able to make the client look and feel more comfortable. This approach is “putting a bandaid over it to stop the bleeding”, but will not resolve the issue. Some treatments I like to do include LED light therapy, anti-inflammatory treatment masks, Kansa wand massage or very gentle cooling techniques including Gua Sha and Jade rolling, and lymphatic drainage massage underneath the effected area. We do NOT want to add more insult to injury by doing aggressive exfoliation or using certain ingredients that will cause more aggravation.

Repair the barrier.

Repairing the barrier is really an inside out approach. We need to heal the gut first, in order to heal the skin. As we already mentioned, there is a huge connection between gut and skin health, and you cant heal one without the other. Some things that can damage our gut lining include

  • Over the counter medications like NSAIDS
  • Alcohol
  • Chronic Stress
  • Overuse of antibiotics
  • -Consuming excess amounts of sugar

Remember to remind your client this didn’t happen overnight. If the skin is showing signs of imbalance its usually a result of long term imbalance in the gut. This can go as far back as childhood taking antibiotics over and over for ear infections. It is going to take time to heal and repair before they start seeing results in the skin.

This may be where you need to refer out to a holistic nutritionist or function medicine Dr, depending on how severe the issue is. But there are some things we can recommend to our clients to get them on the right track…

  • Elimination diet – try this for at least 6 weeks. You can eliminate the most common culprits, dairy, wheat, soy, eggs and nuts, either one at a time or all at once. Then slowly reintroduce them (one at a time if you did it all at once) and see how you feel. There are also blood tests that can be done  (with a functional medicine Dr.) to know for sure what foods are creating immune responses (this is usually what I recommend.)
  • Add more Omega-3 fatty acids into the diet. In the standard American diet we eat a large amount of Omega-6 foods, which throws the balance of fatty acids off in our body. Omega 3 is important to form the building blocks for healthy cells, and they play a roll in reducing inflammation. 
  • Manage Stress – stress creates a cascade of events within the body. It can mess with our hormones, our blood sugar, and will eventually manifest itself as disease. As Estheticians, this is one major way we help or clients, allowing them to decompress and de stress while in the treatment room. Other options are mediating, dancing, journaling, getting out in the fresh air, whatever allows the client to fully relax and enter into the parasympathetic nervous system, where the body can heal and repair.

Repopulate the “good guys”.

We can replenish our good bacteria in our gut by eating fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, and kombucha. We can also help feed the bacteria we already have with prebiotic foods such as garlic, onions, leeks, and asparagus. Supplementing with pro and prebiotics has also shown to repair the skins barrier, prevent trans-epidermal water loss, and repopulate the skins microbiome. Using topical probiotic skincare can also help diversify the microorganisms on the surface of the skin.  Lactobacillus strains have been shown to reduce inflammatory skin conditions such as acne. Make sure to use a reputable brand, as there is a science to how to preserve the microorganisms in the product in order for it to be effective. 

As always when giving advice outside of skincare please tell your client to consult their Doctor before starting any new supplement protocol or diet.

Resources:

Good Bacteria for Healthy Skin, Paula Simpson

The Mind-Gut Connection – Emeran Mayer, MD

Clean – James Hamblin

Elinaorganics.com/blog/the-power-of-probiotics 

Gua Sha, a Pro-Aging Tool

Gua Sha is an ancient healing technique that stems from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It was a modality used on the body, to break up muscle tension and stimulate the flow of chi through the body. Gua, means to scrape, and sha means rash. The tool, which was made out of bone or stone, was scraped across the affected area until a rash appeared, stimulating blood flow and the release of toxins.

Facial Gua Sha is a more modern way of using this healing technique to stimulate blood and lymph flow resulting in healthier, more radiant skin. When performing Gua Sha on the face and neck, we do not want to create the “sha”, using gentler pressure and sweeping movements to help create flow, and reduce puffiness and stagnation in the face.

There was a study conducted in Germany that concluded, “ Gua Sha caused a fourfold increase in microcirculation PUs at the treated area for the first 7.5 minutes following treatment and a significant increase in surface microcirculation during the entire 25 minutes of the study period following treatment (P < .001). Females showed significantly higher rates of response than males (P = .003). Each subject experienced immediate decrease in myalgia in both the site treated, in the related distal control site, and in some cases, other distal sites. Pain relief persisted to some extent up to the follow-up visit. There were no adverse reactions.” Read more here.

Gua Sha is the ultimate “pro-aging” tool. By lifting and toning muscles, it reduces premature aging and laxity in the skin, and smooths fine lines, expression lines, and wrinkles. The gentle, stroking movements stimulate flow in the lymphatic system, flushing away unwanted toxins and pathogens, and delivering nutrients to the underlying tissues of the skin, resulting in optimal skin function, as well as vibrant and glowing skin from the inside out.

Gua Sha is safe for all skin type, from aging to acne. It is also a great tool to release muscle tension in the face, softening facial postures and expressions. Working the jaw area can alleviate pain from TMJ and working temple’s and forehead can reduce headaches.

Gua Sha can be done anywhere, anytime. I often perform Gua Sha massage on myself while I’m laying in bed watching TV at night, or while my kids take a bath. Regular Gua Sha massage is the ultimate anti-aging prevention tool.

Pro-Aging – Aging without Expectations

As a beauty professional, a mother to a little girl, and an educator, I have taken on this mission to change the way define beauty.

One place to start is the verbiage we use with ourselves, our loved ones, and our clients around aging.

What does Anti-aging really mean?

Anti, means “opposed to, or against.”

Pro, means “in favor of, or supporting.”

Anti-aging to me sounds like we are trying NOT to age, which is impossible. It adds to the expectations that as women we shouldn’t age, and that aging isn’t beautiful.

I have switched my view on aging, from anti-aging to PRO-aging.

We can offer services and products that support the skins health, to keep it functioning optimally, and allowing the skin to age gracefully.

I always start my skin analysis with something positive about the clients skin. As women we are so hard on ourselves, sometimes we just need to be reminded how beautiful we are, inside and out.

You never know how your words might impact your client.

man lying on blue and white textile

Transforming Esthetics – Changing the Way We View Beauty

I attended Esthetician school in 2006, where I learned what products and treatments work best for what skin type, how to apply make-up, how to wax body and facial hair, and the importance of exfoliation, especially for aging, mature skin.

In 2016 I became an Esthetic Instructor. I had to follow the guidelines put out by the school and the state board which included education on what products and treatments work best for what skin type, how to apply make-up, how to wax body and facial hair, and the importance of exfoliation, especially for aging, mature skin. Sounds familiar?

In 10 years what we were learning/teaching Estheticians had not changed, except for the addition of some cosmetic enhancements.

Everything we have learned and everything we teach is about the appearance of the skin.

Our society has convinced us that our skin needs to be flawless to be beautiful. We have this misconception that if our skin is free of blemishes, scarring, fine lines and wrinkles, then it is “healthy”. We are trained in treatments that scrape, burn, shave, and inflame the skin to “fix its imperfections”, and then how to cover it up with make-up because its never enough. We are also trained to be skin care sales specialists by whatever product line we choose to work with. We are taught features and benefits, what the product is going to do to the clients skin, and how to sell it to make top dollar.

This superficial view on skin health and beauty is doing more damage than good.

This quote from the documentary Toxic Beauty has really struck a nerve with me, “The cosmetic industry is destroying womens cells, c-e-l-l-s.” If you are an Esthetician then you know all about the basic building blocks to life, cells being the basic structure of all living organisms, the foundation of our existence. When cells are being destroyed, this means our tissues start to degenerate, our organs start to fail, and our life can no longer go on. So cellular health is a pretty important part of our body functioning, and of course plays an important role in our skin health. Yet we are selling treatments and products to women that destroy them, and we call it “anti-aging” or “blemish-fighting” or whatever buzz phrase we can think of to make the consumer think they need this product.

This needs to end now, this needs to end with us.

We as Estheticians have to EMPOWER women to take control of their own health, to feel BEAUTIFUL in their skin at every stage of life, no matter what. People come to us, yes because they want their skin to look better, but ultimately they come to us because they want to feel better, and if they feel better then this cascade effect starts, and they will LOOK better because they FEEL better, I know that’s a tongue twister.

We need to redefine beauty, we need to end this superficial, artificial, purely physical appearance driven definition of beauty.

What does beauty mean to you? Think about this, create your own definition, and ingrain it into every aspect of your life and your practice. Live it, teach it, put it out into the world.

Beauty is deeper than the skin.

Why I Became a “Holistic” Esthetician

I had been working for the same company for 7 years.

It was the company that trained me, and I knew everything about the services and product line inside and out. I had built myself a steady clientele, and was making decent money. But, I was unhappy.

I had considered leaving the industry.

I thought about real estate, I also in this time became certified in Nutritional Therapy, and was trying to build that on the side. I was researching different career paths, trying to figure out what I wanted to do.

I was bored, I was unfulfilled, and I felt stuck.

I didn’t feel like I was making an impact in this world. I was a product sales specialist, I was an up-seller, I wasn’t doing what the client actually needed, I was doing what would make me the most money, because that’s what I was trained to do.

When I was pregnant with my daughter, I was starting to be extremely conscious about I was putting in and on my body. I was already eating an organic, whole foods diet, but I was still using skin care and hair care products laced with chemicals.

I remember reading the back of the massage cream I used in the treatment room, and thinking “I need to wear gloves, I can’t put this on my hands”, and that is when I knew I was not where I was suppose to be.

I left this company a short while later, and started at an organic spa closer to home.

I started to immerse myself in all things holistic.

Studying product ingredients and the impact they have on our body and our health. Re-thinking the treatments I was performing on my clients.

And finally understanding what true skin health was, and how to achieve it.

I read books on skin physiology and anatomy, I took classes around the functions of the skin and how to repair, and nourish the skin using plant based products and healing modalities that have been around for thousands of years. I also went back to my nutrition roots, that had fallen by the wayside, and everything clicked for me.

I finally felt I was right where I needed to be, and fell in love with this career all over again.

Now here I am, 8 years from when I started this journey, still learning, still growing, and still in love with holistic esthetics. I think about if I had given it up, what I would be doing. I have found my true passion in this life, and I get to live it and work it every day, and for that I am truly grateful.

I founded this company because when I started this holistic journey, I had no idea where to start, or what it would look like. I have taken everything I’ve learned in my 15 years of Esthetics and Massage Therapy, as well as Nutrition and Energy healing, and I have combined it into one place. I hope to provide support and encouragement for other Estheticians who may be on a similar path as me.

woman in white bathrobe with head towel looking at a mirror touching her face

Beauty, Deeper than the Skin

Our skin is a reflection of everything that is happening within our body. It can reflect our physical health imbalances, organs and systems not functioning at their highest. It can also reflect our emotional state, stress, fear, negativity. And then there is our energetic system, what you put out into the world, your “vibe”, your inner light, your sense of self. Let’s discuss all these factors a little more in depth and how they tie to our beauty.Beauty, Deeper than the Skin

Physical imbalances in the body is the most obvious cause of imbalances in the skin. Our skin is a detoxifying organ, it rids the body of toxic buildup through its secretions. If the body is inundated with toxicants through diet, skincare products, household products, pollution, and pesticides, the skin will take on the burden and express physical symptoms externally. Skin problems such as breakouts, acne, sensitivity, rashes, hives, rosacea, pigmentation, and accelerated aging are all signs of imbalances happening from within. Treating these skin conditions with topical products and treatments is not going to correct the imbalance, it may mask the symptoms temporarily but it will always come back or manifest in a different way.

Our emotional state has a huge impact on the skins appearance. Have you ever heard someone say “I could see it all over their face” when it comes to pain, fear, or trauma? Your facial expressions reflect your internal feelings. Same goes with the health of your skin. When someone is living in a stressed state, you can literally see their skin changing by the day, the coloring of the skin changes, expression lines of worry deepen, dehydration sets in. Our skin is listening, it listens to our thoughts, and expresses them outwardly. Our thoughts become molecular messengers within the body, delivering this message to every cell. Our energy stores become depleted, and the body as a whole begins to suffer.

And then there is our energetic body, also know as our “vibe”. The vibe you put out into the world. When you walk into a room, do people light up to see you, do they not notice you at all, or do they cower away from you? Everyone has their own unique energy, and when that energy is in a low frequency state, it is visible in your skin. That “glow” or vibrancy is diminished. Energy is also contagious, so being around others in a low energy state will start to effect yours, and bring you down.

To begin to heal the skin, we must focus on these three things. I believe starting with our energetic body, shifting our frequency and raising our vibrations will have the most profound effect on the skin. When you are functioning as your highest self energetically, the rest becomes easier to manage. As our energy shifts, our emotional body will too. Our thoughts will change, we will better manage stress, and we will start to see our physical body change as well, we will have the energy to make better choices for our health. Stress is a big factor in gut health, so as stress subsides our gut will start to repair. It is a ripple effect, all leading back to the skin. Our glow will come back, our skin will be vibrant and radiate good health, and every cell in our body will rejoice.

“If you want to change your appearance, you must first change your thoughts, emotions, and habits… And if you want to be beautiful, you must first create a whole and happy inner life, so that ‘every cell in your body learns of your happiness and joins in'” – Pratima Raichur

What is “W(holistic)”?

What does the word holistic mean to you?

holistic adjective merriam-webster.com

ho·​lis·​tic | \ hō-ˈli-stik \

Definition of holistic

1: of or relating to holism

2: relating to or concerned with wholes or with complete systems rather than with the analysis of, treatment of, or dissection into parts

holistic medicine attempts to treat both the mind and the body

holistic ecology views humans and the environment as a single system

What is a Holistic Esthetician?

A holistic Esthetician attempts to treat both the mind and the body

Holistic Esthetics views humans and the environment as a single system

The two definitions are the same. As a Holistic Esthetician, we are concerned with the body as a whole, not just the skin. Imbalances in the physical, as well as energetic body, manifest in many different ways. Skin conditions such as acne, hyperpigmentation, sensitivity, rosacea, dermatitis, and accelerated aging can be a result of an internal imbalance.

Our skin is a reflection of our internal health, our body, mind and spirit. We must determine the root cause or imbalance, in order to bring the skin back to optimal health and function. Our skin is our largest organ, it is the connection between the outside world and our inside body. It needs to be nurtured with love, nourished with plant based foods, and restored back to vibrancy.

Nourish The Skin, From The Inside Out

The relationship of the gut to the skin has become a spotlight for skin therapists. Ayurvedic medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine have been following these practices for thousands of years, but in western medicine we have always been told diet has nothing to do with the imbalances in the skin. Thanks to new emerging research, including the Human Microbiome Project (here), we are shifting the way we treat the skin.

Holistic beauty is all about healing and balancing the whole body, connecting the internal with the external. To have beautiful radiant skin we must have a beautiful, healthy body. Our skin is a reflection of our internal health, if we do not feel good inside, we will not look good outside. Here are three things you can do right now to start transforming your overall health, and in-turn transform the look and feel of your skin.

First we must look at our gut health. How is your digestion? Do you feel bloated and gassy often? Do you get indigestion after meals? These are signs of a gut imbalance. Identify the stressors, the foods that cause the upset, and start the elimination process one food at a time. Keep a journal before and after you eat, document how you feel physically and emotionally. You will start to see patterns of foods you eat and how your body responds.

Second, up your water intake. If you only make one change right now for your health and the health of your skin, let it be this. Ideally you should be drinking half your weight in ounces of water. So if you weigh 150lbs, you should be drinking 75 oz of water. Our body is 60% water (here). We must provide a clean environment for our cells to thrive. Water quality is just as important as quantity. Invest in a water filtration system, so you have access to clean water daily without needing to buy plastic water bottles.

And lastly, add probiotics into your diet. This should be an everyday staple. Fermented foods like kimchi and real fermented sauerkraut are great to add into your meals, put them over salads or as a side. Organic whole fat, plain cultured yogurt can be added to your smoothies or eaten with granola. Kombucha tea is a delicious fermented beverage you can enjoy instead of your glass of wine, or in the morning while you are journaling. To replenish the gut microbes quickly, you can supplement with a high quality probiotic, but try to add the above suggestions into your daily diet.

Remember to always consult your doctor, or to tell your client to, if you have any concerns regarding your health, or when starting a new supplement protocol.

woman in facial treatment massage

More than Massage, The Essential Ritual for Healthy Skin

One of the most important steps in a holistic facial ritual is the massage. Performing a massage with loving intention allows us to not only fully connect with our clients on an energetic level, it also allows the client to drift into a meditative, blissful state.

Massage supports the overall wellness of a person, as well as supporting healthy skin function. Our skin is interconnected to every part of us, so we have the ability to make an impact on the whole body. Here are just some of the ways we treat the whole person through massage…

Through sensory nerves that lie in the dermal layer of the skin, we calm and soothe the central nervous system. Nerve cells, called receptors, react to outside stimulation (like massage) and send messages to the brain to allow the body to relax. Many people are walking around daily in a state of chronic stress without even realizing it. Stress, if not managed, will start to manifest in the body as well as the skin. By switching the clients nervous system from the sympathetic, or fight or flight state, to the parasympathetic, the rest and digest state, we give the clients body and mind space to start the healing process.

With massage we are assisting the immune system in the body. Lymphatic vessels and nodes are found just below our skin. The lymphatic system does not have a pump like the circulatory system, so it solely relies on movement for its constant flow. When we don’t move our body, our lymphatic system becomes stagnant. We have lymph vessels and nodes all around our head and neck, and by gentle massage we help move the stagnation and create flow in the tissues, allow lymph to filter unwanted pathogens and deliver nutrients to the tissues.

Lying just below the dermis we have our superficial fascia, which is connected to every part of the body, like wearing footed pajamas with a hood. Fascia gives strength and support to our skin. Just like muscle tissue, fascia can become tight and restricted, which impacts our range of motion, as well as the circulation of blood, lymph, and nutrients throughout our body. Massage breaks up tension and adhesions in this fascial layer, allowing proper movement and flow of nutrients to the skin.

Massage is the “holistic” approach to whole body healing during facial treatments. It is not an “optional” step in our protocols, and should not be viewed as just relaxation even though that is one of its major benefits. Massage is what allows us to have the mind-body-spirit connection.