Love & Esthetics Blog

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.