I know it's been a while since I've posted and when is a better time than in quarantine? Today marks my 11th day in quarantine and it is also the New Moon. 11 and a New Moon! How auspicious. I'm expecting good things. To be honest, I've been loving staying at home and not doing anything but just rest and be with myself. I hope you can find some of that space for yourself, too. I know many people are not comfortable with just being indoors for so long. I actually got a bit claustrophobic today for a quick minute, then re-focused. I think the key thing right now is to stay grounded as much as possible, however you can, whether it be yoga, meditation, breathing, taking baths, singing, dancing, whatever!

​Try to not get too caught up in the news, yet still practice caution. Let's not spread the virus and follow instructions. While you're at home, take this time to focus on your well-being! Rest as ardently as you would like to, or jump around like a mad person, if you need to get your wiggles out.

Some self-care ideas:
-make a vision board
-create DIY face masks
-give yourself a mani and pedi
-start an exercise routine, or look up home work out videos (I'm currently doing Figure 8)
-read a new book (I'm currently reading Womb Awakening by Bertrand/Bertrand)
-sit with your emotions and let yourself process them without taking them personally 
-knit, crochet, or sew unraveling seams or loose buttons
-clean, or organize your space
-water your garden or start one - even indoors!
-reach out to family and friends through Zoom, Whatsapp, Messenger, or Viber 
-start a gratitude journal
-get some fresh air daily, yet practicing social distancing 
-learn to cook a new dish
-do absolutely NOTHING

I hope you are all doing well and coping the best way possible. I'm sending much love to each of you and your families and look forward to seeing you again, in a brighter, better world. Let's focus on health and healing.

How have you been coping?

So, I had a little moment just now. Where I "hated" my skin and my body for this lifelong acne struggle that I've had to figure out all these years. I woke up to a new zit just after one monster one healed. It gets me mad, like, really mad and frustrated. When I meet people and I have less than a perfect complexion and they ask what I do, I'm hesitant to say I'm a skin specialist. I can imaging what they're thinking, "she is? Then why does her skin look like that?" (Don't get me wrong, my skin has come a LONG way, they just don't know that.) Some people were born fortunate enough to never even have to wash their face with cleanser and never experience what a black head is, than alone a cyst - or 14 of them at the same time.

I just know that not everyone is educated enough to know that acne is so much more than skin deep. I do the routine, I do the lifestyle - but can I still live a normal life? I don't always eat perfectly. That's going to be given for anyone, but people don't know that and they judge. We all judge. I am judging myself right now. Is that going to prevent me from ever breaking out again? No. Is shaming myself good for my emotional and mental health? No. Is my body listening to my thoughts? Yes.

For all of you who know this journey, knows this is indeed a JOURNEY. It's not a quick fix or a one shot cure. There are many roller coaster dips that can go very low and harm our self-esteem. Societal and media standards aren't helping us have realistic beauty standards, either. All we can do is our best, be kind to ourselves at our worst, and try to live life to the fullest (regardless that almost everything in the American diet causes acne flare ups)! I think with anything in life, moderation is key and self-love is paramount. Honor your journey, even in the low points, because that's where we learn the most and it's a necessary level to be able to catapult in to our highs. Hang in there y'all. We can do this. What's your skin journey? Comment below.

This should deter you from comparing yourselves to others; I know it won't, but I hope it will give you some type of solace. Example: I struggled with acne since I was 12 years old and it's one of those things that was just a huge part of my life. I had to go through so many different medications, treatments and tactics to figure this whole thing out. I still don't have everything figured out because it's such a complex condition. Everyone has their own unique physiological makeup, environment and root cause.

I honestly take over 10 supplements just to keep me balanced so whatever I'm going through internally doesn't rage all over my face. Despite the dozens of things I do from diet, to detoxes, facials and Skin Care regimens, I know I won't have the perfect skin of someone who's never broken out in their entire lives. And that's OK. Some people can just splash water on their faces and have a great complexion, never breakout and have refined pores with even-toned skin. They can eat whatever they want and sleep in a pile of mud and still have problem-free skin.

There are so many factors that play a role that can be beyond our control and you know what, it's okay that we're all different and unique because that keeps things interesting. It's OK to look REAL. In fact it's absolutely beautiful. There's so much more to us. And nevermind comparing your skin to what you see online. Most photos are altered anyway, whether it be filters, lighting or angles. Every BODY and soul has a specific journey. What we can do is try our best to treat our bodies as well as possible, love and accept ourselves, find ways to improve without judging ourselves for the way we currently are, and just "be"! That's more than enough.
What's your #skinstory? ​Comment and share!

My #1 recommendation for my Hormonal Acne clients: DIM (Diindolylmethane) is derived from cruciferous vegetables and allows your body, specifically your liver, to metabolize excess estrogen that can lead to hormonal fluctuations. Excess estrogen, known as Estrogen Dominance, it can occur from stress, chemicals in your environment like xenoestrogens from plastic, imbalance of other hormones and digestive issues, among other things. According to Dermatologist, Dr. Michelle Jeffries, estrogen dominance looks like:

​-Acne breakouts
-Irregular or heavy periods
-Water retention, bloating
-Headaches
-Breast swelling and tenderness
-Fibrocystic breast changes
-Weight gain, especially around hips, buttocks and thighs
-Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
-Mood swings, irritability
-Decreased libido

When I see a client that has cystic acne and/or pustules around the chin and jawline, it automatically tells me that they have some type of hormonal fluctuation. I often recommend them to consider supplementing with Dim. Dim works more potently and effectively than just eating cruciferous vegetables because a daily dose is the equivalent of eating 2 lb of broccoli, which I doubt anyone will do on a daily basis. Since it balances healthy estrogen levels it also gives your other hormones the capability of being balanced as well. Not only is it used for hormonal acne, it can also help with hormonal weight gain, PCOS, melasma, endometriosis, and can even help prevent cancer and boost the immune system. Have you struggled with hormonal imbalances?
Use as directed. (I am not a doctor or nutritionist. Use at your own discretion.)
Dr. Jeffries' Article

I was talking to my friend about how I've been running around for the last two weeks doing errands and he said that that was good. And I said "no it's not, I'm exhausted". He said it was better to be productive than not doing anything sitting at home. I beg to differ. Rest is an extreme priority for me. It is productive for my body to be able to rejuvenate itself. Unfortunately it is not a priority among most Americans. I'm noticing this culture of go go go and being busy all the time is hailed and exalted, but to what cost?

​There are so many people who are run down and have various illnesses not realizing that most disease starts from stress. I also want to include mental health in the equation. How many of us would have healthier mindsets along with bodies with the proper care of resting?

A survey by Sealy in the UK found that people who were well rested reported having brighter eyes (42%), a brighter complexion (21%), clearer skin (20%), less wrinkles (17%) and improved skin condition (11)% (Nbc News). Yes, there is such a thing as Beauty Sleep! I recommend getting 7-8 hours nightly or even taking cat naps when you can. And I'm not just talking about sleep, even conscious resting of being awake and not doing anything but relaxing and taking the time to breathe is an act of self-love. I highly recommend at least 1 day of deliberate "laziness" to recharge your battery.

What do you like to do on your rest day? Comment below and share!

​People who tend to be acne prone have a skin condition called hyperkeratosis, where we literally produce more skin than the average person, which often results in an excess amount of dead skin accumulating on the surface of the skin, which can lead to more congestion. Another thing that acne-prone people also tend to be, is oily. So all that excess dead skin mixed with excess oil is the perfect storm for blackheads, whiteheads and overall clogged pores.

The three categories of exfoliation are 1. enzymatic, a gentle form, 2. physical, which can be gentle or abrasive depending on the granules and density used for the scrub, or 3. an acid which can come from an array of different Alpha-hydroxy acids or beta-hydroxy acid also known as salicylic acid which can vary in strength depending on the %. Depending on your skin type, if your skin is on the reactive side, I would go with a gentle enzyme like bromelain, from pineapple, or papain, from papaya, like Hylunia's Papaya Mask. For physical exfoliation (not recommended for active acne) skip the apricot scrub. The kernel is far too jagged and can create micro-tears in your pores. If you are going for a "scrub" I suggest something that's more refined along the lines of Dermalogica's Daily Microfoliant- it is quite effective, brightening and non-abrasive. For the most common acne-prone/typical thick skin, I highly recommend a 10% glycolic peel pad. Sometimes they also contain a 2% salicylic acid which is oil soluble so it can penetrate within the pore, like Peter Thomas Roth's Complexion Pads. For peel pads I recommend starting with 1 to 2 nights a week and work your way to 3 nights a week which ends up being every other day. You don't want to dry out your skin or irritate it, so start slow and work your way up. For enzymatic exfoliation start off with once a week and work your way up to 2x a week. With scrubs, start with once a week, work your way up to 2x and up to 3x, if your skin permits it. If your skin feels sensitive, you're doing too much and dial back. What's your favorite way to exfoliate? Comment and share!

Since we "re-tox" daily, we should be detoxing daily. I don't think we realize how many toxins we are bombarded with on a daily basis, especially in big cities. Not only is our air full of pollutants, our water is full of chemicals, our foods are full of preservatives, pesticides and herbicides. Our personal care and our daily household products are filled with toxic chemicals. We are in contact with these things all the time. On our clothes, in our bed sheets, tampons, carpets. Why should we only detox once in a blue moon? Imagine the lifetime of toxins that are in your organs right now. The years of waste in your intestines and in your colon right now. And if you're a drinker/smoker...just imagine.
​
I rotate what kinds of detoxes I do throughout the year; sometimes I'll do a parasite cleanse, a candida cleanse, a heavy metal detox, or even a womb detox. But besides the major ones that I do for specific, targeted issues, I cleanse daily with some DandyBlend, which is a dandelion root coffee alternative which helps purify the liver and kidneys. The liver is so important, since it's your master filtration organ, so paying close attention to it is paramount. Sometimes I even do a daily spirulina or chlorella supplement (very detoxifying and fortifying) and Hum Nutrition has Daily Cleanse that includes these as other liver detoxifying herbs. I drink celery juice first thing in the morning  to flush out bacteria and viruses. In whatever way you can help your body to get rid of waste and toxins in a safe and healthy way, I highly recommend it. I also own an ionic foot detox bath that I do several times a month, and it helps to get rid of excess bacteria, cellular debris, yeast, and heavy metals among other things, and helps to oxygenate the blood. Sometimes I'll even go to an infrared sauna Burbank Infrared Sauna to sweat out toxins and get my lymphatic system moving. Detoxing will not only give your skin radiance, but will help prevent bloating, sluggishness, bad breath, body odor, brain fog and so many other undesirable symptoms. What kind of detoxing do you do? Comment below.

Eating sugar causes inflammation in the body. Reducing sugar in your diet not only helps your skin but it helps prevent so many other dis-eases, like diabetes and obesity. Sugar causes something called glycation, which causes your body and skin to age more quickly. The sugar binds to your protein and makes it brittle (collagen is made of protein, btw).

Also, when there is too much sugar in your bloodstream, it can lead to insulin resistance and raise your cortisol - aka stress hormone-  levels, leading to more oil production and more keratin production, causing breakouts. This relation has led acne to be dubbed as diabetes of the skin. I recommend lowering your sugar intake as much as possible! Quit soda right now. 

Go on a low glycemic diet, like opting for brown rice instead of white. I also supplement with Glucose Metabolic Support for extra help to keep my skin clear when I eat carb-y foods. Another downside to sugar is that it feeds candida (yeast) in your body which can ruin your gut health and lead to other health issues. Have you ever tried quitting sugar? How did you body feel? Comment below!