Detox Skincare - What's The Deal?
January 21, 2020
Have you ever wondered about detox skincare? ⠀
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This idea is gaining popularity, but is it actually necessary? ⠀
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It's important to remember that your main detoxifying organs are your liver and your kidneys. So each time you go to the bathroom YOU ARE DETOXIFYING.
For the average person, this process works well, meaning the liver and kidneys are good at doing their job!
Of course, there are simple things you can do to help these organs function at their best but for the most part there's no extreme measure that needs to be taken here. ⠀
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Now that we've established this fact, we can look at detoxifying skincare. ⠀
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The idea that you need to rid your skin of toxins isn't entirely accurate. Your skin is your body's largest organ but it's not a main detoxifying organ and actually acts more as a barrier to keep out outside junk.
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When you look at products marketed as detoxifying skincare, it doesn't tell you which toxins they are targeting. They are relying on your trust that the product does what it says. ⠀
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Not only is detox skincare not necessary, it may cause more damage than benefit. Acne sufferers, in particular, are likely to worsen the problem rather than alleviate it. Detox skincare tends to contain many ingredients that aggravate acne such as witch hazel, menthol and denatured alcohol. ⠀
The best thing you can do for your skin is choose a proper cleanser, moisturize and wear a good sunscreen daily. This will do FAR more to benefit your skin than any detox skincare possibly could. ⠀
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References:
https://www.paulaschoice.com/expert-advice/skincare-advice/acne-and-breakouts/can-you-really-detox-
skin.html
http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-dubious-practice-of-detox
Developing a Clear Skin Mindset
September 6, 2019Mindset talk seems to be everywhere these days. Am I alone on this or do you notice it too?
I believe having a proper mindset effects outcomes, and having clear skin is no exception.
There's an expression: What gets your thoughts, gets you. Start paying attention to this and you'll be amazed at the validity of this statement.
A key difference between women who clear their adult acne for good and those who struggle for years and years is their ability to believe it can be done.
I've spoken with many women who have acne and there are two main themes I've discovered.
Some say to me, "I've tried many approaches but I'm willing to keep trying until I find the answers to clear my skin."
Others say, "I just don't think clear skin is possible for me. I've already tried everything and nothing works."
To the woman who is willing to keep trying the answers will come. To the woman who believes nothing will work she already has her answer. In her mind she's decided that nothing else she tries will clear her skin so she will most likely continue to feel disappointed with any new approach.
Mindset really does matter. Below are a few ways to develop a "clear skin" mindset.
1. Change your language. Don't allow what ails you to define you. Instead of referring to it as "your acne" or "my acne" just say acne. Be mindful of the way in which you speak about your skin to yourself and to others.
2. View it as a problem seeking a solution. A key element in the women who do finally clear their skin is their ability to believe it can be done. I fervently believe acne can be stubborn and acne can be resolved. Yes, some women take longer to heal their skin than others. However, that doesn't mean it's impossible. You just don't have all the pieces to the puzzle yet. Believe it can happen and your mind will be open to the answers.
3. Treat yourself as if you have clear skin now. Make an impact now. It's easy to feel like once you have clear skin you'll have the confidence to move forward with life. I know I felt this way myself. There was a lot I held myself back from because I was waiting for my skin to clear before I could move forward. Looking back I see that was a mistake. You have a purpose in life. You are here for a reason. Discover that reason and start doing! Surround yourself with people who love you and support you.
4. Practice saying, "I believe I can have clear skin. There is a solution and I am open to receive it." The mind is powerful and your body will believe the things your mind says.
when change is slow to come & you lack support
November 14, 2017We live in a world of quick fixes. It seems like everywhere you look there is an advertisement for something that will help you to "look good and fast." This can be tempting and many of of us fall prey. After all who doesn't want to look good in a bikini by Friday or have perfectly clear skin in only one month? I know there was a time in my life when I fell for this stuff all the time! And guess what? Some of it worked! The problem was nothing worked for long and then I was right back where I started.
Today I want to talk to you specifically about treating acne and how those changes may look.
We tend to think of acne as being only an external issue. After all, it's clearly visible on our skin so a really good face wash should clear that up, right? It's not that simple. Acne is often a sign of a deeper internal issue. Where I see women face trouble is they only address the visible signs the acne. By failing to look deeper their acne continues to resurface causing them to move on to the next greatest skin care.
Our skin is an organ. In fact, it's our body's largest organ! When we view our skin this way, instead of simply an outer barrier, it's rather silly to think our skin doesn't paint a larger picture.
For years I was on an acne skin care line. My face remained clear as long as I continued using the product and it worked for 8 years! This led me to believe my acne had been eradicated. I thought it was gone and all I had to do was continue to buy this certain face wash. I could not have been more wrong!! The acne skin care line was simply a band aid, masking a much bigger problem. All at once the product failed to deliver it's usual results and I was left with an enormous mess my skin had never looked worse. I was devastated.
For the first time in my life I was forced to look at other options. I naturally tried a few other skin care lines all to no avail. After a bit of research I learned there was a holistic side to healing acne. What?! I had never before even considered that there was a root problem to my acne, never mind addressing it.
The most important shift I made was my mindset. You can read about that here. The second shift was changing the way I ate. I created a plan and stuck with it for a solid 6 months no cheating, no slipping. What I noticed were slow changes and sometimes the healing was cyclical there were a few times my skin 'purged' during this period.
Because of this, some people thought I was nuts. Some questions I received:
Shouldn't your skin be completely clear with all the dietary changes you've made?
Is your body getting proper nourishment?
Why are you doing this to yourself? Aren't you miserable? You know I have a friend who sells acne skin care. You should call her.
Maybe you've heard a few of these yourself?
I do believe all these things were said with good intentions. Spoken by those who cared about me, it really was an act of love not malice. However, I knew deep down inside that I was on the right track and I had to tune these voices out.
I have seen this same scenario with my clients who are working so diligently to get to the root problem of their acne. Family members and friends think they are nuts! I think the two main reasons why are:
- People still largely view acne as only an external problem and one that can only be treated through skin care.
- Healing acne holistically from the inside out takes time and results don't always come quickly.
What do you do when you face these roadblocks?
It's important to remember who you are doing this for. You! You deserve to look and feel your best.
It's important to remember that external remedies are only a band aid. It's not that you can't use them, it's that you have to also address the underlying issue or you will never truly be free of your acne.
It's important to quiet the external voices. Don't try to argue or reason with those who find your new dietary lifestyle to be crazy. You'll never win the argument! It's better to smile, thank them for their concern and move on. Which brings me to my final point don't overshare!
I know this may seem odd because when we're trying to lose weight or step up our fitness game, we're often encouraged to tell lots of people so we hold ourselves accountable. Treating acne is a whole different ball game; one that is often misunderstood. Because of that it is better to not overshare with too many people. Having one or two people close to you who you trust is the best option. They can help hold you accountable and offer encouragement and support. This support may not come from immediate family. It's nice if it does but it doesn't always happen that way.
Where are you on your journey to healing your skin? What approaches have you tried? Do you feel you have proper support? Leave a comment I'd love to chat!
Feeling Powerless Over Acne
September 27, 2017I've openly shared my life long struggle with acne. Battling cystic acne has been a part of my life since I was a teenager. What I haven't shared as openly is how utterly powerless I felt to stop it.
Here are a few of the things I have been told about my acne:
- Nutrition has nothing to do with it. Changing what you eat won't clear your skin.
- To keep acne under control you'll always be on some type of medication or acne specific skin care.
- Your acne is hormonal so therefore it's out of your control.
So basically there is nothing you can do except spend a lot of money on lotions, potions and pills.
No wonder I felt so powerless!
Do any of these sound familiar? Have you been told these things?
I'll never forget the day I looked in the mirror and decided to take control of my acne. It's like a switch was flipped in my mind and I completely changed my attitude about the whole situation. Knowledge is power and I decided to arm myself with as much knowledge about the body, nutrition and the way foods affect the body as I could. I implemented what I learned and guess what? The appearance of my skin improved! I was getting fewer and fewer breakouts. The redness and inflammation in my skin was lessening. Most importantly I no longer felt like a victim of my circumstances.
As I've continued my research I'm honestly amazed at just how much nutrition does affect the way we look, including our skin. I've also discovered a few other key areas, besides the foods we eat, that greatly affect our appearance.
Let me ask you. How do you feel about your skin? Do you like what you see when you look in the mirror? Being open to learning more about nutrition and the way food affects the body (for better or worse!) is the first step. When you're ready to take that step let's talk!
Stop Picking At Your Acne
September 11, 2017Do you pick at your acne? I recently saw an article that might help you break the habit.
Picking at your acne is one of the worst things you could do. Yet it is a common problem among acne sufferers. It can even feel slightly satisfying to squeeze pimples and it can certainly turn into a bad habit quickly.
Each time you squeeze and dig at blemishes on your face, you increase the chances that you'll suffer scarring. I know I have some scars on my face that wouldn't be there had I simply left my breakouts alone! You also are potentially making your acne worse. As you squeeze blemishes bacteria underneath the skin gets pushed around and can lead to further breakouts. What may begin as a pimple or two can easily lead to three or four if you mess with it, so you're better off leaving it alone.
If this is an area you struggle in, try these few tips to stop skin picking for good.
- Don't look at your blemishes so often. You know the drill. You have acne so you stop at every mirror in your house each time you pass it and check just to see if it's magically disappeared or somehow gotten worse from the last time you checked. All this does is take any stress or anxiety you have around your acne and make it 100x worse. It also makes it more likely that you are going to touch your face. If you have to take down some of the mirrors in your house or cover them with a cloth. Just temporarily, of course. It may help remind you to back off a bit.
- Keep your skin care routine simple. Don't spend too much time in your bathroom taking care of your skin. Your skin care routine should be fairly simple anyway. Overdoing it can irritate your skin and make your acne worse. Whatever your current routine, it should only take you a few minutes to complete. Breathe, relax and enjoy the time of caring for your skin. Once you're finished with everything, leave your bathroom. Don't stop and stare.
- Ditch the magnifying mirrors. You don't need them and they will only make you feel worse about the state of your skin. If you don't currently own one, please do not buy one. If you do have one store it away or consider donating it.
- Visualize. If you are picking at your skin, visualize the bacteria that lie beneath the surface. Picture it in your mind being transferred around and potentially causing new breakouts. The temporary satisfaction you may feel from squeezing your blemishes isn't worth it.
- Recognize that squeezing the pimple often makes it look worse, not better. Enough said, really! How many times have you messed with a pimple and had it look better? Probably never. I know for me this has never played in my favor. It always ends up looking much redder, more irritated, and more inflamed.
Skin picking can be a hard habit to break. But it is that, a habit. It's like any other habit such as biting your nails. You do have control over it and you have a decision to make.
Are you struggling to find solutions to clear your skin? Book in a consultation today. I look forward to talking with you.
Joyfully, Hannah
Discipline Succeeds Where Motivation Fails
August 16, 2017I recently read an article that struck a nerve with me. It was written by a fighter pilot and the topic was motivation and discipline. His viewpoint was that discipline trumps motivation every time. The fighter pilot said that when it's time to run head first into the enemy you don't feel motivated to do it. After all you're full of fear and would rather turn and run the other way. He said rather it's discipline that's so important at this moment. It's the discipline you've developed, your knowledge on the subject, the training and practice. You know what you have to do so you simply do it.
As I read this piece I felt immediately drawn to what he was saying and I realized that although he was referring to war time battle, the same principle applies to just about every area of our lives. In fact, for many areas of our lives if we only relied on how motivated we felt to do something, nothing would get done.
I see this all the time in my coaching business. Women come to me feeling motivated to make a change. They are tired of the way they look and feel. They know they need a change and at first the prospect of it all is really exciting. They feel motivated to do something different. But then reality begins to set in and the truth is changing the way you eat isn't always a straight, easy road. At this point discipline has to step in and take over. Otherwise you find yourself right back where you started.
When my adult acne was so severe and nothing I tried was working. I began to look at my issue for what it was. A sign of a deeper rooted problem that needed to be solved. This is when I began to change the way I was eating to bring restoration and healing to my body and therefore, ultimately heal my skin. Motivation didn't play much of a role during this process. Initially, I felt motivated by the prospect of clearer skin but that quickly faded. One thing to really understand about using food as medicine, is the results are not always immediate. Obviously, this can feel frustrating. More than that is what others around you see. Let me explain.
To my friends and family, the dietary changes I made, seemed extreme (although they really weren't). People wondered if I was nourishing my body properly. I began to feel a bit of a stigma because I wasn't eating what everyone else was. The biggest issue was that my skin didn't clear overnight and as it was healing it went through a few purging stages. You know the old adage, "Things get worse before they get better"? In my case I experienced this. Therefore to those around me it appeared that all my efforts were in vain.
During these times I didn't feel motivated to keep pushing forward and pursue my goal. In fact, at times I felt downright defeated. Was I completely crazy?! This entire process required discipline on my part. I knew what I needed to do or I would never know the real results. If I quit half way through I would never realize the truth. Worse, if I gave in to temptation or peer pressure to be normal and do what everyone else was doing, I'd have to start back at square one. I had to be disciplined everyday to follow the plan I laid out for myself.
Motivation is overrated. If you want to accomplish real changes in your life, you have to develop discipline. For many of us, this is a struggle to handle on our own. We need guidance and someone coaching us along the way. If you're ready to make a change in the way you eat and see real, lasting results I will help you develop the discipline needed to get there. Contact me for a complimentary introductory session!
What are your thoughts? Is motivation overrated? Is discipline more important? Leave a comment and let me know.
Here's the link to the article I referenced http://www.businessinsider.com/top-gun-pilot-dave-berke-discipline-2017-7
The Truth About Fragrance In Your Skincare Products
August 3, 2019Have you ever wondered about the role of fragrance in your skincare products?
For years and years I didn't care if fragrance was in my skincare products. In fact, quite the opposite was true. If my skincare products smelled good they were all the more enjoyable to use.
Nowadays its a different story. After researching and learning the truth I've wisened up a bit. I no longer choose a product based on its flowery scent.
Here's why:
Fragrance is a non-essential ingredient that is often added to pull you - the consumer - in.
It's Marketing 101. Make a product smell nice and people will want to buy it.
Unfortunately, while fragrance may make a product smell nice it can lead to potential problems.
Some of you may know that you have a fragrance allergy and you are already avoiding fragrance in your skin care products. If so that's fantastic.
However, for some having fragrance added to a product seems like a non-issue. If there is no visible physical reaction all must be well, right?
Maybe not.
Fragrance compounds are sensitizers meaning you can develop a sensitivity or allergy to it over time. Just because you don't find that product irritating to your skin now, doesn't mean you won't later down the road.
Fragrance compounds are also co-sensitizers. This means that you're more likely to become sensitive to other ingredients in the product simply because fragrance is included.
Products with fragrance can lead to or exasperate rosacea, acne flare-ups, and dryness. Who wants that?
Are products with fragrance ever okay to use?
The only time I am okay with fragrance being in a skin care product is if it's in a cleanser and listed as the very last ingredient.
Because you don't leave cleanser on your face you are less likely to develop a problem. However, be sure you are properly rinsing after cleansing. Rinse, rinse and rinse again. You want to remove all traces of cleanser from your face before moving on to the next step in your skincare routine. This is true whether or not your cleanser contains fragrance. Rinse and rinse again.
Oh and that micellar water you love that is marketed as a no rinse formula? Sorry, but you have to rinse that cleanser as well.
Always keep a close eye on your skin. If you see any signs of irritation or feel a stinging or burning sensation, I recommend you stop using that product and find a replacement that is fragrance-free.
It's unfortunate that some skin care companies make incredible formulations and then add fragrance. I encourage you to check your products to see if fragrance is listed as one of the ingredients.
Is your current skincare routine comprised of products that contain fragrance? Leave a comment and let me know!
The Last Course on Acne
April 18, 2018
Lately I've been seeing an increasing number of women post about their acne on various social media channels. The most frequent posts have been in a number of private Facebook groups I belong to.
Responses include
- skin care recommendations
- cutting back on exercise
- getting enough sleep
- cutting out gluten/dairy
- reducing stress
- using progesterone creams
- collagen supplements
- essential oils
And the list goes on.......
Some of them, like getting enough sleep, are quite valuable.
The trouble is the causes of acne vary, and the solutions must address the cause. There are different types of acne, and they require targeted treatment methods.
Even advice given with the best of intentions could be counter-productive if it doesn't fit the situation. In other words, it's easy to be given the right answer to the wrong problem.
A supplement or herbal treatment may greatly help your friend's acne. She then encourages you to take the same supplement and your acne becomes worse.
Honestly, acne is just too complex to be taking advice at random. And because acne takes some time to heal, it can even be a struggle to define what is working and what isn't working.
What's the solution, then?
The Last Course on Acne by Fran Kerr of High on Clear Skin
I met Fran Kerr when I was working to heal my own adult acne. I had made some nutritional changes that were helping the appearance of my acne but I couldn't completely shake it. Fran offered me further guidance and I experienced greater improvement.
Fran has been helping women heal their acne for 10 years. She has put together the benefits of her research and education into a one stop shop, online course.
Are you tired of struggling with acne?
Do you want to break free from feeling as if you have to hide your face from the world?
Are you ready to be in the picture and no longer behind the camera?
Are you confused about what supplements you should be using OR not be using to heal your acne?
Are you ready to discover how to find the right skin care to help the appearance of your acne?
If you answered yes to any of these questions then this course may be right for you.
Click here to check out ALL the benefits The Last Course on Acne offers.
Note: There are affiliate links in this post. If you choose to make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products that I value myself and feel would be of benefit to you. Thank you for your support.
the importance of gratitude for clearer skin
January 11, 2018Did you know stress is one of the top 5 factors contributing to your acne?
Think about it. How many times have you had a huge breakout appear right before a special event? How about break outs that show up before a job interview?
When healing acne you must look at the whole picture and stress is definitely apart of it.
Obviously, it's important to reduce our stress levels. I don't think anyone would argue that going through life while constantly worrying is a productive, healthy way to live. The problem is it would be impossible to completely eliminate all stress from our lives. I don't care who you are you deal with stress to some extent on a regular basis.
Stress doesn't only revolve around big, life issues. Although that can definitely be apart of it. It's also the smaller things that lead to stress and sometimes I think these may be worse. These little issues are easier to ignore and therefore they can build upon each other until you have a mound of stress.
What exactly happens when we are stressed that would cause a breakout? There are a few factors.
- Stress affects your gut
- 70 % or more of your immune system lies in your gut
- 90% of your happy hormone, serotonin, is made in the gut
- Stress leads to impaired digestion and optimal digestion is necessary for clearer skin
Bottom line: You need a healthy gut to have clear, healthy looking skin. An imbalance in the gut leads to too much inflammation in the body and acne is a form of inflammation.
There's not much refuting this these days. I've even been noticing skin care companies that make acne specific products, discussing the relationship between the health of our gut and the health of our skin.
The irony here is the more acne you get the more stressed you become. I remember thinking when my acne was at its height, that if my face would clear, I could finally get a handle on my stress levels. Waking up everyday to a red, inflamed and pimple-covered face automatically put me in high stress mode.
Since it's impossible to eliminate all stress from your life, what can be done?
I believe there are three actions.
The first is, increase your resilience -- and it isn't complicated. Three resolutions will immediately help:
- get adequate sleep each night -- 8-9 hours are recommended
- eat a whole foods based nutritious diet
- exercise regularly
- In situations you can influence for improvement, do so
- In situations you cannot influence, either disengage, or release it from your emotional domain of responsibility.
The final component to increase your stress resilience is implement a Gratitude Journal. Don't start throwing tomatoes at me just yet! Believe me, I was someone who always rolled my eyes at this type of thing. I feel grateful enough, what do I need to write it down for?
Here's the way I look at it. This gratitude exercise is simple. It probably won't take more than 5 to 10 minutes of my day. If it really can help why not give it a try? The worst thing that could happen is you notice zero changes in your outlook on life and you go back to your old routine.
I challenge you to 21 days of gratitude! Do you keep a gratitude journal? Leave a comment and let me know.
Tips for Stress Management for Clearer, Acne-Free Skin
December 20, 2017Have you ever considered the connection between stress and acne?
If you're using quality skin care and your nutrition is on point but your acne still lingers, stress could be the culprit. In my own personal situation, my adult acne flared up because of a stressful event in my life.
Chronic, unresolved stress leaves us with excess inflammation in the body which then leads to a weakened immune system along with an increased likelihood that the body will attack itself, as in autoimmune diseases. All of this will do nothing to help improve your acne and could be a contributing factor as to why your acne lingers.
As for myself, I notice a direct correlation between stress in my life and the appearance of my skin.
How should you deal with this? Obviously, it's not possible to be 100% free of stress 100% of the time. Life presents challenges and unexpected circumstances do arise.
Let me share with you a few key things I recommend you consider.
What gets your thoughts gets you. What do you spend most of your time thinking about? Answer honestly. It may help to sit in a quiet area and journal for 15 minutes to really figure this out. Let your thoughts come out on paper and see what's in front of you.
Do you find yourself constantly being negative in every situation? Then it may be time for an adjustment. We have different personalities and some people are naturally more upbeat and positive, while others tend to see the glass as half empty. It may not be in your nature to put a positive spin on things in life. That's okay. I do believe you can train yourself to change your thoughts and the way you speak and think.
I read somewhere that it's easy for people to be negative. It's easy to see the bad things in life and dwell on those. It's easy to complain and sometimes it even makes us feel good to stew over a situation that upsets us. Here is where you have to consciously decide to stop negative thoughts in their tracks. Like any new habit it will take time to develop but it's one that is worth the effort.
Look at who you surround yourself with. Speaking of your thoughts, what are the thoughts of your friends and co-workers? Are you surrounded by positive people, or habitual grumblers and complainers?
First recognize you can't change the way those around you speak and react to situations. The only person you can control is yourself. However, when you speak positively and keep your cool in stressful situations, it has the potential to spill over onto those around you. Negativity breeds negativity just as happiness breeds happiness.
If you have a friend who is particularly negative all the time consider approaching the person about it. They may not realize what they are doing. If you're not comfortable having the conversation you may want to consider limiting the time you spend with that person.
Remember, you are in control of yourself and your time. It's your choice who you surround yourself with. Choose wisely.
Grieve it, be angry and move on. Things happen in life that upset us. Things don't always go our way.
Someone at the bank may cut in front of you in line. Another driver may cut you off. Someone may make a comment about your clothes that hurts your feelings.
There is no way to stop these inconveniences and hurts from happening. Again, the only part you can control is yourself and your response. How much energy do you put towards the guy who cut you off in traffic? If you need a few minutes to stew, take it. Set a timer for 10 minutes be angry, call a friend and complain and then when the timer ends let it go.
I'll admit this is a tough one for me. When something upsets me I want to be mad for awhile. I realize this does nothing to help me or better my health, and it only gives more power to the person who wronged me. Learn to let the little things go!
Don't worry about that over which you have no control. I confess, this isn't my strong suit. I tend to dwell on things even when all my worrying won't change the outcome.
The truth is many situations in life are this way. No amount of worrying will change anything. What will be, will be.
When a situation arises that has got you stressed, ask yourself, "How much control do I have over this circumstance?". If there is something you can do to better the situation then create a plan and put it into action. If the answer is that you have no control over it, then it's best to put it out of your mind. I find the only way I am ever successful at this is to leave it in God's hands through prayer.
What are your thoughts? How do you manage stress? Please comment and share your ideas you may be an inspiration to someone else!
About
I am a Certified Health Coach trained through Dr. Sear's Wellness Institute. I believe in choosing real, whole foods over processed versions. I don't believe in fad diets or quick fixes. Read more.
