The skin itself is a multi-functioning, living, breathing organ. It has its own immune system, its own hormones, its own microbiome. It's intelligent and it's vast. The skin is the largest organ on the outside of the body, literally protecting all of our internal organs, systems and bones. It is truly our first line of defense, and  works so hard for us, every single day. There are many factors that can drastically affect how the skin is functioning. As a holistic esthetician and someone who has overcome chronic psoriasis naturally, understanding my own daily habits was a major factor in my own healing journey. 

Self Talk

Literally, the words we speak to ourselves every day can have a major impact on us. Our mind is powerful and we have the power to will it in our favor or not. A lot of us have had to learn, and are still learning, to speak kindly to ourselves. It’s truly an ongoing practice. By finding ways to create more positive self talk, it will not only impact our overall wellbeing, but especially our skin. Find affirmations you love, write yourself love notes or curate a playlist that inspires you. Your skin is a direct reflection of what is happening inside, on all levels. Creating more self love is only going to create healthy, happy and radiant skin. 

Stress

Stress in some way is a natural part of life. How we react and manage stress can drastically affect our skin. Creating stress in the body, especially for long periods of time or with constant exposure, will spike the cortisol levels in the body. When this happens we naturally start to produce more oil, as the sebaceous glands are linked to the adrenals. Especially in conditions like acne, where there is already an overproduction of oil, this can lead to even more breakouts. There are many ways to cope with stress;  a few of my favorites are EMDR, journaling, meditation, energy work, spending time in nature, and somatic dance.

Foods

The foods we eat have a major impact on our skin health. Because the skin is an elimination organ, it will naturally try to balance what is happening inside the body through purging. This is when we see skin conditions start to show topically. The foods we eat have a direct impact on all the major organs of the body, especially the liver. The liver is a major organ that processes everything that goes through the body. Many of us suffer from overworked livers, which in return can cause strain on all the organs and systems, especially the skin. In my own healing journey from chronic psoriasis, eating foods that support my liver had a major impact on healing my skin. 

A few steps to get started

Here are a few steps you could incorporate into your day to get started: 

• Create a journal practice, where you can write down all of the exposures you had that you noticed. Start to see if there are patterns or consistencies. 

• Find an aligned holistic practitioner, who can help guide you to make lifestyle changes for the better. 

• Work with a holistic esthetician who can help guide your skin care journey. 

To sum it up, the idea is to create awareness around all the daily habits we have — especially the ones that influence our skin. While it can be easy to look at taking care of the skin as something that is superficial or vain, we need to look at it as health care. Care for our skin is just as important as any other organ or system inside the body. 

About the Author

Danielle Kingsley is a master holistic esthetician, reiki master, herbalist and the owner of Wild Beauty Cosmetics. Her integrative approach to skin care combines the alchemy of the body, mind and skin, using true skin revision modalities to create healthy skin at a cellular level. Her uniquely customized approach allows her to help even the more chronic skin conditions.

(Photo by Angela Roma for Pexels.)

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