Naturopathic Skincare: What this Naturopath Uses
As a naturopathic doctor, my patients are always asking me what I’m eating, what I do for exercise and how I’ve maintained mostly flawless skin. Well my diet and exercise definitely play an important part in the health and glow of my skin. Over the years through some trial and error, I have also developed a skin care routine that has worked for me. Now that I’m forty the needs of my skin are definitely different then they were a decade. In my teens and early twenties, I was plagued with acne prone skin which I treated using a lot of harsh cleansers and over-the-counter and prescription topical acne treatments not to mention layers of foundation and concealer. Naturally all this changed, when I started my naturopathic program. I was able to drop this madness for good and have more or less maintained clear acne-free skin without the use of any harmful chemicals. What are my concerns now that I’m in my forties? Preserving the youth of my skin and prevent refine lines and wrinkles without introducing harsh toxins in my body. Here are the mainstay skin care products for this naturopath and of course this is what I found that suits my skin’s individual needs.
Cleansers
If I was to classify my skin, I would say I am sensitive with combination skin. At its worse moments, my skin vacillate between dry and irritated and oily. Like most women, I also really wish I had smaller pores. I went through a bunch of different cleansers over the years and sometimes out of laziness just used water. This was until a friend introduced me to Follain. Touting themselves as the Curators of Beauty, Follain carries carefully selected personal care and beauty products from brands that are free of toxins such as parabens. Lucky for me, it happens to be a block away from my West Village naturopathic practice. As suggested by the skincare store educator, most nights I use Pangea Australian Wild Plum Willow Facial Cleanser, which removes impurities from my pores without striping moisture or damaging my skin. As a result I don’t have a compensatory build up of oil that could cause breakouts. On the other nights, I gently exfoliate with Naturopathica Oat Cleansing Facial Polish. The oats help to soothe and soften while the exfoliating jojoba beads remove dead skin. If my face is irritated and inflamed especially on a cold winter day, the polish can double as a calming mask. These two products have left my skin smooth, healthy and radiant.
Moisturizers
Because I have super sensitive skin, I have found most moisturizers make my skin itchy or even worse greasy. Not marketed as a facial moisturizer per se, I discovered Shikai Borage Dry Therapy lotion by accident. A few years ago, I had developed this strange itchy rash on my arms and legs. I decided to try Shikai Borage Dry Therapy lotion because oils high in gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) like borage oil help protect skin barriers and decrease inflammation. Like magic within a week of using it, my mystery rash went away. After that I continued using Shikai Borage Dry Therapy lotion as I loved how soft it made my skin including my dry cracked heels. Then one day I thought why not try it on my face and now it is my daily daytime moisturizer. Recently at night to prevent fine lines, I’ve been using Remarkable Retinal Night Cream by MyChelle Dermaceuticals. It contains a biomimetic tetrapeptide that boosts the production of key components for optimal skin structural support and Retinal (Vitamin A) which helps against photo aging.
Make-up
I almost never wear foundation or powder as I believe the secret to radiant skin is allowing it to breath. Plus I spent so much of my teens and twenties hiding behind makeup to cover up acne, I enjoy the lightness of being makeup free. Once in a while if I need to cover up or have a special occasion, I use a dab of 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup by PUR. It’s a pressed foundation so it can double as a powder to tone down shin. It could work well as an every day foundation as it has SPF and formulated to diminish fine lines and redness without parabens or fragrances. For everything else, I really like Mineral Fusion. For my everyday look, I use their mascara, liquid eyeliner and lipstick. Mineral Fusion uses minerals and botanicals rather than harsh chemicals linked to cancer and endocrine dysfunction. In fact, Mineral Fusion is EWG verified by the Environmental Working Group dedicated to protecting human health and the environment.
Ready for clear acne-free skin naturally? Then schedule a naturopathic appointment with Dr Ivy.