Hey hey hey babes!
Something I have not talked about much on the blog so far is my skincare journey. I have had quite a doozy of a few years with my skin.
Today I interview Lisa Hyde, skincare expert & Rodan + Fields consultant (also my dear friend and neighbor), on my podcast so we can share ALLL of our tips and tricks with you!
Lisa and I discuss both of our hormone imbalances that lead to crazy skin problems (cystic acne and malasma for her, cystic acne and scarring for me), the unfortunate way that super rigorous exercise added to our hormone problems, our beauty foods that we stick to now for glowy skin, the skincare routines we discovered that saved our faces (literally) and so much more.
Episode on LIBSYN! And episode on iTunes! (Subscribe if you likey!!!)
We also talk about our facialist and aesthetician in Santa Monica, Mojgan, that SAVED our lives by being awesome and giving us life changing facials and peels and non-invasive treatments — you can find her here.
Anyway, here is our podcast episode — listen, listen and share your thoughts! We recorded this the DAY before I got sick… so my voice was still in tact, unlike the interview I have coming next week (lol, but really).
And for those of you who want to read a bit more about my skincare journey (I know some of you are readers as opposed to pod listeners, which I totally get), here is the breakdown:
I had the clearest of clear skin up until I was about 22. If I had a “breakout,” it was a pimple or two on my chin that went away within a couple of days. Every time I complained about my skin having a minor break out, my friends rolled their eyes and told me, “your skin is perfect, you have NOTHING to complain about.”
Fastforward to turning 22-ish and living in New York. Plant-based vegan. Not getting enough nutrients. Living in the freezing cold. Skin as turning orange from too much beta-carotene.
And then the blackheads started coming. I swear it was overnight… I woke up one morning and had probably ONE THOUSAND blackheads deep underneath my skin, in all of the hormonal areas. Around my mouth, on my chin, and all over my forehead.
Of course, being an OCD person who was not used to skin problems at all, I started popping them like crazy. It became a daily and nightly ritual… so my face was pretty much red, irritated and exploded ALL of the time.
I found a few things that helped a bit, but every time my skin started to show signs of slightly clearing up, it would blow up again — but ten times worse.
There were times when I truly had red MOUNTAINS on my face. Like a fire. It was insane.
I was also exercising extremely rigorously, running all the time, and had transitioned back to a regular non-vegan diet.. and my hormones were OUT of control.
Between a combo of starting to see a functional medicine doctor (Dr. Lekkos, you can read more about him here), determining that I had WAY too much cortisol and estrogen in my system and was low on progesterone, discovering LISA (on the pod today!!!) and her amazing R+F products (specifically the Unblemish and Soothe regimens), and then Mojgan (facialist), and starting to slow my routine down / workout less rigorously, I was FINALLY able to get my skin under control.
Say hi to LISA! I told you her skin was perfect. : )
I also started introducing lots of healthy-skin foods and supplements into my life… like Vital Proteins collagen peptides and Beef Liver, taking b-12 supplements, eating tons of healthy fats like avocado, coconut butter / oil, olive oil, freshwater fish and sprouted nuts.
And now, guess what?! My skin is CLEAR. Like, very clear. I still get the occasional breakout, and my hormones are far from perfect (still working on those…), but it has done a serious 180 from where I was just 6-9 months ago.
Look at this CRAZY collage of a deep peel I did with Mojgan that took off all the infected skin last April — woah chicka woah.
So yes, I am happy to be very open about my own skincare journey and hormone issues in hopes that it helps any of you who are struggling, and also serves as a warning to those of you who are thinking about living an extreme lifestyle like plant-based vegan with excessive amounts of exercise. 😉
Lisa’s story is FASCINATING too, so you must listen to the pod!! She was a diehard Tracy Anderson girl and developed all sorts of skin, body and hormone imbalances due to the rigorous workout life and not getting enough nutrients.
Her whole story is in the pod, and mine!! Also, check Lisa out here, on her Instagram @lisaslovelyskin, and this awesome new YouTube video describing her business!! XO
And now I can take no makeup selfies like this all the time with nooooo skin worries at all. 😉 SCORE.
