You might have seen that each Wednesday over on the YourTea Instagram page, I answer questions in real live time.  It’s a fun, fab way to chat with the audience and answer some specific and burning questions people from around the globe may have.  A couple of weeks back, we had an ‘acne’ themed Q & A day over on the page.  It sparked some very interesting discussion, which brings me here today.  I’m keen to share my 5 best skin fixers.

1. Work it from the inside out.  

Your skin is your largest organ but very often the most neglected.  The relationship with your gut health and your skin is intertwined.  You might be excited to learn (since it may all make sense now) that your skin is one of the only ways (besides orally or via the bowels) that your skin can push out toxins or waste it can’t deal with.  So when we see issues like acne, eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, rashes and alike, naturally my first point of call is the gut health.  Investing in a good probiotic alongside broths that contain quality collagen for lining repair will help to nourish and support good digestion.  You can check out a post on probiotics here and broth here.  If your acne is predominantly around your mouth and cheeks, it’s a little clue into your gut health being your issue.

2.  Combat inflammation

Many skin conditions are also a result of crazy inflammation as a result of poor diet.  Inflammatory foods including gluten, sugar and dairy can wreak havoc with our insides and really wear away good gut flora.  My suggestion – apply the 80/20 rule.  You might like to pick one of these and remove it (say gluten) as a start and see where that takes you.  Gluten is a disaster for most people, it’s super hard to digest and leads to a plethora of problems.  Cut it out for a few weeks as a starting point and see.

3. Cleanse

If your acne or poor skin is a result of toxic build up (as opposed to hormone imbalance, although even then a cleanse can really help) invest in a good cleanse.  In a perfect world we wouldn’t need to detoxify but sadly pollutants are everywhere; found in our water, air, food and environment in general.  You can check out my 5 day cleanse here.  Let it be noted, cleanses don’t need to be harsh and drastic.  Cleanse Yourself is all about eating really easily digested foods, cleaning out the gut and regulating the liver gently.  The feedback I consistently get reminds me that although it’s only 5 gentle days, it’s a little winner and the perfect reset and reboot.

4. Rebalance your Hormones

Hormonal acne is most often seen along the jawline and often on the neck and back.  If this is where your finding your trouble spots to be (and often they are way worse than spots – they are boulders big enough to seal a tomb – I should know, I’m totally prone myself) it’s your clue to getting onto rebalancing your hormones.  Generally I find that in these instances women are oestrogen dominant.  You can read more about how to fix that here.

5.  Know your triggers and avoid or manage

I know for me, lack of sleep, flying and that special little window before I’m expecting my period are all times that my skin can go a little haywire.  So it’s in these times I need to step it up with good nutrition and quality filtered water ongoing.  Our diet and lifestyle play a huge role in facilitating the nutrients our bodies need to nourish our skin.  It’s in these times we might need to step it up, nurture ourselves a little better and be mindful of putting our bodies under extra stress that will only make the situation worse.  My biggest fix is actually a nice cup of tea and a good night sleep.

6. Find your topical fix

It took me years to realise that my skincare regime was actually part of the problem.  I was madly trying to strip away the oil which only made the issue worse.  The more I tried to scrub and lather, the more my skin was being stripped of essential oils meaning it was constantly being tripped into overdrive.  The solution for me was oil cleansers combined with a good old face washer!  Oil for me was my saviour but equally we are all different.  My best recommendation is to invest in some time with a natural skin care provider and really get to understanding individually what your skin needs.

Of course there are many fixers when it comes to clearing up your skin.  I’d love to hear your best ‘fixers’ and even your worst!  It’s all about finding out what works for you (and of course WHY – I’m all about the why!)