While having worked in many different spaces and places as a licensed esthetician and skin guru for the past 9 years, the number one skin care problem I have seen is: FOOD ALLERGIES (or intolerances). It is incredibly common for people to not show signs of an allergy or intolerance to say sugars or gluten in their digestion since it has built up slowly over time. What happens is it slowly starts to make it's way onto your skin in many forms that can easily be mistaken for other skin conditions such as rosacea, cystic acne and melasma. Don't get me wrong, the root of all pesky skin conditions is inflammation and heat so it can be hard to differentiate without the proper guidance but here are a few tips and tricks that I give my clients in order to make them their own skin healer.

Number 1: Identify the issue and keep a log of your food intake for at least a week.

For example, your skin could be feeling particularly flushed every time you add a sweetener to your diet. Or you notice a couple of extra whiteheads along your jaw after eating that cheesy pizza from the night before. This is where dots will start to connect.

Number 2: Experiment with a subtle elimination diet for 5 days. This is how quickly your skin will respond to a food it doesn't like. Again, write it down. You'll be amazed at what you can find out.

Number 3: Simplify your skin care routine and keep it as consistent as possible. This will help keep your protective barrier in tact and you will be able to better pin point what the potential food trigger might be.

Now it is very important to be kind to yourself during a process like this. No one is perfect with their skin care or eating habits. Instead take it as an opportunity to educate yourself on what could be a positive change in your life. All of our organs and every changing, including our skin. It's important to check in once in a while even though what you were eating or using as your skin care routine was a good fit before, it may have outgrown that combination of things. It's important to embrace the changes and focus on taking care of yourself.

Many cases can be quickly solved with this simple 3 step/5 day process however if you continue to experience discomfort in your skin or nothing has changed it's time to see your trusted holistic professional. Have your esthetician, nutrition and/or acupuncturist access from there.

Find more ways to discover Your Best Skin, Your Best Self with Therapeutic Skin Coach