​Avoiding Inflammatory Triggers 
Inflammation is a precursor to just about every skin condition whether it be aging, pigment, sensitivity, acne, rosacea, eczema and more!  Avoiding inflammatory foods is your first step to the skin of your dreams!
 
Dairy: Dairy is one of the most inflammatory foods that you can eat and for many, dairy can be a trigger for acne, eczema, psoriasis, and a multitude of other skin concerns.  Dairy is packed with natural hormones which can affect acne, not only that but it affects our natural hormones and can lead to more serious disease.  
Sugar I heard in a lecture once that sugar ages us just as much if not more than the sun.Sugar increases inflammation throughout your entire body by spiking insulin.  Sugar is dehydrating and increases oil production. In addition, sugar releases enzymes that break down collagen and elastin.  Sugar actually attaches to collagen fibers and weakens them, making you more susceptible to sun damage! 
Alcohol Alcohol consumption impairs your sleep, causes inflammation, is dehydrating, wreaks havoc on your liver and more.  Drinking can also deprive your skin of vital vitamins and nutrients that it needs to function properly! 
Gluten The effect of gluten on different people is a highly debated topic in the nutrition community.  For those sensitive to gluten and those with celiac disease, gluten can have a negative effect on gut health and can be an instigator for leaky gut.  The gut-skin connection has been studied extensively and has shown to be directly linked.  
 
 
 
Supporting Skin Integrity with 
Probiotics and PrebioticsA healthy gut microbiome supports healthy skin in more ways than one, a healthy gut supports a healthy immune system, hormone function, stress response, healing response, and even response to sun exposure!  Both probiotics like those found in fermented foods such as kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha and prebiotics like garlic, onion, asparagus, honey, apples yams, and bananas work together to optimally support the gut microbiome! 
Essential Fatty Acids Called essential because they are essential to get in your diet as the body does not produce them naturally, EFAs are really important for hydrated vibrant skin.  Omega 3 fatty acids are especially important to incorporate into the diet for healthy skin. They actually fortify the skin cell to prevent water loss/dehydration.  Great sources of Omega 3’s are fatty fish, nuts and seeds such as walnut, chia, HEMP, and flaxseed, and vegetables such as brussel sprouts, kale, spinach, and watercress! 
Fiber Fiber helps keep the gut healthy and digestion regular.  If food is not properly digested, toxins and waste accumulate in the body and lead to inflammation as well as improper nutrient absorption.Great skin healthy sources of fiber include, avocado, chia seeds, apples, broccoli, butternut squash, and oats.  
AntioxidantsAnti-oxidants fight oxidative stress also known as free radicals.  Your body makes free radicals as it processes food, sunlight, and toxins like smoke, pollution, and alcohol. Free radicals are unstable cells that attach to and damage healthy cells. This damage to cells can lead to wrinkles, pigment spots, 
Antioxidants bind to the unstable free radicals, making them unavailable to bind to healthy cells in the body.  Antioxidant rich foods include blueberries, strawberries, beets, kale, spinach, peppers, raspberries, red peppers, goji berries.  
Minerals Minerals are like the unsung heros of skin nutrients.  Minerals like zinc, copper, selenium, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and silica support wound healing, protect from UV radiation, maintaining and building collagen and elastin, regulating hydration levels in the body, calming and healing acne.  Minerals can be consumed through supplements, but the best sources of mineral rich foods are nuts, seeds, green leafy vegetables, sea weed, mushrooms, and more!
 
Take it from an esthetician who has an obsession with nutrition, the food you eat affects your whole body.  Your skin is not a separate organ running on its own, it is intertwined with everything else,  Make sure to avoid inflammatory foods for an optimally glowing complexion and eat your way to vibrant vivacious skin with plenty of organic nuts seeds, healthy fats, fruits, and vegetables! 

CBD (cannabidiol) is taking the skincare world by storm.  It's like the new vitamin C!  Just like vitamin C, CBD is chalk full of benefits for the skin.  

CBD is a lipid based molecule in the Cannabis plant called a phytocannabinoid.  Cannabis has over 100 phytocannabinoids, each having their own therapeutic value.  Phytocannabinoids communicate with the endocannabinoid system (ECS), one of our body's major systems which regulates and promotes balance or homeostasis within every function of the body including sleep, reproduction, memory, and more!

The skin is a dynamic organ;  there is a lot going on in there!  It is producing oil to protect and lubricate the skin.  The skin is producing melanin to protect from injury.  Skin cells have a life cycle, it starts when they form in the bottom layer of the epidermis.  These cells morph while they migrate to the surface of the epidermis. Skin cells start as fat, plump, juicy cells on the bottom layer and eventually turn into flat, crunchy cornflake cells on the top layer. This process of morphing and migrating, life cycle of a skin cell takes 28 days in healthy skin.  Collagen and elastin are being synthesized, and more! The endocannabinoid system is responsible for regulating all of this.  Remember, CBD communicates with the endocannabinoid system to promote balance!  

Here are the local benefits CBD provides to the skin:

Support of Vibrant Aging (I HATE the term anti-aging): CBD is anti-inflammatory, and inflammation is a pre-cursor to aging.  CBD has a high antioxidant value, higher than vitamins A, C, and E.  This means it helps to protect from free radical damage like the sun, pollution, poor diet, etc.  CBD also helps to balance the lifecycle of the skin cell, which slows with age; resulting in dull lackluster skin.  CBD also promotes balance of oil production which slows with age, drying the skin out and making it look less vibrant with more visible lines. Another sign of premature aging is dark spots that can be caused by the sun, medications, acne scarring, or injury among other things.  CBD regulates melanin production, helping to brighten the skin.  

Heals and Prevents Acne: CBD is anti-bacterial, but not only that, CBD selectively destroys pathogenic bacteria while leaving non-pathogenic bacteria (supporting the micro-biome of the skin).   CBD regulates oil production which is helpful for both dry acne and oily acne.  

Manages Pigmentation: CBD regulates melanogenesis, the process of pigment production in the skin.  In addition, pigment production is a result of inflammation or perceived injury by the skin, because CBD is anti-inflammatory it fights this inflammation.

Assists Healing of Eczema and Psoriasis: The anti-inflammatory properties of CBD  properties of CBD are beneficial for both eczema and psoriasis.  In addition, both psoriasis and eczema may be triggered by an overgrowth of staphylococcus bacteria.  The oil regulating properties of CBD help heal the impaired barrier on the surface of the skin.  

Balances Combination and Oily Skin, while  Moisturizing Dry Skin: All due to the regulation of oil production!!

These are just a few reasons CBD skincare is the bomb! I exclusively use ColorUp professional CBD skincare because they are the best skincare I've EVER used (CBD or not)!!!  Not only will you find organic Colorado hemp CBD, but a plethora of other cosmeceutical ingredients that pack a heavy punch for beautiful, glowing skin.  Click below to book your CBD Facial now! 
​