My journey began in my 20’s. Little did I know, this was the beginning of a roller coaster of a ride that would bring me full circle to the point I am today. When I turned 22, my skin started to break out. When I say break out, I don’t mean a few little pimples here and there, I mean really break out. Purple, painful, bumps all over my face. After multiple visits to doctors, dermatologists, and skincare specialists, I finally had to go on medication. It helped some, but it was difficult. Even after the medication and numerous acne treatments, it didn’t stay away. Over the years, I continued to hide my skin the best I could. There were times I’d be ready to go out and backed out because when I took one look at my skin, I just couldn’t do it. I’d constantly avoid eye contact and conversations because all I could focus on was if who I was talking to could see these horrible things on my face. For me, acne turned into an isolating existence. In 2005, on a quest to cure my acne, I enrolled in an esthetic science program and received my esthetician license. During this time and beyond, I think I had tried just about everything to help my skin. I’ve invested so much money I can’t even count everything. From medication to peels to laser treatments to microdermabrasion to antibiotics to fillers to shots of Cortisone in my face only to be let down with the results and see this condition continue to come back and get worse. I vowed no more severe treatments. I continued to get facials, but they were very mild, nothing too invasive or harsh. It still came back. I cleaned my make-up brushes, changed my pillowcases daily, put my hair up at night, slept on my back like a mummy, drank a boatload of water, took apple cider vinegar, you name it; still, it was there. Over and over again, when I looked in the mirror there were cysts or pimples and even worse dark spots providing even more proof that I just couldn’t solve this. Every day, I would say “I’d love to have just one day where I could see me and not these cysts and spots and bumps, just one day.” In 2017, yet again on another quest for answers, I enrolled in a functional medicine health coaching program. I learned the huge connection between what you eat and how it impacts your health and how your gut health impacts just about everything in your body. As I learned more and more, assessed the knowledge that I already had, tapped into my intuition, and started really listening, I realized that my skin issues were being caused by four things: diet, stress, emotions, and skincare. In my 40’s, I started noticing a gradual weight gain and I discovered that what I did for so many years was no longer working for me. Also, the dreaded cysts were back on my face, well they never really went away, but now they were resurfacing again more often. So, I had to start really figuring things out. I changed my diet to be more anti-inflammatory by limiting sugar and alcohol and increasing healthy fats. I also started tracking my breakouts and began to examine my exercise routine. I realized that the long and intense workouts I was doing were not only hurting my joints, but were also keeping my body in a fight or flight state and all of the stress hormones involved with that seemed to be contributing to my skin issues. Next, I addressed my stress level. At the time, four doctors had told me that I could not continue at the stress level I was at or I would end up in the hospital or worse. Mind you, I was at this stress level for almost two years. I was unhappy, lonely, sad, and frustrated. I felt like a failure daily. I could not seem to find what I wanted. The more I tried, the more I attracted things I NEVER wanted in my life. I had to get real with my emotions. I had a lot of anger, a lot…mostly at myself. Do the math…anger=acne, especially when that anger is directed within because I had made what I thought were horrible mistakes in my life. I was also angry and resentful at many people in my life. I realized that this meant that it was time to work on forgiveness and letting go, not to mention examining what within myself was bothering me that these people were representing. Lastly, I took account of my skincare. I knew that I was using way too many products at one time, and worse yet they were filled with toxins, because of my desperation to clear up my skin quickly, which only made everything worse. Once I started putting all of these pieces together, things started to change. My mindset shifted and my skin cleared up. I learned the foods that were triggering breakouts, I was doing feel-good exercise that changed my body and mind, and I learned to feel and process all the emotions that I had buried deep inside. The acne will always be my reminder to shift my mindset, celebrate who I am, and return to my focus and vision for. Oddly enough, the acne became my awakening. This journey has created a passion in me to help others going through the same or those that just would like to reduce signs of aging and find their glow holistically and naturally. I guide you to discovering your personal and unique skincare roadmap by examining eight key areas: diet, exercise, stress, toxins, mindset, rediscovering self-love, tapping into your intuition, and creating your skincare toolkit. Cheers to Your Glow!