What Your Skin Might Be Trying to Tell You - Part II

By Georgia Strong

This month’s blog post is part II in this series where we dive into how your skin communicates internal issues and needs, and how you can show it some love and understanding. To read Part I, click here!

"What is your skin trying to tell you? Often the skin is a metaphor for deeper issues and a way for your body to send up a red flag to warn you that all is not well underneath. When our skin is unhealthy it is usually a reflection of the internal state of our bodies, and is often a sign of poor elimination of toxins and waste products." 
- Judyth Reichenberg-Ullman N.D.

Skin Disharmony

Did you know that internal disharmony can manifest into external skin conditions? The skin isn’t bad, the skin isn’t problematic - it is simply misunderstood.

Constantly coping and communicating, it is doing its best with the resources it is given and environment it exists within. What shows up on our skin is a physical representation of what this organ needs to do to help maintain homeostasis.

Instead of criticizing our skin, perhaps we could look at our imperfections with curiosity. Why? Because curiosity opens our mind, shifts our perspective- creates space for us to willingly learn and evolve rather than endure and repeat. 

The skin is always listening to the needs of both internal and external environments- constantly adjusting and adapting. Aside from being a pure expression of interconnectedness, resilience and unconditional love, the skin can teach us a lot- when we are ready to listen.

Start exploring and observing your inner world today. You can do this in your own way, or if you need some guidance- consider the suggestions below. 

Journaling

Journaling

Write it all out. Do this for a week or two and you will start to see the patterns. This practice requires patience and discipline, but understanding your body at a deeper level is worth your time. 

Consider including headings such as…

  • Emotions/thoughts/mood
  • Sleep duration/quality
  • Food/water intake
  • Skincare products/practices
  • Exercise
  • Work/life balance
  • Screen time
  • Nature time
  • Skin condition
  • Physical tension
Meditation

Meditation

By training our awareness we can focus less on our loud thoughts and more on our subtle, soft intuition. If this is new territory for you, I invite you to start small with 5 minute guided meditations. There are many great apps out there such as headspace, calm and smiling mind. Emily Fletcher, founder of Ziva Meditation explains the practice beautifully. 

Compassion is Self love

Compassion

Trying to understand your skin and body when you’re in a frustrated, judgmental and restricted mindset will get you nowhere. It may even make things worse. First and foremost, you will need to send your skin kindness; you will need to open your mind to a new perspective. I encourage you to speak to yourself the same way you would speak to an innocent child (or even the child-version of yourself). Hopefully, this only leaves room for love, compassion and permission to explore our humanness- not hide it.  

Choose Nourishing Skincare

Nurturing Skincare

Turn your skincare practice into a self-love ritual. Touch your skin with caring intention that leaves you feeling safe and valued in your own skin. If we are to learn from the wisdom of our skin, we must first create a safe space for it to express itself fully. Don’t just slap on your products as you race out the door, massage them in and enjoy how relaxing it feels. It only takes an extra minute or two, but it can improve your whole day.

Breathing

Breathing

The majority of us aren’t actually breathing properly. We are shallow breathing into our chest, which is something we do when we are living in our fight or flight nervous system or stress response. When you’re constantly ready to run or fight, the last thing the body will focus on is healing. As soon as we breathe properly, deep into the belly- we are activating our rest and digest parasympathetic nervous system. It is in this state that the body can function optimally when it comes to healing. 

So if meditation isn’t your thing, at least practice deep breathing as often as you can so that you can get out of your own head and hear that soft, wise, intuitive voice. 

This process may take time, but eventually you will be able to observe connections and patterns. Ask yourself:

  • What changes do you need to make in order to restore harmony? 
  • What are you resisting?
  • How are you going to take action?
  • The journey is yours and what you uncover will be unique to you. 

Trust Yourself.

Aside from the amazing purpose of creating physical representations of our internal environment, the skin has many other vital functions that are simply too many to include in this piece. Briefly, this organ is always busy protecting us from disease and harm, allowing us to feel sensation, regulating our internal temperature, communicating inner disharmony and providing the connection between the internal and external world's. Harsh skincare products disrupt the skin's barrier and microbiome- leaving us susceptible to harm. 

For the skin to function properly, it is important that we are using products that are formulated specifically to enhance and support its intrinsic processes. The skin is intelligent and doesn’t require intrusive interference, even though we have been conditioned to think this way. 

For this reason, I only recommend using skincare products that are considerate of the health and wellbeing of the whole human as well as the planet we inhabit.

When it comes to non-invasive, holistic and sustainable skincare- Apoterra Skincare ticks all of the boxes; formulating with love, purpose and integrity.

If you would like to learn more about holistic health, consider looking into facial reflexology and face mapping. They are both fascinating subjects. 

If this resonates with you, here are just a few of the many wonderful pages out there that share a similar message.

Mirror Medicine, Flow Health And Beauty, Wholistic Skin And Care, Empowered Skincare, Jessica Lyarbrough, Minimal Beauty, Skin Soul Studio, Intelligent Body

 

About the author.

Georgia Strong is a qualified Remedial Massage and Beauty (skin) Therapist. She is the owner/founder of Flow Skin Food-  a holistic facial and massage clinic located in the coastal town of Margaret River, Western Australia.

 

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