holistic skin care

Be your own medicine woman.

New clients often come to me when they feel completely frustrated and confused about their skin. They tell me that wherever they go seeking support they receive different and conflicting advice and every new attempt to seek help, simply adds to their skin care confusion.

We can probably agree that we live in a society/culture which strongly promotes seeking expert services/advice for literally everything.

There are obviously numerous benefits to having easy access to an array of specialists. However it is never desirable to hand over our decision making to someone else and to abandon the gift and importance of inner knowing, intuition and self knowledge.

If you don’t have a clear vision/desire of what you want your own health and beauty to express like, you’ll potentially end up chasing that of someone else. You will most likely feel dissatisfied with yourself, frustrated and often confused in the areas of health and beauty, not knowing what to do, what to use and so on.

The beauty of holding a clear vision for oneself and a willingness to step into the 'I’m master of my life’ position is that it comes with a sense of power, confidence and adventure as it opens us up to new possibilities. 

If I may, I’d like to make a suggestion that we start with an acknowledgement that life is a miracle and you were born in the body that’s perfect for you. It’s a body worth getting to know, and never to silence. You are the one who has the power to know it in the most intimate way and consequently to live in a harmonious way with it. 

So as much as seeking a guide or an expert is necessary at times, the most important thing that you can do for yourself right now is to become your own medicine woman, to be the boss of you:) And how do you do that? 

If you are not doing it yet, you may want to explore how to be more present with your body and yourself. Julie prepared a short video to help inspire you. It’s a snippet of an intuitive breath and self-massage sequence that she does to help ground herself and be more present. We hope that Julie sparks your interest and you will start your own daily sessions of ‘being with self’.  Let your breath and hands guide you!

When your body sends you signals through changes in the wellbeing of your skin (acne, redness, new wrinkles, sallowness…), acknowledge that you see and hear it loud and clear. Don’t judge it, don’t be frustrated with it, don’t be scared, don’t panic and don’t dismiss it! No good decision is ever made when we are in such a state of mind. 

How will you go about addressing what you see? Well, I’d say, first ‘be with self’ for a bit and sit with it. If you follow your intuition, it will look different for each individual.

Let’s say it is acne that your skin is expressing. One person may decide to immediately seek professional advice and they may be guided to a specific therapist. Another person may realize that their diet is an issue and they will commit to change. Yet another may become clear that emotional stress is flaring the acne and they need to meditate or contemplate regularly to help their mind and skin heal. 

This is why following advertising, doing what your friends do, or always searching for a new product to solve your problem doesn’t work.

The truth is that you are the key to your healing, not a product or a procedure. When you’re guided by your heart and your inner knowing and not the ‘outside noise’ you will always find that which will support you and build you and help you heal. Right products, right people and right information will simply show up on your path to help, when you are the boss of you! 

Love and light,

Magdalena & Julie

Your Winter Skin

Winter is here in full swing, and your skin may be feeling dry, dehydrated, dull or it may be itchy. I’ve prepared some holistic skin care info and a few tips to help you ride the wave.

Before we get to remedies though, it will be helpful to understand that the words ‘dry’ and ‘dehydrated’ are often used interchangeably to describe the state of our skin. However they shouldn’t be because they mean two different things.



DEHYDRATED SKIN refers to the skin which lacks the proper moisture/water level. Dehydration often presents itself through fine lines, lack of elasticity or roughness of the skin. Anyone of any skin type can experience dehydration, even people with oily skin. It may be caused by a disrupted skin barrier and trans-epidermal water loss and/or general dehydration throughout the body.

DRY SKIN refers to the skin which does not produce a sufficient amount of oil / sebum. Skin dryness often presents itself through tightness, itchiness, lack of lustre, and the skin may feel like it lacks volume and is thin …  People on the dry skin type spectrum are most prone to dryness and are most likely to experience the symptoms which come with underproduction of sebum. Dryness can be aggravated by the elements / weather, an improper skin care routine, harsh products, a diet which is insufficient in good fats and poor digestive function.

Dryness and dehydration are also symptoms of our overall health and often come as a pair. Insufficient sebum production and/or a disrupted skin barrier will certainly lead to water loss and dehydration will set in.

YOUR BODY
During the cold months, your skin will thank you for implementing a regular dry skin brushing routine, followed by a shower or bath and full body oiling. Some prefer a slightly different routine (an Ayurvedic way) of body oiling followed by a shower or bath. I personally like to start with dry skin brushing. I love that invigorating feeling that a natural bristle brush provides and the lymphatic fluid movement it initiates. It is amazing to observe how quickly skin turns to softness when cared for this way.

All you'll need is a natural bristle brush, water and oil.

When you are ready to purchase your natural bristle brush make sure to choose a softer one if your skin is more delicate and sensitive. I like a lot of stimulation and the skin on my body can take it, so my brush has a bit more oomph to it. Always go with what feels right to you.

For both dry skin brushing and body oiling start at your feet and work your way up.

The best time for the body routine is in the morning. It will make you feel awake, bright and shiny. And oiling your body will create a sense of protection before you step out into the world. It’s a simple and lovely practice to include in your daily self-care, and your skin will feel like a baby’s bottom as a result.

*Make sure to include good fats in your diet too. Eat avocados, olive oil, flax seed oil, sunflower oil… ,  or for ease add a well-balanced OMEGA 3, 6 & 9 supplement like Udo's Oil which can be found at your health food store.


YOUR FACE
The skin on your face can feel uncomfortable and dry, and it can look a little dull during the winter months. Yet for some it can feel irritated and more red. It’s the wind and sudden changes of temperature - going in and outdoors, the indoor heating… . Extreme climate conditions make it somewhat tricky now to care for your skin, especially when your skin is delicate and sensitive.

Naturally, skin will benefit from more oil during cold months. So upping your application of face oil, face serum or balm is a good idea. This adjustment plus improved dietary intake of healthy fats should take care of replenishing oil and creating a more effective protective layer to shield your skin from harsh winter elements or indoor heating; assuming that you are not using any harsh products which keep disrupting the natural and vital skin barrier and your skin’s microflora. A good  example are sand like textured exfoliants or skin care products containing acids.

*Sipping on warm purified water throughout the day will help to rehydrate your body at the deeper levels and eventually you will see the benefits in your skin too. But be patient. Rome was not built in one day. Your body will replenish water where it needs it most first. Because your skin is not a primary organ as far as your survival goes it is not the first one in line for rehydration. So keep on sipping patiently:)


LAYERING PRODUCTS
Sometimes, Face Mist followed by Face Oil or Face Balm does not feel like it’s enough. If you’ve never tried it before, you may want to experiment with a more complex layering of your products. What would that look like?

If you feel that dehydration is part of your concern, double misting with your Facial Mist is a great idea. How to double mist? Generously mist your cleansed face and press the mist with the palms of your hands into your skin. When it feels like your skin absorbed it, follow with another generous mist. Again press into the skin and follow with your Face Oil or Face Serum.

Warm up a few drops of Face Oil or Face Serum between the palms of your hands and press it gently into your skin.

Finish with applying a small amount of Face Balm. Now work your products into your skin and massage it gently as a final touch.

I can’t say it enough - oil cleansing is amazing, supports a healthy skin barrier and feeds beneficial micro-flora on your skin! You will find it very helpful especially during cold weather. If you are not doing it yet, please check it out. Here are the instructions to oil cleansing 


ADDITIONAL WINTER CARE

  • Don’t forget about your lips and make sure to moisturize them regularly.

  • If you don’t use eye care, now can be a good time to add it for extra softness and protection around your eyes.

  • A fresh avocado mask is simple and can be applied on a weekly basis to improve winter skin health.

  • You can exfoliate 1-2 times a week but with a very, very gentle non-invasive product only. Stripping of the skin = increased skin vulnerability, disruption of the natural skin barrier, increased trans-epidermal water loss and diminished skin health overall.

  • Marshmallow root infusion is excellent for dry winter skin and can be used in skin compressing. If you don’t have access to a good quality marshmallow root but would like to make infusions for compressing, let us know. We have plenty in our apothecary and can make it available to you:)

I trust that this will be a good start to taking care and improving your winter skin. Please let us know if you have any questions.

If you are experiencing complex skin challenges, make a note that I do offer skin care consultations and will be happy to provide insight, support and personalized recommendations. To book an appointment contact us at hello@womandivine.ca


Wishing you a lovely week,

Magdalena xo

Saying goodbye to 363 Churchill.

Big thank you to our local artist Victoria Dark @victoriadark_illustrations for her talent and for creating this precious piece of art! I will always keep it dear to my heart

Big thank you to our local artist Victoria Dark @victoriadark_illustrations for her talent and for creating this precious piece of art! I will always keep it dear to my heart

On June 30th we said goodbye to our beautiful little studio at 363 Churchill.

This certainly is not what we’ve planned when we first got our little building in Westboro. We truly felt that it was going to be a forever home for WD Skin Care. And we loved our bright and peaceful space very very much! But hey, life is full of surprises as we’ve been learning over the past fifteen months.

Since it’s been fifteen months straight that we’re unable to see our clients in person, after much consideration and many tears we’ve decided to go with the flow, practice non-attachment and transition. Not an easy decision but it feels like a good one.

We’ll of course continue with our consultations and product formulating and we have a few new products on the horizon:) So nothing will change in that aspect of our offerings.

Our treatments however will begin only when there are no more lockdowns and we can open for good. We hope that this will happen in not too long because we miss you very much!

Like for every small business in Ontario, this past fifteen months has been challenging in so many ways. And it’s no longer sustainable to keep on waiting and hoping that we can open soon.

When there will be clarity and we’ll get a green light, we’ll set up the most beautiful space to welcome you back to our treatments again.

For now we will be moving into a transitional space (a minute away from where we are) which will allow us to continue with our skin care formulation and production.

We want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your continuous support and loving messages that you send us.
We could not be here without you! Since we never qualified for any government support, it is 100% thanks to you, that we are in business. We are looking forward to growing in new ways and bringing more meaning, more beauty and more health into your life!
Magdalena xo

Allopathy versus Holism.

The last few months have lent themselves beautifully to contemplation and re-evaluation of life, and values which we live by.

Holism and allopathy have been preoccupying my thinking because I feel that they are at the base of many skin/health discussions.  It seems like a timely topic to address if even for the sole purpose of consciously reclaiming one or the other for ourselves.

One thing is for sure; allopathy or holism is driving your choices regarding skin care, health care and your perception of life. 

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We use the term ‘holistic’ or ‘wholistic’ attached to skin care a lot but I can’t help but notice that many are still not completely clear on what exactly is the meaning behind the word ‘holism’. And allopathy may seem like the word which belongs only with western medicine but it actually applies to skin care as well. 

So, aware or not, you are either holistic or allopathic in your approach and choosing one or the other consciously will definitely be more productive..

Allopathic medicine or allopathy, refers to science-based, modern medicine, such as the use of medications or surgery to treat or suppress symptoms or the ill effects of disease. 

Allopathic medicine is distinct in how it views health, the human body and the world.

In my simple words allopathy likes to dissect and put things apart and then look and analyze the components as separate from each other.

A good example would be my very last visit to a family doctor a few years back.

I went hoping to get my blood work done on the recommendation of my Ayurvedic doctor. 

When I tried to explain the multiple symptoms which I was experiencing at that time, the doctor stopped me and said ‘one problem per visit please’. I responded ‘but what if all the symptoms are related?’. The doctor responded ‘as I said we will look at one problem per visit’. 

Holism, holistic skin care, holistic health, holistic life are all about embracing the whole and humbly observing the intertwining interactions of all that exists.

One of my teachers says something very important. He says that you can get to know body parts or its systems by dissection but you will never know or understand life in its entirety by this process.

And here holism or a holistic approach offers us a very different way of understanding disease and skin health and ultimately life itself.

The dictionary tells us that  ‘holism’ is  a theory that the universe and especially living nature is correctly seen in terms of interacting wholes (as of living organisms) that are more than the mere sum of elementary particles.

So let’s look at skin care and the allopathic and the holistic approach.

How does allopathy translate to skin care?

Let’s take an acne client as an example. The allopathic approach focuses on reducing oil production, speeding up skin cell turnover, fighting bacterial infection or reducing inflammation. This is often done with the application of aggressive, suppressive and strong acting products. 

If topical treatment by an aesthetician will not bring the desired results then you have the option of seeing your medical doctor to get oral medication which suppresses your symptoms.  If this is all that you are looking for than it may be to your satisfaction.

How does holism translate to skin care?

Continuing with our example of an acne client, a holistic skin care professional will take time to investigate what is causing the symptom, in this case acne. 

This includes focusing on the underlying imbalances of digestion, hormones, stress and emotions which can also be causing painful or irregular menses, acid reflux, gluten intolerance, allergies or polycystic ovaries… After careful analysis a topical plant based treatment along with a specific face massage technique will be prescribed to support the skin function but most importantly dietary, lifestyle habit adjustments will be recommended to bring about healing. It is very important to note that In the holistic approach, you are an active participant in your healing process. 

Your holistic skin care professional of today is often educated in an array of natural medicine modalities including nutrition, plant medicine, Ayurveda, TCM, massage therapy… If they deem your skin health problem beyond their scope of practice or needing broader support, they may refer you to a natural medicine doctor.

I hope that this basic comparison will help you decide consciously which makes more sense to you.

So is it allopathy or holism?

Magdalena xo

My very first podcast:)

Rudie Jay is the beautiful vibrant human behind THE PURSUIT Your Guide To Happy, Healthy Living PODCAST.
Rudie invited me to be a guest on her podcast. Since this was my very first podcast experience, I was a little nervous, but Rudie is a natural and makes her guest feel right at home😀We chatted, skin care, products, local business, and my skin-therapy journey.

Much gratitude to Rudie Jay for helping me spread the word about holistic skin care❤️

I hope that you will enjoy listening,

Magdalena xo