Wondering about how to get glowing skin naturally? 6 Tips with suggestions from Dr. Danielle Commisso, Naturopathic Doctor for changes you can make everyday to achieve glowing complexion.
Oh, the quest to get glowing skin. I’ve wondered for years how to get glowing skin naturally but never quite been successful. What I wouldn’t have done for clear, bright, beautiful skin. Dull, blemished skin left me self conscious and frustrated. A little hopeless, too.
Last year, I’d had enough. My cheek was permanently red from cystic acne and my jawline was dotted with sore pimples. I washed my face, I ate well – so what gives? When I was with other women I was constantly analyzing their skin and wondering what they must be doing differently. Not a great self-deprecating cycle to find yourself in.
I committed to learning about how to get glowing skin naturally to improve my dull, damaged skin so I could feel confident. I gave myself one month, but, like many of my journeys I was a changed woman at the end. Now when I have a breakout or I look puffy I can usually pinpoint the root cause. So, what changes did I make?
I’m excited to share this post with Dr. Danielle Commisso, Naturopathic Doctor who will share her knowledge about how to improve dull damaged skin (hers glows, might I add).
1. Talk to a Professional
Like so many elements of maintaining wellness, your journey will be different than mine. The tips that follow are the basics, and purposefully general because skincare is so individualized. Dr. Commisso shares that “the basics are key, but individualized care is ideal for getting to the root cause of any skin concerns. A Naturopathic Doctor can help ”
2. Hydrate
Good old water. Is there anything it’s not beneficial for? It’s also the simplest change to make that your skin will love. Almost always, when I notice my skin is a bit blah I realize I haven’t been drinking enough water. How much do I drink? I aim to drink 2L a day. How do I accomplish that? I always have a water bottle with me. I have one in the car, in the diaper bag, next to my bed, and I continually fill it up.
As a busy mom, staying hydrated is the little act of self-care I show myself daily. In the end, it benefits us all because when I feel better I’m more patient & more energetic.
Dr. Commisso adds:
“water is SO important. It helps boost our metabolism, improves our detoxification process and can even prevent headaches.”
TIPS
- Set a reminder in your phone every hour in order to maintain high water intake levels
- Not a big fan of water? Adding lemon/lime, fruit, cucumber or basil to boost the flavour!
3. Use Supplements
Supplements was one of the first things I learned about when I started working on healing my gut troubles. Truth be told, my assumption was that if I was eating healthy I didn’t need supplements. During my pregnancy with Amelia I started but was inconsistent. While pregnant with Theo supplements became a huge part of how I stayed health.
So, which supplements for glowing skin?
Again, this is generalized so seeing a naturopathic doctor will help you determine what supplements work best for you.
Vitamin D
“Since we live in such a cold climate here in Canada, the majority of Canadians can be deficient in Vitamin D. This amazing sunshine vitamin can boost our immune system, helping us fight off infections, as well as improve our energy. If individuals are suffering from skin conditions such as Eczema or Psoriasis, studies show that Vitamin D supplementation can help to improve the skin!”
Omega 3
“Fish oil is incredible for improving skin health, boosting our brain health, improving joint health, and decreasing overall inflammation in the body.”
Probiotics
“Probiotics are important for our gut health, and when our gut health is optimized, our skin health will also improve! “
TIP
- Not sure which brand to use? We’re both big fans of Genuine Health! I use their probiotics for myself & their kids line for Amelia, as well as their Omega 3
4. Invest in Clean Beauty Products
I definitely used to be a ‘what’s on sale’ shopper, then a victim of the latest trend when it came to skincare products. It dawned on me that I worried so much about what I put into my body but had never considered what I was slathering on my skin.
If there is one change that I made that I think was most significant for the overall health of my skin and my body, it was overhauling my skincare drawer. I started buying products with ingredients from nature, ones that were intended to nurture my skin not just cover it. This included my makeup too.
“What is most important is that you are using CLEAN skincare brands and that you are wearing sunscreen DAILY. Even in the winter!
Check out my Summer Skincare guide on my website for ingredients to watch out for in your sunscreen. www.dcommissohealth.com“
What are our favourites?
Dr. Commisso’s favourite makeup brands are:
- RMS Beauty, a coconut oil based cosmetic line that utilizes natural dyes and pigments for their gorgeous colours, using raw uncoated minerals in their most concentrated form – they are also non-geo, gluten free, cruelty free, paraben free, and their products are housed in recycled glass containers.
- W3ll People, a vegan, cruelty free, phthalate, paraben, fragrance, sulphate free and non-gmo cosmetic line.
My favourites are:
- Province Apothecary, a skincare line made using high quality, organic ingredients
- Garden City Essentials, a small batch natural skincare line
- Fitglow Cosmetics, an evidence based natural beauty company
- Elate Cosmetics, an eco-conscious cosmetic brand with products that support your skin. Check out My Everyday Essentials from Elate Cosmetics.
5. Establish a Routine
As a mother, routine is something that my kids thrive on, so I make every effort to give them that. Funny how as a mom I didn’t always maintain that for myself knowing I also thrive on routine. What’s that got to do with skin?
Well, in the morning waking up to a hungry baby or after a day of chancing kids around who has the energy to look after their skin? I get it, I really do. As a little TLC for myself I make it a priority. In the morning, I feel more productive and confident. At bedtime, I’ve taken a few minutes to unwind and care for myself.
Getting away from the kids to get my nails done or go for facial isn’t often in the cards. A bath, exfoliating, a face mask, and using a jade facial roller and facial serum is my spa day at home once a week. I feel refreshed and my skin glows!
Dr. Commisso shares my love of jade rolling. It’s part of her skincare routine as well! She adds:
“It helps increase the absorption of serums and moisturizers, can relieve facial and jaw muscle tension, stimulate lymphatic drainage to de-puff the face, brighten the skins complexion by increasing circulation and blood flow beneath the skin resulting in a natural glow, and helps to eliminate toxins and reduces the appearance of dark circles!”
6. Manage your Stress
I’ll be honest, I didn’t really make the connection between my skin and stress until a few months ago. Hard to believe.
At 7 weeks old Theo spiked a fever and was admitted to the hospital. Given his age, they ran every test imaginable. As if my stress level wasn’t already through the roof worrying & watching him be in pain, but the results of the tests took 48 hours. For 48 hours we didn’t know if it was a common cold or meningitis. Is there a scale for that level of stress?? Long story short, we spent 6 days in the hospital with what turned out to be a bladder infection. How is this relevant to transforming your skin? The day after we can home I noticed how incredibly puffy and dull my skin was.
OK so that’s an extreme scenario but, looking back, no wonder my skin was a mess. I buried stressed, plowed through it, and crashed.
Managing stress has become a big focus for me as a mom of two now because there are just SO many benefits. Glowing skin, included.
“Stress is the root of so many illnesses! When we implement stress management techniques into our daily or weekly routine, we will automatically see positive results.
It is so easy to focus on taking care of others and on our careers, but when our tank is on empty, we cannot provide others with our best selves and on top of that our skin suffers. Stress can affect our hormones, our digestion, sleep etc and when those are out of whack our skin will bear the brunt of this!”
Anything else to get Glowing Skin Naturally?
Of course! Dr. Commisso suggests Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture or Cosmetic Acupuncture to improve dull damaged skin and skin conditions.
“It is a non-surgical cosmetic treatment that helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, brightens the complexion and helps treat various skin conditions. The treatment uses the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine and involves the insertion of fine hair-like needles into various acupuncture points in the face and body.”
Some benefits include:
- Stimulation of collagen production to decrease fine lines & wrinkles Increase circulation to nourish, improve skin tone, uniformity & texture of face
- Reduce the appearance of dark circles & puffiness of eyes
- Relax facial muscles to decrease appearance of stress in the face Rejuvenates the face & body to promote overall health & well being!
Do you see yourself in my journey? Maybe I’ve given you somewhere to start.
My journey towards how to get glowing skin naturally hasn’t been straightforward and it’s required hard work. It has led me to treat the root cause rather than cover up the effects.
In the end, for me, it was worthwhile! Now that I am more in tune with my own body, I can check in with myself. I no longer feel trapped by dull, damaged skin!
