The Best Skincare Routine You’ve Never Heard Of

Acne. We have all dealt with it. Honestly, I think it may be one of the most shared experiences we have as humans. Yes, some have naturally clear skin while others suffer from intense, painful breakouts. But I would venture to guess that just about every person on Earth has had a zit at some point in their lives.

The skin is the body’s largest organ, and it is in constant communication with your internal state. That pesky zit that pops up on your forehead after a weekend of drinking? That’s your liver trying to tell you it’s overworked!

Skin mapping or face mapping is a traditional practice in both Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda. The general idea is that the skin on your face is a window to your health. Various areas correlate to internal organs, revealing their condition. Understanding why you’re seeing breakouts in certain areas can help you to adjust diet and lifestyle factors, ideally, helping you clear your skin faster!

A quick, but important note: I mention a few natural remedies, teas and supplements in this post. However, not all of these are safe for every person- some can interact negatively with preexisting conditions or other medications you may be taking. Before adding ANY supplements, herbs, or other remedies to your diet, it is vitally important to consult a physician to make sure it is the right choice for your body and health.

Forehead

The forehead is directly connected to both your liver and your gallbladder. As I mentioned above, too much alcohol or excessive fat consumption can cause oily, red breakouts here. 

Minimizing rich foods and alcoholic beverages is the first step you can take. However, in more intense cases, Milk Thistle or Burdock Root can help support both your liver and gallbladder. Milk Thistle is an herb in the daisy and ragweed family, most easily consumed in oil or supplement form. Burdock Root comes from the Burdock vegetable, and is often ground into a powder or used as a tea! You can often find both of these at your local health food store or online.

Between the eyebrows

Known as the “third eye”, this area is said to connect you to your spiritual being…. But also your stomach and liver! Poor digestion and toxic buildup in the digestion tract can lead to blemishes here.

If you suffer from aggressive breakouts in this area, you may want to consider trying an elimination diet to figure out if you have any food intolerances. However, for the occasional zit, a gentle cleansing smoothie may help. Additionally, reducing caffeine, sugar and alcohol is always a helpful choice.

Temples and brow line

This area offers us a glimpse into the state of the kidneys. On top of that, if you’ve been feeling dehydrated (maybe hungover?) you may also notice breakouts here. 

An obvious remedy- drink more water! However, superfoods such as kale, spinach, and berries can help as well.

Under the eyes

While acne under the eyes is not very common, many experience puffiness and dark circles, myself included. This is your stomach, kidneys, and liver asking for a little TLC.

Alcohol, caffeine and sugar are the main contributors. However, your midnight snacks have a big effect too! Substituting processed foods or dairy products for fruits or grains can help you wake up in the morning with much less puff. In general, any snacks or meals high in sodium are best to cut down on if you’re experiencing bloating, in the face or in the body! Sodium dries you out, and to counterbalance that your body retains water, which causes major puffiness. 

Bridge of the nose & upper cheek bones

These areas are said to be connected to the heart. Though this is another place zits don’t often pop up, internal imbalances may present themselves here as rashes or discoloration.

The key to heart health is switching unhealthy, saturated fats for healthy fats, loaded with omega fatty acids. This helps the body boost your HDL (high-density lipoprotein, the “good cholesterol” which takes excess cholesterol in your blood and brings it back to your liver for processing) and reduces your LDL (low dentistry lipoprotein, the “bad cholesterol” which can build up in your blood vessels and cause clots/blockages). So, try putting avocado on your toast instead of butter or opt for salmon over sausage, and I bet you’ll see a difference here.

Mid-cheek

I struggle with acne here every year as the weather warms and the allergens appear. That’s because this area of the face is strongly connected to your lungs and stomach.

Allergens; whether seasonal or dietary can cause major breakouts. Notice when you see acne or hyperpigmentation here, and consider what you’ve been putting (or breathing) into your body. Not sure what it could be? A good place to start is by reducing wheat and dairy, and upping plenty of detoxifying green vegetables such as artichokes, beets, broccoli and arugula.

Lower cheek, tip of the nose & around the mouth

This area gets bossed around by the liver and stomach. Wrinkles and breakouts here can be linked to toxic buildup in the body, often caused by food intolerances.

That may sound like an overwhelming problem to solve, but a simple way to start is working some cleansing vegetable juice into your routine. There are so many delicious recipes available out there, it’s easier than ever to make a blend you actually enjoy! But if you’re in need of something more convenient, any store bought juice that is low in added sugar should do the trick. From there, I encourage you to pay attention to what foods make you feel “...bleh” and experiment with removing those from your diet.

Jawline

It’s more common for women to see breakouts here, as this area is triggered by hormonal stress. However men, with an excess of testosterone, may see acne here as well. 

Ladies, when menstruating, be sure to include a lot of hydrating foods into your diet. Cucumber, watermelon, and celery are my personal favorites. This helps the body naturally flush out hormonal oils that can buildup in the skin. On top of that, lean proteins such as fish, tofu and beans can help reduce fat-intake, which helps reduce PMS symptoms. 

Little changes can go a long way when it comes to skincare. Simply working spinach into your morning smoothie or opting for a side of almonds instead of fries are easy changes that can bring a real difference. 

All of that aside, what will bring the most beautiful glow to your skin is being kind to yourself. While a bump or mark might not be your favorite thing to wake up too - don’t forget, it’s normal. It happens to everyone. You are not defined by your skin, or any other aspect of your body for that matter! Though it may feel like it sometimes, a little pimple doesn’t take away from the uniquely magnificent beauty you bring to this world.