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This article was originally published in 2017. It has now been updated in 2025.

I am no spring chicken. Let’s just get that out of the way.

When it comes to skincare and makeup, I have always been a minimalist. And in fact, I will be my entire life.

But I am 42, and even though my skin is 100% Perioral Dermatitis under control, it is far from perfect.

I need to use some basic things on a daily basis now, but honestly?

Now that I’ve upgraded to Herbal Face Food and replaced all my old stuff, I feel excited about skincare and (gasp) even makeup.

I believe with all my heart, though, that the foundation for good skin health starts from within.

Nothing you use topically (face wash, moisturizer, or makeup) matters if your insides aren’t well.

Topical Items Often Contain Endocrine Disruptors

There is no end to the tricks that endocrine disruptors can play on our bodies: increasing production of certain hormones; decreasing production of others; imitating hormones; turning one hormone into another; interfering with hormone signaling; telling cells to die prematurely; competing with essential nutrients; binding to essential hormones; accumulating in organs that produce hormones. (source)

I told you awhile back that I am studying through Chris Kresser’s ADAPT program.

And so today I put together some skin health information for you…..

Skin Health Assessment

Click HERE to save this information for later.

Let’s start with you and your own skin health. Take this quiz.

Tally up your total number. The higher your final number, the more at risk you are for skin problems.

And if you are at risk for skin problems, I believe it’s a dual approach to healing: food + lifestyle and skincare products + routine.

Skin Health and Endocrine Disruptors

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10 Things You Can Do Immediately from a Food and Lifestyle Standpoint

(Taken from Chris Kresser’s ADAPT Academy.)

1. Start with a 30-day Paleo reset
2. Eat foods rich in Vitamin A
3. Include fermented foods regularly
4. Eat foods rich in Zinc
5. Include bone broth regularly
6. Sleep seven to nine hours per night
7. Eat foods rich in Vitamin C
8. Exercise appropriately
9. Reduce stress
10. Eat one pound of fatty fish per week

Understanding Endocrine Disruptors

“Do you know what’s on the Dirty Dozen Endocrine Disruptors list?”

I’ve been obsessed with knowing all the things about food and lifestyle as they relate to healing (the above information), but the other part – the topical part – is what I am now focused on learning as much as possible about.

I started by learning about the Dirty Dozen Endocrine Disruptors.

Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that may interfere with the body’s endocrine system and produce adverse developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune effects in both humans and wildlife. (source)

What are the Dirty Dozen Endocrine Disruptors?

Click HERE to save this list for later.

1. BPA
2. Dioxin
3. Atrazine
4. Phthalates
5. Perchlorate
6. Fire retardants
7. Lead
8. Arsenic
9. Mercury
10. Perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs)
11. Organophosphate pesticides
12. Glycol Ethers

You can learn all about each of them HERE.

I have used products with those 12 things in them for years.

We can’t go back and change anything, but we can take the acquired information and make a change.

I have written all 12 ingredients down, and am watching for them in anything and everything we buy.

And this all comes back to the one change I’ve made immediately – switching from random skin and body care products to only using safer skincare and beauty items.

And no, it’s not only Herbal Face Food, either.

In fact, you can see a list of all Recommended Skin, Body, and Personal Care Items HERE.

My Skincare Transition

Little-by-little, I am swapping out all my old makeup and skincare stuff and swapping in safer alternatives, with Herbal Face Food as my primary skincare line.

I’m not asking myself, nor am I asking you to straight up dump every last thing you have and invest thousands in new product.

If you need to, finish what you have and when it’s time to replace, consider the safer skincare options.

Caveat: If you have Perioral Dermatitis, and are still using toothpaste and products containing these disruptors, change immediately.

In addition to the many safer skincare products I’ve tried, here are some examples of swaps I’ve made:

• Moisturizer: Switched to The Cream from Herbal Face Food (previously used MyChelle Pumpkin Renew Cream – doesn’t do well in the Skin Deep Database, but I found it at Expo West and assumed it must be good)
• Eye makeup: Replaced MAC and Tarte products with safer alternatives
• Eye pencils: Swapped out Benefit Cosmetics and Tarte pencils
• Tinted moisturizer: The BEST one — The Cream from Herbal Face Food – also comes in a tinted shade!

Make One Personal Care Change Today

Today, make the decision to make one change for better skin health and one change for reducing the endocrine disruptors load in your life.

Under “Skin Health” above: Choose one of the 10 things you can do immediately from a food and lifestyle standpoint, and focus on it.

Under “Endocrine Disruptors” above: Choose one of the ingredients, find a product you currently own that contains it and swap it.

Again, this is about sharing information without fear-mongering, and most of all…..having fun!

If You Liked This Post, You Might Also Enjoy:

• The Eye Cream That Changed Everything: My 30-Day Transformation (With Photos)
• Why I’m Recommending Herbal Face Food (And Why You Should Try It)
• 15 Internal and External Skin Health Tips

Xox,
SKH