Monya Kowal’s unique education and experience have helped pave her way into the world of nutrition-involved skincare. She combines her Bachelor’s degree in nutrition with her extensive aesthetician training to provide clients with a one-of-a-kind beauty experience. Within her passions includes developing healthy skin recipes, along with creating obtainable skincare routines catered to each individual.

Here are the top tips she feels EVERYONE’S skin could benefit from:

1) Eat less added sugar. Processed sugars may spark energy and hormone imbalances, and don’t offer any beneficial skin nutrients. Opt to hit your sweet tooth from nutritious sources, such as fresh fruit, real smoothies, dark chocolate, and dried fruit without added sugar (dried apricots, etc.). Some studies show a reduction in breakouts while lowering added sugar in the diet.

2) Eat healthy fats at every meal. Plant-based fats, such as nuts, seeds, avocados, and olive oil can help provide healthy, essential fatty acids to the skin. They support collagen growth and damage repair.

3) Start your day with a super breakfast. You ever know what the day may hold, so breakfast is a great place to start packing in some nutrients. Include protein from a source such as eggs, fiber from whole grains and/or fruit/veggies, and of course some healthy fats from above.

4) Add Maca powder to your smoothie or shake. Maca may help stabilize hormone irregularities. As an added bonus, it’s filled with healthy vitamins and minerals, and provides natural energy.

5) Double cleanse at least once a day, and be sure to always wash your face in the morning and before bed. Sometimes the first cleanse doesn’t strip enough impurities and free radicals, so washing again right after can help clean it up better. Use a gentle and effective face wash, such as Skin Medica brand (recommended by Monya herself).

6) Eat a rainbow of antioxidants. Dark leafy greens, colorful berries, and simply including a range of colorful produce helps provide the body and skin with beneficial nutrients to combat damage and restore the skin’s surface. Don’t get stuck on eating the same food all the time, switch it up and have fun!

7) ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS moisturize. Even if you have oily skin, moisturizer can help balance the skin so it doesn’t over-produce oil. Moisturizing also helps prevent wrinkles and provides the skin with essential hydration.

8) Invest in monthly facials. Microdermabrasion and Dermasound are a few of the amazing skin treatments to help keep your skin youthful and healthy. Research your facialist and their products. Make yourself informed and find a passionate aesthetician who can help cater a specific program for you!

Check our this On-The-Glow smoothie recipe: Blend 1 banana, 1 cup pineapple, 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk, 1/2 of an avocado, 1 tablespoon Maca powder, a handful of spinach, and a chunk of fresh ginger in a high quality blender until smooth. Enjoy!

Here are some skin-loving smoothie additions to mix it up with:

-Hemp seeds

-Avocado

-Kale

-Pineapple

-Maca powder

-Plant-based protein powder or grass fed whey protein powder

-Raw honey

-Ginger

-Turmeric

-Collagen powder

-Blueberries

-Cocoa powder

Another thing… don’t smoke! Smoking deprived the skin of oxygen needed to repair skin and prevent wrinkles. It also promotes detrimental damage with the harmful ingredients.

Last but not least, always wear sunscreen! Opt for a natural product. You can get SPF in your moisturizer (sheer or tinted), separate specific sunscreen, and even in your foundation. Sun damage is by far the top cause of early wrinkles and skin cancer. Working on an oncology unit, skin cancer is no joke and can easily metastasize to the brain and other areas of the body. Get your skin checked regularly by your dermatologist.

Please leave any comments, ideas, questions, or concerns below!