what does it mean to have a holistic Facial?
holistic (adj): characterized by the belief that the parts of something are interconnected and can be explained only by reference to the whole.
(medical) characterized by the treatment of the whole person, taking into account mental and social factors, rather than just the symptoms of an illness.
Applying these principles to skin health means looking at not only the skin as an independent organ but its connection to the whole body. Your skin is your bodies largest organ that is in constant communication with both your internal and external environments.
It is one of your five sensory organs and is the only sensory organ that extends across your whole body. What is being communicated on the surface of your skin is a reflection of what is going on internally within the rest of the organ systems as well as what is going on in your environment around you.
The biggest difference is in the approach to treating the skin. When “symptoms” present on the skin such as acne, eczema, or pigmentation a traditional approach would look to get rid of the symptom as quickly as possible. Whereas a holistic approach takes a different perspective. That these are not symptoms to be managed but rather healing mechanisms the body is intelligently utilizing to restore health. Looking to understand the why is critical here. Rather than fighting against a system that is trying to heal you how can we look to understand what might need to change in our life so that we can support ourselves.
To take a holistic view is to understand that every aspect of your life - mental, emotional, physical, spiritual is constantly looking to be in alignment and that requires self reflection and responsibility of our choices.
At The Well we are not concerned with getting rid of your acne, wrinkles, etc or providing a quick fix that only suppresses and represses a response. We’re interested in long term skin health that supports and nourishes the flow and function of a healthy skin system.
The Well is a holisitic facial and wellness studio located in Bangor, PA in the greater Lehigh Valley.
PREGNANCY at 35 - NOURISHING THE SKIN + BODY
Lindsay (Pacifico) Kossup owner of The Well a holistic facial and wellness studio located in Bangor, PA in the greater Lehigh Valley.
At 34 weeks I’m nearing the end of my pregnancy and thought I would share some of the things I did to support myself during this journey. I was born and raised taking a holistic approach to my health and so my care and choices reflect that. Of course, I am not a medical professional so use your own judgement and intuition when making decisions for yourself and pregnancy.
A lot of these things I had already built into my life prior to getting pregnant so a lot of this just felt like little tweaks and adjustments. Soft and tender is what your body needs more than anything. Meet yourself where you are and don’t put pressure to change a lot fast. The most important thing I’ve told myself throughout this pregnancy and I always tell others is that your body was literally designed to give birth just like every other animal on this planet. It is an involuntary act, like breathing, and the best thing you can do is surrender to your body.
At 35 years old I opted to go with midwives and forgo the hospital experience except for 2 ultrasound appointments. I’ve had a beautiful pregnancy and while there are most definitely uncomfortable moments I’ve loved the whole experience.
I am normally someone who does an obsessive amount of research but this time I relied on the people I hired to educate and prepare me. I feel so supported in this community I’ve built around me.
Supplements + TEA
Heart & Soil Beef Organs - I took this for a year prior to getting pregnant and will continue taking after pregnancy. Good for rebuilding blood health after birth. Nick also took these prior to us getting pregnant.
Redmond Re-lyte Electrolytes - mineral support to make sure you are actually getting hydrated from your water
Vimergy Magnesium Glycinate - I notice a huge difference in muscle tension if I miss a night of these. I also never got the pregnancy constipation.
Thorne DHA - Good for baby’s brain development.
Perelel + Ritual Prenatal - 1st + 2nd trimester I took Perelel but couldn’t take the smell so I switched to Ritual. Most important is you want a prenatal with methylated folate.
Frontier Co-op Red Raspberry Leaf Tea - I drank a pregnancy tea blend (rrl, nettle, oat, peppermint) throughout pregnancy and have started drinking significantly more RRL tea in this last trimester. Great for strenghtening and toning uterus.
Pure Encapsulation Evening Primrose Oil - started taking this at 34 weeks to help soften + prep cervix
*all supplements linked here on Amazon
SKin + body Products
The Well - regular monthly facials - usually with dermaplaning and gua sha for my skin and nervous system
Pure Mama Belly Oil - I love a good oil and this one feels so soft and nourishing
Oak & Sage Beef Tallow - I am obsessed with beef tallow. this feels so luxurious and smells incredible. hands down better than any lotion out there.
Skincare Routine:
Morning Routine - splash with water, KRX essence cream pads, Living Libations Seabuckthorn Oil, Corthe Rich Cream
Evening Routine - Corthe cleansing milk, Osmosis correct serum (1x/wk), LL SB oil, Corthe Rich Cream
Movement + Body
I’ve really been listening to my body and doing what my body is asking for. My first and third trimester have been mostly walking and yoga/stretching. I had to push myself some days to get the walk in but those are the days where my body needed it most. The 2nd trimester was when I had the energy to do more. I have felt so good and comfortable in my body this whole pregnancy.
Walking + hiking - daily walks are non negotiable, regular weekend hikes.
Weight lifting - I was doing this prior to getting pregnant and it felt especially good throughout my 2nd trimester. My body craved squats.
Yoga/Stretching - Dr. Julia has given me easy daily stretches to open my hips and pelvis to prepare for birth and I do those every night before bed. I do longer yoga sessions 1-2/wk.
Sauna - I take a 10-15 min sauna every 2-3 weeks.
Baths - I take ~3-4 baths a week.
Mind, Body, Spirit, BAby CARE
Core 4 Healing Pelvic Health PT - Dr. Julia has helped me feel so prepared and confident in my body for birth. Monthly sessions focused on labor prep and working out any alignment issues that started to cause pain in my body. I have had a completely pain free pregnancy. Can not recommend enough.
Therapy - Allie, my therapist, also located within Core 4 Healing. Lots of emotions and fears come up throughout pregnancy that are essential for my mental health to address and work through them. She’s also helped me and Nick in preparing for the transition to parenthood, opening conversations on what to expect, feelings, each others strengths/weaknesses. Going into parenthood truly as a team.
The Well - I did biweekly breathwork, reiki and facial sessions with Gabriel. I initially started doing acupuncture and massages and switched to these services towards the end of my second trimester. Breathwork was a game changer in terms of comfort and clarity as I started to get bigger and breathing became more difficult. Reiki and facials for a calm, clear, grounded nervous system.
Malachite Midwives - I completely changed my birth plan and midwife group at 31 weeks pregnant and I’m so so grateful I did. Finding Allie and the team this close to birth was such a blessing.
FOOD
All I’ve wanted to do this whole pregnancy is eat lol. Even in my first trimester I had no morning sickness or food aversions. Pretty much all of this was how I ate before getting pregnant I just eat a lot more now. I try to avoid processed foods and prioritize protein + fresh foods as much as possible.
Protein - I eat a lot of eggs, beef, chicken and cheese to make sure my body is getting a lot of protein every meal.
Veggies + fruit - I craved fresh chopped peppers and cucumbers with rice vinegar, 10/10. Also acai bowls. Even through the winter I wanted light and fresh.
Righteous Felon Beef Sticks + Perfect Bars - for quick protein rich snacks between all my clients
*I don’t restrict or limit myself in anyway when it comes to food. I love food and will enjoy whatever sweets and treats and meals I want while also being aware of what is truly nourishing and energizing me. The body is amazing.