Hi friends!

I have been wanting to write this post for suchhh a long time now, but now seems more perfect than ever. It’s summer, and honestly, there’s no better time to talk about shaving.

I’m sure many of you, like myself many years ago, panic at the thought of wearing a bikini that barely covers that dreaded red, bumpy area of irritation from your razor.

I know, I know. It’s a never-ending cycle of trying every hair-removal method and finding out they all leave you with the same result— irritation.

I’m here to tell you to stop panicking!

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Using multiple products isn’t necessarily “bad,” but there are a few points I would like to share.

If you’re someone who likes a 20-step skincare routine, that is great, and I’m not judging. But, in reality, it’s unrealistic.

Also, if you have that many products, chances are many of them are formulated to achieve the same outcome (I’m talking exfoliating, hydrating, brightening…you get the idea).

Using different variations of the same ingredients won’t speed up results. Your skin is only going to absorb so much.

When you use fewer products, you are paving the way for optimal absorption. This limits the risk of your products contradicting each other.

Not only that, but every single person has different skin and reacts differently to products. As much as I love an at-home spa-like experience with fun products, there is a possibility of doing more damage than good when participating in trendy products or extensive skin care routines.

This is why I am sharing exactly how to craft a skincare routine that works for you. One that you can actually stick to. This will eliminate the need to buy every trendy item because you will have something designed specifically for your skin.

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Slowing down and listening to my body intuitively was something I needed. After months of trying every other option, I was exhausted.

My body and skin were craving the time and space to heal.

At the beginning of 2025, when I decided to start taking antibiotics for my perioral dermatitis, I knew I had to further focus on my digestive system.

As I mentioned in my previous post, antibiotics not only clear out any bad bacteria but can also destroy healthy bacteria in your gut. Focusing on gut health was meant to prevent this, but it also played a huge role in healing my perioral dermatitis.

I kept things simple; I didn’t go on a diet or try a bunch of trendy things — I paid attention to how my body was responding to certain things in my life and went from there. I learned a lot, and I’m excited to share it with you guys!

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I wasn’t going to share this.

Part of me still doesn’t want to. There is still some looming embarrassment around it for me, and even shame. But I’m here to help you guys!

Looking back, this is ironic because the reason I was embarrassed was that when I was in the thick of it — I questioned my ability to help others.

If I couldn’t heal my own skin, who was I to help anyone heal theirs? But what I’m about to share, I have shared with many of my clients, and they did find it helpful. It helped them not feel alone. There were also a few tips and tricks I discovered along the way that gave them hope that there was light at the end of the tunnel.

It got me thinking — this is why I am so passionate about what I do. My previous skin struggles got me to where I am today, and why does this time make it any different?

I knew I had to write about it for you guys, too!

When it first showed up:

In May 2024, my skin broke out in a rash. It became inflamed, itchy, and raw around my mouth and nose. It felt like it had happened overnight.

At the time, I was already struggling with flare-ups of cystic hormonal acne due to going off hormonal birth control (the pill). I had a feeling the rash was also a side effect.

From examining the rash, I knew that it was perioral dermatitis. With little knowledge I had, I started using even fewer products and decided it would be a good idea to give my skin a little time to heal —but it only got worse.

Being a holistic esthetician, I believe our body gives us symptoms and signs to signal to us that there might be something more going on inside the body ( more on this later).

I researched everything about perioral dermatitis. Even then, I came up with nothing.

It was frustrating and exhausting.

What I thought would fix it:

I tried covering it up with makeup, but it only made it worse— as expected. The irritation became unbearable.

After months of no relief, sometime in November 2024, I decided to throw away all my makeup and dial all my skincare back to the minimum— a simple cleanser and moisturizer.

A lot of my makeup was expired, and I wanted to switch to clean products anyway. I was ready for a clean slate, and removing anything from my skincare routine that was no longer aligned felt like a full reset.

What no one talks about:

Months later, my PD was calm, but not completely healed. In January 2025, I decided I would finally make an appointment with the dermatologist.

I already knew I didn’t want to take anything orally for the PD, but I realized it couldn’t hurt to have a second opinion. The rash was not only affecting me physically, but mentally too. This felt like a last resort after 8 months of nothing working.

Once I got to the dermatologist, I told them I felt like it was perioral dermatitis, and the derm insisted it was contact dermatitis, so they gave me a steroid cream to use for 7 days and sent me on my way.

I immediately went home and applied the cream and continued to do so for the next seven days. I couldn’t believe it! No wonder everything I was doing wasn’t working; I was treating the wrong thing.

After all those months of struggling, I finally had a solution… or so I thought.

After a few days of using the steroid cream, I had a flare-up like never before, and the PD came back 10x worse. Sure enough, with some research, I discovered that steroids make it worse…

I had gone back to the dermatologist and explained to them that my skin had gotten worse, and I had requested to see a new derm, who told me she also had PD. She explained that she just uses these two little creams during her flare-ups, and that within a few days or so, it clears up.

So here I go again applying MORE creams to my face. I was hopeful, but only for a very short moment.I ended up being allergic to the topicals she gave me, and so once again, I was back to square one…

At this point, it felt like nothing was helping, and I would have to deal with this rash forever. I know I’m not the only one to feel this way, which is exactly why I’m sharing my story.

Through all my research, I’ve discovered that perioral dermatitis is one of the most misunderstood skin conditions.

The shift:

Now this is the embarrassing part — when it came down to healing my PD, it wasn’t simple, at least for me, but finally it felt like something clicked.

During this time, I was really researching the side effects of going off birth control, and let me tell you, there are a lot. The one that stood out to me was leaky gut.

Since the area of my rash was correlated to the gut, I knew the two must be connected.

* If you’re interested in a face map, you can download my pdf here. *

From there, I began researching how to heal leaky gut, and in today’s day and age, it seems to be all the rage, so it wasn’t hard to find information on.

My rash was still bad at this point, and I just decided that if nothing was working and I couldn’t figure out what was going on, I needed to let go.

Let go of the control, let go of trying to fix my skin, and let go of the shame and embarrassment of this never-ending rash. It was a much-needed realization.

I thought to myself that if I can’t get rid of this rash, I need to focus on healing from within. If I had leaky gut, there were plenty of ways I could take better care of myself, so that’s where I started.

A part of me letting go was putting it in someone else’s hands, or rather, something else. I’m sure this may come as a shock, but I went back to the dermatologist.

Throughout all my extensive research, one thing that kept popping up over and over was taking antibiotics.

Let me give some background, I don’t even like taking Advil - so going on antibiotics truly was the last resort for me. I wasn’t happy about it, but again, it was about letting go of control for me; it was out of my hands at that point.

So I picked up my prescription and had no stories about the medication.

I took it for about two months, and I was finally starting to see some results. I also began to focus on fortifying my gut during this time.

The antibiotics didn’t completely heal my PD, but they kept it at bay; however, it also came with rosacea, which was another issue in itself. While antibiotics kill the bad bacteria in your gut, they also kill the good ones, leading to more problems.

Where I am now:

After years of skin inflammation and perioral dermatitis being my breaking point, I’ve been really focused on my health — while trying not to overdo it, and follow my intuition.

Gut health is my main focus at the moment, as well as simple skin care. You can shop my favorite products here.

If you are interested in a deep dive on products specifically for PD, let me know. I’d be happy to share!

While my skin is not fully healed, I’m not going into full-on spiral every time I have a flare-up, and yes, I am currently still getting flare-ups. Although they are not nearly as bad as they used to be, I am now looking at them from a different perspective. What are my skin and body trying to tell me? Where have I shifted, or what do I need to shift?

So, if you’re struggling with your skin health, I want you to know you’re not alone, and the answers are simpler than you might think. I understand the frustration of being in the thick of it, and if that’s where you’re at, feel free to reach out for a private session. I would love to help!

In my next post, I will be sharing all the things I did to help heal my gut and repair my skin from within!

xoxo,

Faith Marie

Have you ever noticed the quiet thoughts that constantly run through your head?

You're scrolling on Instagram and think, “If I only had my dream job, that could be my life.” Or maybe you’re shopping and put something you love back on the shelf because you think it doesn’t fit your budget.

Lately, I’ve been paying closer attention to these little voices in my head—and I’ve started to see a pattern. My automatic thoughts are often rooted in scarcity. I’m constantly worried about not having enough—whether it’s time, money, or something else.

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This post isn’t a how-to or a to-do list. It’s simply a collection of tools that bring me back to myself and remind me why I’m on the path I’m on. The things that inspire me to keep going—or gently remind me to pick myself up and move the needle, even if it is just by 1%. Some are deep, some are simple, but all of them have supported me in one way or another.

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Ever since I can remember, I have been obsessed with beauty products, and honestly, I still am. I am also obsessed with beauty tips that create an effortless look daily.

Who doesn't want to wake up and feel like they can walk out the door? I love the idea of a subtle enhancement that doesn't change everything about me. It's why I do what I do!

This is not to say I don't love shopping for new makeup and skincare, because I do. It’s all about what I do before that. It makes all the difference in my beauty rituals. So let me explain…

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Do you remember a time when you could just have a conversation with someone and give them your full attention? Simply talking on the phone without scrolling... is that even a thing anymore?

For me, this habit of constantly checking became overwhelming. The addictive need to know everything that was going on or answer every message instantly was exhausting.

I didn’t realize how much this affected me until I started feeling drained by it. So, started making small shifts — choosing not to respond right away or sometimes, not at all. To some, this might seem like ghosting or being irresponsible, but in reality, I just wanted my time back.

My time was being spent meeting other people’s needs through a screen, and it was costing me my peace.

When I became aware of how often I was on my phone, I didn’t like what I noticed. The constant scrolling, the inability to focus on a single task for more than five minutes, the gut-wrenching anxiety when I couldn’t help but answer a call I knew would upset me— it was a cycle I was stuck in. But I knew I wanted to change. I wanted to be present.

Focusing on external validation wasn’t getting me anywhere, so I started making intentional shifts. Here are a few things that helped me stop checking my phone so much and take back control of my time:

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I feel like I come alive in the springtime. I used to push through winter nonstop, but by springtime, I would always feel burnt out. I like to do quarterly resets to feel in tune with the seasons.

Spring might just be my favorite season. There’s something about the warm sun on your skin, the scent of blooming flowers, and the sound of birdsong that feels so—romantic.

Spring is refreshing. I look forward to giving myself a gentle refresh during this time. If you don’t shift with the seasons, this is your sign to start. While it might seem like I’m a little late to the spring reset game, that’s the whole point.

The old me would’ve given up if I hadn’t started on April 1st. But now, I’ve let go of timelines and embraced alignment. I start when it feels right—not when the calendar says I should.

I’m going to walk you through step by step how I reset for spring, so grab a notebook and take some notes, or follow each step as you read.

Of course, this isn’t going to be something like a 75 hard challenge because that’s not what we’re about here. This Spring Refresh is balancing, gentle, and can be customized to fit your needs while being structured to help you accomplish your goals for this spring season or any season, honestly.

So, whether you're craving clarity, energy, or just a little reset, here's how I gently guide myself into a new season.

These are the same steps I use to check in with myself and shift into alignment — softly, seasonally, and intentionally.

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