From cystic acne to eczema to psoriasis, and more recently, perioral dermatitis, I've struggled with what seems like every skin condition under the sun.

It started in grade 9. I got red, itchy, inflamed, and blistered patches of eczema on the top of my hands, in the crooks of my elbows, and on my face. It was impossible to cover up because the skin was so dry that it would crack and bleed through my makeup. I was prescribed steroid creams, which helped at first, but after consistent use my skin became immune and the eczema ceased to improve. It disappeared by the time I started university only to come back again later. I was also dealing with cystic acne at the time and was put on multiple rounds of Tetracycline (oral antibiotic) to try to get rid of it. I saw initial results, but the acne never completely went away.

In my second year of university I became very interested in holistic healing and so began my natural health journey. I started seeing a Naturopathic Doctor who advised me to go off of the birth control pill. I felt so much better, but my hormones were completely out of balance and my face erupted with cystic acne. I used a ton of concealer and would strategically style my hair to hide the acne on my cheeks and jawline. Desperate for a natural remedy, I ruled out Accutane and tried a multitude of alternative antidotes. At the time, there weren't any practitioners that specialized in healing acne holistically, so I was left on my own to figure out a solution.

Fast forward 10 years later to when I started dealing with a severe case of psoriasis and perioral dermatitis. My psoriasis had gotten so bad that my scalp would burn and bleed every time I washed my hair. One day after getting out of the shower, I noticed a small patch of dry skin on my scalp. It peeled off effortlessly exposing the raw, bloody skin underneath; a defining moment that I remember so clearly. It was painful, both physically and emotionally. As for my perioral dermatitis, it slowly got worse over the course of a year. The red, itchy, pimple-like blisters were painful. They oozed clear fluid before crusting over and they had spread all around my mouth. Although I tried my best, there was no hiding it. Anyone with Perioral Dermatitis knows that even the best concealor can't disguise it. I felt defeated and frustrated from the lack of control I felt over my own body. Not knowing how my skin was going to behave on any given day was incredibly frustrating and there were days when it left me feeling so hopeless, but I knew I had to turn things around.