In this episode, Samantha digs into the complexities of hormones, their metabolites, and how they affect women's health. She discusses the common frustrations women face regarding hormonal imbalances, the role of stress, and the impact of environmental factors like endocrine disruptors.

The episode emphasizes the importance of understanding hormone metabolism, particularly through the gut and liver, and introduces functional testing as a means to uncover underlying issues. Listeners are encouraged to pay attention to their bodies and track their symptoms for better health management.

In this Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Hormones act as chemical messengers in the body.
• Many women experience symptoms of hormonal imbalance despite normal test results.
• Estrogen metabolism occurs in three phases, primarily in the liver and gut.
• Stress can lead to elevated cortisol levels, affecting hormone balance.
• Estrogen dominance can cause various health issues, including weight gain and mood swings.
• Endocrine disruptors can mimic estrogen and disrupt hormonal balance.
• Gut health is crucial for proper hormone metabolism and detoxification.
• Functional testing can provide insights into hormone levels and imbalances.
• Tracking your cycle and symptoms can help identify hormonal issues.
• Making informed lifestyle choices can minimize exposure to harmful substances.

Resources Mentioned in Episode #11

PubMed - The Intestinal Microbiome and Estrogen Receptor–Positive Female Breast Cancer: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5017946/

Website: http://www.skindeepil.com

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/skindeepil

In this episode of the Functional Aesthetician Podcast, we delve into the topic of the skin barrier, discussing its importance, the factors that affect it, and the roles of dermatologists, estheticians, and influencers in skincare.

Samantha emphasizes the need for proper skincare practices and the dangers of misinformation from social media. The episode also highlights common skincare mistakes and the significance of internal factors like stress and diet in maintaining skin health.

In this Episode, You’ll Learn:

The skin barrier is the most important part of your skin.

• Understanding what your skin barrier needs.
• Skin naturally exfoliates itself every 28 days.
• Over-exfoliation can damage your skin barrier.
• The beauty industry often promotes harmful products.
• How to seek skincare advice from qualified professionals.
• Estheticians focus on repairing the skin barrier.
• Influencers may provide misleading skincare advice.
• Internal factors like stress and diet impact skin health.

Resources Mentioned in Episode #10:

Blog: https://www.skindeepil.com/resources/blog/

Website: http://www.skindeepil.com

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/skindeepil

Stress doesn’t just affect your mood; it impacts your entire body, including your skin, gut, hormones, and nervous system.

In today’s episode, we talk about how stress triggers breakouts, skin sensitivity, melasma, premature aging, gut issues, inflammation, and adrenal fatigue

You’ll learn how the skin reacts to cortisol, how chronic stress disrupts digestion and hormones, and how the gut-brain-skin axis affects everything.

Plus, small daily habits you can start today to calm your mind, support your adrenals, and strengthen your skin barrier.

If your skin has been changing overnight or your stress feels unmanageable, this episode will give you clarity, direction, and steps to feel better from the inside out.

In this Episode, You’ll Learn:

• How stress impacts acne, melasma, and premature aging
• How the skin barrier breaks down under chronic stress
• How stress contributes to gut and hormone imbalances
• Cortisol's impact on the skin
• Signs of adrenal fatigue and chronic burnout
• Simple ways to support your skin, gut, and adrenals through daily habits

Resources Mentioned:

1. PubMed Brain-Skin Connection: Stress, Inflammation and Skin Aging:https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4082169/
2. PubMed Editorial: The gut-skin-brain axis in human health and disease: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9979212/
3. Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/skindeepil

If you’ve ever tried “clean eating” to help your skin but couldn’t stick with it, this episode is for you.

We’re talking about the foods that quietly inflame your gut and your skin, the foods that help you heal from the inside out, and the mindset shifts you need to make those changes last.

This helps you decide why your health actually matters to you.

In this Episode, You’ll Learn:

• How food can trigger gut issues that show up on your face
• What foods keep your skin and body healthy
• Different diet plans and how they work for different bodies
• A realistic way to set goals so you don’t fall back into old patterns

Resources Mentioned:

1. Oxford Academy: The Impact of Environmental Chemicals on the Gut Microbiome: https://academic.oup.com/toxsci/article/176/2/253/5835885
2. PubMed: Separating the Empirical Wheat From the Pseudoscientific Chaff: A Critical Review of the Literature Surrounding Glyphosate, Dysbiosis and Wheat-Sensitivity: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7545723/
3. Hardy Diagnostics: Is RoundUp Giving You a Pain in the Gut? https://hardydiagnostics.com/blog/is-roundup-giving-you-a-pain-in-the-gut
4. Raw Milk Institute: About Raw Milk: https://www.rawmilkinstitute.org/about-raw-milk
5. Frontiers: The Role of Short-Chain Fatty Acids From Gut Microbiota in Gut-Brain Communication: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/endocrinology/articles/10.3389/fendo.2020.00025/full
6. Dr. Ken Berry: https://www.youtube.com/@KenDBerryMD
7. Dr. Shawn Baker: https://www.youtube.com/@ShawnBakerMD
8. Dr. Paul Saladino: https://www.youtube.com/@Paulsaladinomd
9. Dr. Sarah Ballantyne: https://www.youtube.com/@DrSarahBallantyne

When the seasons shift, your skin feels it first. From dry, tight, and flaky skin to unexpected breakouts and flare-ups, fall can be tough on your complexion.

In this episode, we talk about why seasonal changes trigger skin problems, how to tell the difference between dry, dehydrated, and sensitive skin, and the simple changes that help your skin stay hydrated, balanced, and calm all season long.

In this Episode, You’ll Learn:

• How to repair your skin barrier
• Calm dryness, irritation, and redness from cold, dry air
• Recognize and manage seasonal breakouts and dullness
• Support your skin through eczema and rosacea flare-ups
• Transition your skincare routine for fall without overwhelming your skin

Whether you’re struggling with irritation, dryness, or those frustrating seasonal breakouts, this episode will help you understand what’s happening beneath the surface and how to restore your glow from the inside out.

Resources Mentioned:

➡️ Visit our website for skincare recommendations: http://skindeepil.com
Coupon Code: Seasonal15

🎧 Follow on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to stay updated on new episodes each week.

💬 Tag us on social media: @skindeepil

Add a photo of your bathroom skincare products you pulled out of your cabinet

In this episode, we dive deep into women’s hormones and talk about how hormonal changes influence your skin, mood, energy, and overall well-being. Whether you’re struggling with hormonal acne, irregular cycles, PMS, or burnout, this conversation will help you understand the root cause of what your body is trying to tell you.

You’ll learn how hormonal shifts throughout your cycle affect oil production, inflammation, and breakouts, plus how estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and cortisol all play a role in your skin and stress response.

As an esthetician and functional medicine practitioner, I’ll share how to recognize signs of imbalance, restore harmony naturally, and create a skincare and lifestyle routine that supports your hormones, not fights against them.

In this Episode, You’ll Learn:

• How your menstrual cycle impacts your skin and why breakouts happen before your period
• The truth about hormonal acne, and why topical products alone won’t clear it
• The connection between gut health, hormones, and inflammation
  What estrogen dominance means and how it affects your skin and mood
• Why chronic stress and cortisol imbalance lead to fatigue, burnout, and skin issues
• Natural ways to support hormonal balance
• How to simplify your skincare routine for hormonally balanced skin
  
  

If you’ve been searching for answers about your cycle, hormones, and skin health, this episode will help you connect the dots between your body, your hormones, and your complexion.

Tune in now to understand your hormones, heal your skin, and restore balance from within.

Resources Mentioned:

Shop for skincare on our website: http://www.skindeepil.com

👉Coupon code: Hormones15

Connect with us on Instagram: @skindeepil

This week, we’re talking about one of the most overlooked causes of premature skin aging, called glycation, and how your daily sugar habits might be speeding up wrinkles, dullness, and inflammation.

As Halloween candy fills our homes, it’s the perfect time to uncover what sugar is really doing beneath the surface. Learn how to protect your skin from the inside out and how I personally reversed visible signs of glycation through nutrition and skincare.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What glycation is and how it accelerates skin aging
• The shocking truth about sugar, carbs, and how they affect collagen and elastin
• Why Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs) lead to wrinkles and inflammation
• How to reduce glycation with protein-rich diets (Keto, Carnivore, Mediterranean)
• The connection between gut health, sugar cravings, and skin glow
• My personal story of overcoming sugar addiction and transforming my skin naturally
• Simple steps you can start today to protect and repair your skin from glycation damage

Listen if you want to:

• Restore your natural glow and elasticity
• Slow down visible aging without injectables
• Learn functional, science-backed skincare tips
• Build healthier nutrition habits that support beauty from within

Tune in now to learn why cutting sugar might be your skin’s best anti-aging secret!

👉 Resources Mentioned in Episode #5: Glycation

1. YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/@skindeepil
2. PubMed - Red Meat Amino Acids for Beginners: A Narrative Review: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11946737/

Did you know your skin and gut are constantly communicating?

From bloating to breakouts, your body is sending signals. Learn how the gut-skin axis connects digestion and skin health, and how to reduce inflammation for clear, healthier skin.

In this episode, we dive deep into the gut-skin axis, the powerful connection between gut health, digestion, and skin inflammation. You’ll learn how an imbalanced gut microbiome can trigger acne, rosacea, eczema, psoriasis, and other skin conditions, and how addressing your gut health can transform your skin from the inside out.

We’ll explore what happens when the gut barrier and skin barrier are compromised, the role of inflammatory foods, and why functional gut testing can uncover the root cause of chronic skin issues.

Whether you struggle with bloating, breakouts, or gut discomfort, this episode will help you understand your body’s signals and take the first steps toward real healing.

If you’ve ever wondered why topical treatments alone don’t solve your skin issues, this episode will change the way you look at your skin forever.

In this Episode, You’ll Learn:

• How the gut-skin axis links digestion, inflammation, and skin health
• The role of the microbiome in both gut and skin balance
• Signs your gut is inflamed and how that shows up on your skin
• The difference between IBS, IBD, and dysbiosis
• How diet, lifestyle, and stress impact your gut-skin connection
• Why gut testing can be the missing piece in your skin healing journey

Resources Mentioned:

• PubMed: Gut–Skin Axis: Current Knowledge of the Interrelationship between Microbial Dysbiosis and Skin Conditions: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7916842/
• PubMed: The gut-skin axis: a bi-directional, microbiota-driven relationship with therapeutic potential: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40050613/#:~:text=Abstract.%20This%20review%20explores%20the%20emerging%20term,tract%20under%20both%20homeostatic%20and%20disease%20conditions.
• Rupa Health - The Gut Microbiome: https://www.rupahealth.com/post/the-gut-microbiome-a-key-player-in-chronic-disease-management
• Gut-Skin Axis Blog: https://www.skindeepil.com/blog/healthy-skin-starts-from-within/

Connect with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/skindeepil