Oh, the battle to reclaim the youthful vibrancy of your skin that time has stolen. From serums to creams and everything in between, we’ve all tried to find ways to make our skin look and feel young and healthy. However, what if the answer to smooth skin wasn’t the latest product on store shelves –  but rather the ancient wisdom that has led thousands to unlock the keys to youth in unexpected ways?

For thousands of years, men and women have discovered the secret weapon for fighting aging through the mysteriously practical art of Eastern medicine. While TCM has found its place in the lives of the eastern population for thousands of years, the art has only recently begun to emerge as a popular way to revolutionize one’s lifestyle in the West. 

TCM: More Than Meets The Eye (Or Skin!)

Because Eastern medicine is foreign to Westerners, it’s sometimes difficult to understand. The mystery of eastern medicine and the techniques that this methodology uses to treat and restore health issues has been relatively far removed from Western medicine, and even the most recognizable benefits can often find themselves dismissed as the differences in language and practice can be a lot to learn at once. 

Yet, a simple look around the world of popular health and beauty products will reveal the emergence of TCM in everyday treatments. While these may be heralded as breakthroughs in modern science, the truth is that many of these “ingredients” and “extracts” have been used by men, women, and children across the globe for thousands of years.

Consider the explosive popularity of ginseng. This natural herb, when made into an extract and added to a variety of products, has a ton of health benefits that are great for both the inside and outside of our bodies! While the addition of ginseng to creams and solutions may seem recent, our friendly neighbors across the pond have been taking advantage of the age-defying effects of ginseng for quite a bit longer than modern advertising.

Here are a few more ginseng like additions to consider…

Pearl Powder & Oysters: The Secret To Younger Skin 

Is your skin starting to show a bit of age? The battle against time can take quite a toll on our bodies, and our skin is often the first place where we start to see the effects. 

If you are looking to bring that youthful glow back to your skin, there are many ways that TCM can help! The key is to bring your Yin back into balance. While treating skin from the inside-out includes eating food such as red dates, sea cucumbers, oysters, and wolfberry fruits can be beneficial, there are ways to apply these beneficial foods directly to your skin to bring even faster results.

One of our favorites is pearl powder. TCM experts love to use pearl powder to help slow and even prevent the development of dark spots, wrinkles, freckles. In many cases, pearl powder can even help stop the emergence of wrinkles – those terrible signs of aging that we all fight each and every day.  Add a bit of pearl powder to egg whites, and you can create a primer that is great for face masks! 

Dry Skin? Try A Walnut & Sugar Face Mask

Dry skin, which many struggle with in the colder months of the year, can be an issue that ranges from annoying to downright painful. TCM explains that dry skin is a sign that your body is out of balance and unable to handle the changes in the elements. Boosting your Qi can supercharge your body’s ability to respond to harsh climate changes, and keep your skin young and healthy.

Want to help your skin strengthen to retain moisture year-round? TCM superfoods like elderberry, echinacea, and ginseng have been shown to add moisture-retaining power to your body. Add these powers directly to your skin with a walnut and sugar facemask! Or take advantage of the milk proteins found in milk or grain syrup to help your skin stay moisturized and refreshed.

Cool Down Your Oily Skin With The -ria Roots

In the world of TCM, the common ailment of acne is believed to arise from having too much heat in your stomach and lungs. When there is too much heat, it rises to the surface and tries to escape – and that leads to the annoying and painful problems of acne! 

To treat this excess of heat, TCM offers a balance of spices and roots that can lower the heat. There are tons of great root options that can help you reduce your internal heat, even after eating a spicy meal. Scuttellaria, Phellodendron bark, Rhemannia root, Tree peony root, Angelica root, Peony root, and Red Peony are all great roots that can be ground up and added to a variety of solutions for treating skin conditions.

Want a fun way to treat acne? Licorice Root Tea is often used by TCM practitioners to bring down the heat deep in your belly. Want to bring the festivities to your skin? There are a variety of licorice root-based creams on the market today that can be great when applied topically to acne spots and other difficult skin areas. But don’t overdo it, especially if you suffer from high blood pressure.  The licorice root will generally act as a cooling and calming agent- f you use it mindfully- just like it does for our taste buds!

Why These Work According to Eastern Medicine

So what is the truth behind TCM, and how can you begin to utilize these medicinal methods to bring a youthful glow to your skin? The answer starts with understanding TCM itself. In TCM practice, there is an understanding that herbal medicine can be used to treat and heal a variety of bodily ailments in an all-natural way that is kind to your body, mind and soul. This can range from ingesting particular herbs and spices to placing an infusion of roots and herbs to your skin through creams.  

The goal of TCM is the balancing of one’s Qi. Each human has a combination of Yin and Yang (cold and hot) energy that flows throughout their bodies. If Yin and Yang get out of balance, the result can show up in a variety of nasty and inconvenient ways. Facing acne or rashes often? It may be an excess of yang, especially if one has volcanic-shaped eruptions or an oily sheen. If your skin is dry with wrinkles and your tongue has cracks, it could be that a deficiency of Yin in your system is keeping you from enjoying clear skin. A dull or flushed complexion? Yang may be out of whack in your body, leading you to lose that youthful glow you love.

With TCM, taking advantage of nature’s readily-available resources can help one bring balance to their Qi. Learning what foods, spices, herbs, roots, and daily activities can help you to balance out your energies is vital for ensuring that you enjoy a thriving and healthy life – a result of living in balance in mind and body. 

Many TCM practitioners will encourage you to build a “strong stomach” to make sure that your skin is healthy, young, and clear. Internally, this means drinking warm water (a fad in Eastern countries that the West doesn’t quite understand!) and adding eggs, milk, and vegetables to your diet. In agreement with modern dieticians, TCM experts say that you should avoid packaged, sugary foods that are high in fat and hydrogenated oils if you want your skin to stay clear.

What if you are enjoying a healthy diet, but still struggling to keep your skin clean? Eating right is only half the battle. There are a variety of unexpected benefits one can gain by applying some unusual (but TCM-approved) thing to your skin directly! Let’s break down some of our favorite ways to bring life to your skin right now (if you are brave enough to give it a shot!)