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Skin Care and Wellness

Link to the Episode

Anshu Bahanda: This is Anshu Bahanda on Wellness Curated. Thanks for joining me on this podcast. My mission is to empower you with health and wellness so that you can then go and empower others.

Hi, Marie (Reynolds).

Marie Reynolds: Hi, Anshu.

AB: I met Marie first a few years ago for a facial. So I didn’t realize when I was walking into her office at Portland Mason that there would be so much more involved than a facial. After the facial, she gave me creams and I started using the creams. Then she made me these chips, these energy chips that I’m going to let her tell you about in a bit. Then I introduced her to friends and family, and now I think Marie is deeply embedded into our lives.

MR: How lovely. You’ve got a lovely family.

AB: We’ve all thoroughly enjoyed it, including the girls. So you appeal to all generations, my generation, my mom’s generation, my girl’s generation. It has been absolutely amazing. But Marie, would you tell us a little bit about your beauty and wellness work?

MR: I’ve been in the industry for a long time, for like 35 years, and I started in the beauty industry. And even though it’s amazing and I’m still very much involved in the beauty industry, I suppose the norm of what you would deem as like beauty treatments, always seemed as though something was missing. For me, it just seemed as though there was something missing. So throughout my time, over my 35 years, I had some stages in my life that were very difficult. One was that my ex-husband was involved in a very serious road traffic accident and nearly lost his life. Well, it was a murder, an attempted murder, which has killed his friend and he was left on a life support machine. He was really poorly. But then leading up, through caring for him and obviously having my daughter, I then studied other modalities that I had always wanted to do that included homoeopathy and fascia and biochemic tissue salts and all the different modalities that I’ve done over the years. Then I started to think, well, hang on a minute, we’re not just compartmentalized, we are not just the material aspects of a human being. You have to think about all of the things that connect us, the energy work, how the cells communicate, how the cells adapt to the different organs and the different emotions and thought patterns and how it (all) reflects the skin. Because people are so obsessed with skin types and skin conditions and so obsessed with this pigeonholing of the skin that they don’t realize that it’s a barometer of what’s going on internally.

AB: It is by you.

MR: Yes, that’s it. So that’s where my journey started and I was never one to go on a course. It started really years and years ago when I was about 18, I did an Oriental diagnosis and we were told these fascinating things about the body. But then I thought, well, why does that mean that and how does that mean that and does it mean it’s just for one person? And so that’s why I took pictures of people’s feet, ears and backs, and especially learnt about fascia and implicit tissue memory. I then started doing my own, I suppose process of elimination and finding out all of the different nuances and all of the different things that linked in with other aspects that brought results to maybe skin conditions and imbalances within the health and wellbeing sector. So, yeah, that’s how I started.

AB: Fantastic. So, it’s been 35 years now you’re saying. That’s amazing.

MR: Yes, that’s a long time.

AB: Will you tell us a little bit about the energy work you do, and how it works?

MR: So basically it’s very hard for people to understand energy work because if you can’t touch it or see it or feel it, then it doesn’t work, in people’s minds. But with energy, every single thing in the universe resonates. Every single thing. And every organism has its own signature frequency. But within our system— every cell, every organ, every thought process has its own signature frequency. So I always say it’s a little bit like a stamp in a passport. Everything that we’ve experienced, our environment— so like electrosmog, the water that we drink, the food that we eat, partners that we may have been with, our genetic line, every single thing has an energetic signature. But that also includes all the different pathogens. So maybe molds and bacteria and things like that. Now, when we have two cells that are communicating, when they’re healthy, it’s just like you and right now, we’re communicating, we got a good picture. But like it was a minute ago when it got distorted and it was buffering, that is a little bit like a pathogen or some sort of energetic nuance that’s going to cause an imbalance within that communication. So with energy work, how it works is that I look at the energetic signatures within a tiny blood sample and then I look to see what may cause imbalances within a person. Now, it’s not a case of just sending in your blood sample and having a magic chip, and it all works, because you imprint it into a microchip. It works on the basis of backing up and boosting it with supplement care and peeling back the layers like an onion. And I always say sometimes within the onion you can peel a layer that’s almost transparent like tissue paper, and sometimes you can peel back a layer that’s like a nice chunk of layer. So it depends on what we’re dealing with. How it works is it’s very hard to get your head around. People think that it’s a spiritual thing, but it isn’t. It’s a scientific thing. Within our DNA, we have atoms, and within the atoms, we have things called protons and neutrons. And within those, we have tiny little molecules called quarks. Now, quarks are used a lot in quantum. That’s what they base all of their quantum medicine on. But basically what happens is, that when you send a blood spot, those energetic quarks are what’s in that DNA. So I look at how we can record the information of an energetic therapy and imprint it (into a microchip) and use that blood as a receiver if you like. So it’s a receiver to you, being the body. Okay. And that is how we do it. So we work on the blood and then it receives into the body. I mean, Einstein quoted it, it is called the spooky theory. So Einstein came across this while working with atoms, how you can take an atom out of the body and still have an effect on the body. And it’s like twins, identical twins. One twin might be on the other side of the world and have an injury, but the twin on another side of the world is experiencing pain. And that’s because they share this atom, this quark. Not all twins do, but sometimes they share this atom. And that’s basically how it works.

AB: So like you did with me, you took a blood sample, you took it away, and then you sent me a chip. So how did that process work?

MR: Yes. So I have got lots of different frequencies, energetic frequencies. Now, people get confused with the material and the energy. All dis-ease and dis-harmony start off energetically. So basically what I do is, I have lots of different frequencies for lots of different things. So I might introduce the frequencies to your blood sample, let’s just say allergens, like different foods or different molds and things like that. So if there’s a resonance on a particular program, it’s called an AI program, that’s a program that is causing an imbalance in the body. Now, if there’s a resonance, then what I do is I take that frequency and I can invert it. Now, when we invert frequency that may be causing an imbalance in the body, it’s a lot like the opera singer and the glass. The singer matches the frequency of the glass, she shatters it. So that’s inversion. And then there are frequencies that we may imprint that will increase vitality so the body can support homeostasis. And we can also imprint frequencies to support specific meridians and chakras and all things like that. And then what happens is I put it in the machine and it records those frequencies on a microchip. So, it’s a lot like, remember the old-fashioned cassette tapes?

AB: Yes.

MR: Music is a vibration, and it is recorded on a material aspect. So it’s a similar thing like that. So it’s a vibration that’s recorded on a microchip. And then I test where the microchip is placed on the body and for how long.

AB: Before we carry on, will you explain homeostasis to us?

MR: Yes. So homeostasis is a natural form of balance. Everything in life has to have balance. Where there is night, there is day. Where there is cold, there is heat. So basically, when the body is in a state of imbalance, the homeostasis, the balance of healing, the healing energy is out of sync. So that’s what energy medicine is all about. It’s all about bringing on the body’s own homeostasis. So it helps to heal itself and bring about balance for healing. Because you can’t if you’re in an acute state. So literally, your body is telling you that it’s in an acute state and it’s unwell, it’s imbalanced. So we need to look at what might be causing those imbalances to bring homeostasis and bring back the balance.

AB: So that’s when you send us the chip? But I know you’ve done a lot of distant healing work with people as well. And people have had good results, even with things like pain. So if I have some pain and I call you and say Marie, I need some distance healing, and then the pain goes away, how does that work?

MR: So basically, I treat your blood, and it works on those atoms again. So remember, we’ve got your DNA, and in that DNA are these quarks or these neutrons.

AB: So you have to have the blood sample to do any of this.

MR: I have to have the blood sample to do it all. And people ask, do I have to resend the blood? The blood itself, the physical matter of the blood is not what I’m working on, but it’s on the energies that are within your DNA. So I will treat your blood, and then you are the receiver. And there’s a process for it. It’s not a case of me just doing it randomly. You have to book in like you would for normal treatment. And then I phone you up, and then I explain to you what we need to do. You need to lie on a bed and make sure that all electronics are out of the way from you. No electricity is on either side of your head. No watches around you, no phones or laptops in the room, and it’s usually about 40 to 50 minutes.

AB: Okay. Can you tell us what makes all your creams and the products that you give us to put on our skin, what makes them unique?

MR:  Well, I think, as far as when you look at my skincare range, you will see that there isn’t a variation of cleansers because as I said to you, for me, fundamentally, I believe that the skin needs to have support for the lipid barrier, and you need to feed the microbiome. Everything else is an internal factor. Because your skin is ever-changing, it changes all the time, constantly changing, and that is, again, a reflection. Now, there are certain things I mean, I’ve got no moisturizers in my range. I’ve got a hydrator because it’s good to hydrate the skin, but not moisturiser, because sometimes if you have very occlusive, thick ingredients, it’s almost like putting a plastic bag over your skin. I’ve not used moisturizers for five to six years. I don’t use harsh exfoliants.

AB: So the white cream that you sell, that’s not a moisturizer?

MR: No, it’s a hydrator. There’s a difference. A hydrator— hydrogels are like a lightweight gel hydrator. So it’s almost like the hydration of your skin. Moisturizers tend to be quite thick and occlusive, and a lot of people love that nice hydration finish skin. It’s just being lazy. We have to work with our skin, not work against our skin. And you only need a tiny amount, tiny, tiny amount, and it goes a long way. But the ‘Skin Quencher’, which was the latest one that I brought out now, has got Matrixyl 3000 in it. It’s got hyaluronic acid in it and it’s got squalane in it. Now, squalane is what we naturally have when we’re born. We’re covered in the squalane and it decreases as we get older. Now, this (squalane) is from olives. It’s a natural squalane from olives. And usually, you’ll get about nine to 10% squalane in some products. This one has a 16% squalane. So it’s absolutely beautiful. Really rich.

AB: Wow.

MR: And you only literally need one pump. You can either mix it with ‘Reson8’ and apply it, or what you can do is just put a couple of pumps and just do a very light film (on your skin) and sleep in it, it’s absolutely beautiful. Or you can add it into your foundation, so it’s like a booster. It’s a booster serum, really.

AB: And what about the supplements? I know you’ve come up with a whole range of new supplements at the moment. You’ve been talking about them on Instagram. Will you tell us a little bit about why we need to take it? We’ve come to you for a skin consultation, you always give us tablets to take. Why is that?

MR: Because you feed the skin from within. It’s so important. I mean, everybody says that your gut is your second brain, and your heart is your third brain. But the thing is, people, feed their gut with lots of probiotics, which is great. But I’ve always said about the field analogy, if we look at our internal system like a field, if we want a healthy harvest, no matter what fertilizer we put on that field, if the soil is contaminated or if it’s toxic, then you’re not going to get a healthy harvest. You’re only going to get one or two sprigs. So you have to look at what you’re eating, how you’re eating, which is so important. That is the first stage of gut health, not probiotics. The first stage is how you chew because we have three sets of salivary glands that release enzymes and catalysts that help to break down the food. Like we drink water, but you shouldn’t drink any fluids around your food. You should always make sure that you’re allowing your body to digest and not put any stress on your digestive system. So anyway, the reason why I brought them out again, I brought out the first core six is because the main factor with skin health is hormonal, and inflammation which is to do with spore activity. When you get an overgrowth of candida, you need the support of the liver. A lot of people think about pigmentation, but with pigmentation, primarily, you have to look at the liver. The liver, you always negotiate with the liver. Because the liver has over 500 functions and one of its functions is to purify the blood. Now, if you are not drinking water and if you have got lots of toxic exposure, you could be having the most healthiest of diets and lifestyles. But if you’re eating at the wrong time, you’re not eating well, you’re drinking, and there are other factors, then you get a toxic overload. You can get a toxic overload if you’re not defecating sufficiently. Even personal hygiene with feminine care, if you’re not using organic feminine care, sanitary towels and tampons, that can also increase toxicity because regular tampons are laden with mild hides and bleaching agents and all sorts of things that our bodies absorb and create what’s called xenoestrogens. So pigmentation can be caused not just by the sun. There are so many different factors. Always negotiate with the liver when you’re dealing with pigmentation. So these are the things, reasons, why I brought out the supplements. There are general ones which you’ve got for skin health, which is your collagen and all things like that. And then you’ve got the fundamentals that look for supporting the liver, supporting spore activity, decreasing inflammation, supporting hormonal activity, and then recently for obviously helping with the gut transition as well.

AB: So looking at someone’s skin, you can tell what supplements they need, even if you haven’t looked at their blood, is that right?

MR: Yes.

AB: Okay. Wow. And what advice will you give people for beauty and wellness?

MR: I think beauty comes from wellness, doesn’t it? In my opinion. But wellness is not just the foods that we eat and the exercises (we do). It’s our mental thoughts and the way we treat one another. Because a lot of people, and this is what I say to them, a lot of people take on board other people’s toxicity. I always say that we’re always carrying a drum around us that is filled with acid. And all the times you allow other people to fill your drum with acid, eventually it’s going to overflow. It’s going to be heavy, it’s going to overflow and cause pain to yourself. So you have to look at how you’re allowing others to put toxicity into you. That’s the first thing. You have to also look at what stress you can deal with. If it’s literally out of your control, you have to think, well, what can I control? Especially with social media as well, everybody is so anxious about keeping up with this person or not being good enough for that person. Stay on your own boat. You’re good enough as you are, so stay on your own boat. Stay on your own journey. And also try to support one another. There are so many things, especially nowadays, with people tearing each other down and it’s just awful. And even if you think, oh, she’s doing so well, just be really positive. Always try to be positive. So for me, wellness comes with obviously healthy eating and good hydration, but the main thing is your day-to-day thought processes.

AB: That’s exactly what Hindu philosophy says.

MR: Right, yeah. Every thought process you have actually releases a chemical process, a hormone, and it also has a vibration. Every organ has its own emotion. The liver is linked with anger and frustration. And you’ll often find that people that have joint pain or arthritic pain often find it difficult to let go of things. Or they procrastinate about things and find it hard to let go of things. Then you’ve got the kidneys, which are fear; you’ve got your stomach, which is anxiety; and you’ve got your lungs, which are more sensitive, you’re a sensitive person. So all of these things are affected by your emotions.

AB: So Marie, tell us over the years, what is the most significant difference you feel that you’ve made to a client with either your therapies and creams with the energy work you do? Is there something which really sticks out for you?

MR: Well, I think personally, for me it’s giving time to people. Because when people go into whatever wellness place— and this is one of the reasons why I stopped doing wellness in London because I wanted it to be authentic. I don’t want people to come to me and then feel that they’re in a revolving door surgery, like one in, one out, one in, one out. I do a lot of work behind the scenes and I help a lot of people.

AB: Those who don’t know. Marie used to come to London once a month, or sometimes twice a month for facials. But recently she just stopped that, which I’m quite upset about.

MR: Well, yeah, we’ve got Ez, who is a therapist, who I’ve trained in (doing) more of a holistic massage using the products, which is beautiful. It’s a really lovely treatment. So she will be taking over the baton for me in Fortnum’s, although I will probably still come to Fortnum’s and just do the odd guest day. And I’ll probably take the scanning devices for wellness. I think it’s time, and this is why as well, I don’t charge for consultations, because I speak to people from all over the world and I think the main difference is when I say treating the skin from within and sticking to my beliefs, really, because especially in this industry, you do get quite a bit of backlash. I mean, how can a skin therapist say that I don’t necessarily believe in skin types or skin conditions? Sticking by your guns with just doing one cleanser, one spritz, because that is fundamentally what I believe. And I have been trained in all sorts of modalities of skin, all sorts of different levels of skin pills, all sorts of different laser therapy, all sorts of things, and basically, you keep it simple. You feed the skin from within, have a healthy diet and lifestyle, have a healthy mindset, watch your sleep patterns and how you’re sleeping, watch your electrosmog, if you do all of these things, you’ll have amazing results with your skin. And the proof is in the pudding. I mean, I’ve done some fantastic work with clients using energy therapy and supplements, and I have to say, I say I’ve done some incredible work, but it’s not really me. It’s not me at all. It’s down to the client because it comes down to (their) commitment and finance because it’s not cheap to start off a program. The energy therapy alone, just the one, the testing alone is £250, but then you have to keep doing it. I mean, you had more energy and you found it positive, didn’t you?

AB: The first time I remember you sent me a chip, my trainer said to me, what have you done today? That was the first year. I’ve had chips twice from you. The first time I remember he said, and he had no idea what I’m wearing. But what I was asking you about is, I know you’ve helped people with really deep scars and things like that, so do you want to quickly talk about that before I go on to the questions people asked?

MR: Yeah, that’s fine. I suppose scarring was something that I had always treated well. It’s something that, again, it’s the philosophy of less is more. When you look at the fascia, you have superficial fascia and you have deep fascia and it is extremely sensitive. So when you treat it very gently, actually, it rejuvenates the skin and generates the skin a lot quicker. Like if you ever get cornstarch in water, if you put the same amount of cornstarch with water and you mix it up, it’s a liquid. But if you push your fingers really hard, all the fibres tense up and it bounces up and that’s more or less like a scar. So I do a gentle feathering technique and then I also used the Restore. So the Restore is a hemp-based protein, but uses an eight-stream probiotic.

AB: Restore is the mask, right?

MR: Yeah, it used to be called ‘Dermabiome’, and now it’s called ‘Restore’. And so when you use that, as soon as you can on the scar, quickly over a succession every single night, it literally heals up the scar immediately. So, yeah, I do a combination of work, like doing very fine micro-needling, like literally a 0.3-0.5, tiny, gentle micro-needling, doing a technique which works on the scar tissue with Bowen therapy and also using the products. Yeah, so it’s been found to be very effective.

AB:  But that nicely takes us to the first question, as you’re talking about things like micro-needling and scars. Someone’s asked about teenage acne on the forehead leaving a mark. So what can one do about it? And (about) acne on the back of the body?

MR: Okay, so at the back of the body usually you’ll find that breakouts will come on the first three zones of the body, and often that links in with stress. So you’ll often find that it starts in like, your later teens. So obviously we’ve got an increase in testosterone, stress, it affects the lungs— so that’s the lung region, and also (acne) all across the forehead is obviously linking in with digestion. So, as far as looking at what to do, first of all, introduce your child to proper cleansing as soon as you can, looking after their cleansing, but also looking at what possibly could be causing this. So look at mucus-forming foods and eradicate them from the diet. It’s hard with teenagers because they love sugar. Sugar is your enemy. They love sugar, and they (may) love yoghurts and cheese and milk, but it’s the worst thing for you because when you increase the mucus in the system, it also increases the ability for candida overgrowth and things like that. So look at their diet, try to eliminate the mucus-forming food, and get them into cleansing their skin regularly. ‘Restore’— ‘Restore’ is amazing.

AB: So even for the scars, they’ve had acne and it’s left scars, would you still recommend ‘Restore’?

MR: Yes, absolutely. Yeah, ‘Restore’ is very good. And if you mix ‘Restore’ with ‘Anoint’, just keep working it on, because there’s a particular bacteria in Restore that is fantastic for pigmentation.

AB: Don’t worry about all the treatments that she’s talking about. We will write them down and post it on the Instagram page so that you can look at it.

MR: I’ve just seen that somebody said they live in India, how do I get it? I don’t sell internationally off the website, only because with COVID Royal Mail is taking about two months to get there. So if anybody wants to purchase anything, you just email Tina. She will then get you a quote for shipping and we can send it out.

AB: Okay. One of the other questions that had come in before was how do we help skin that’s been exposed to extreme sun and stress?

MR: Right. Okay. Well, stress is one of those things that will show on your skin. You need to look at supplements like vitamin D3, and K2 that are going to help with stress because if your skin looks sallow and obviously sun exposure is one of the main things as well. So you need to use an SPF. It’s obviously really important to use an SPF. It’s never too late to rejuvenate your skin, to heal your skin. It’s never too late. People think, oh my gosh, I’ve done too much damage. It’s never too late. You can always help with your skin. Look at products that are going to rejuvenate your skin without causing too much aggression, like vitamin As. Certain vitamin As can be very aggressive on the skin. I’ve got a provitamin A, which is the ‘Face Night Oil’, which is fantastic. Make sure that you use vitamin C in the morning and vitamin A at night time. But look at what your stress factors are. I’ve written a really good post called ‘The Non Emotional Contract’ and it actually gives you physical and logical exercises on how to deal with stress. So go onto the website, and have a look at the blog post, ‘The Non Emotional Contract’, because your stress and how you’re managing your stress is the key factor for your skin. It ages your skin and obviously the sun ages your skin. When we’re out in the sun, it’s important that we do have sun exposure. We are light beings and we need light. And actually, it’s okay to go out in the sun if you haven’t got an SPF because it really does boost your vitamin C. However, do wear an SPF if you are going to be out in the sun for a long time and you’re going to be exposed for a long time. But yes, sun damage is one of those things. And also be aware that if you’re in an office and you’re sitting in front of a computer all day, that’s going to dehydrate your skin and age your skin. And also with a window, and when we’re driving, we age faster on the right-hand side or the left-hand side, depending on what country we’re driving in, so make sure that you put your SPF on your hands as well.

AB: Right, Marie, the other question was CoQ10, glutathione and collagen are recommended for the skin. Please advise.

MR: Yes, they’re all very good supplements. So CoQ10 is Coenzyme Q10. It is a super antioxidant and it is very good for something called endothelial health. So it’s all to do with your capillaries. So it’s very good for circulation. It’s really good for any skin issue because it is a super antioxidant. So it fights free radical attacks. Collagen— there are so many collagen supplements that are out there. You need to look for, in my personal opinion, marine-based collagen because that is bioavailable for the body to absorb. It’s easier for your body to absorb. However, obviously, if you’ve got a fish allergy stay away from it.

AB: A lot of people are also vegetarian.

MR: That’s right, yeah. There are some vegan supplements out there. But also for those who aren’t, you can also make your own collagen supplement or good collagen, like bone broth. So you can make your own bone broth, which is really good. Now, what was that you said— glutathione?

AB: Yes.

MR: So glutathione is a super antioxidant, but actually it comes from other amino acids, non-amino acids in our body. So L- glutamine is a precursor to glutathione. So I have an L-glutamine ‘Repair+’, which is fantastic. So it boosts glutathione, and it’s also fantastic for fascia health and your skin health and hydration. So they’re really good. And also some collagen supplements have sugar in them, and sugar obviously is counterproductive. It actually breaks collagen bonds. So just be careful about what supplements are you using.

AB: So now, Marie? We’ve also got lots of questions about bags under the eyes, and dark circles.

MR: So dark circles and bags under the eyes, they’re two different things. Bags under the eyes can link to poor elimination and allergies, in particular allergies. And especially under the eyes, you have your lymphatic system. And it’s like a web, it’s a web-like system. So you have to be very careful with how you’re doing drainage. And you’ll often find it in the morning as well, your Lymphatics are a little bit more sluggish, so they might be more puffier in the mornings. So you need to look at things like an ionic mineral to make sure that you’re properly hydrated. So look at how your body is eliminating. Bags are a clue to say that you are not eliminating properly. Dark circles now, obviously, can be linked with a genetic thing, but obviously dark circles link in with spleen and kidney energy. So it can often mean that you’re running on your reserve batteries a little bit, especially if you’ve got like the bluish tone in the middle and in the corner. It links with the spleen’s energy. So often I always say to people, if you’re running on your reserve batteries, you need to check yourself and look at implementing an adaptogen that helps to boost the adrenals, which is good for energy. And also (dark circles) it’s another indication that you may have a sluggish gut because of toxicity. What happens is if you’ve got a sluggish gut, your toxins are then going into your system that your kidney picks up. So look at how you are eliminating.

AB: You also said something about an adaptogen. Can you explain that?

MR: Yes. So an adaptogen is usually from roots and herbs. Adaptogens basically do what they say on the tin. They adapt to what your body needs, but they particularly link to the adrenals. Now, the adrenals are glands that sit on top of the kidneys. They release cortisol, and they’re the things that get exhausted when we’re under too much stress. It links in with the fight and flight. So adaptogens help to support adrenal stress and to support the adrenals. They help to give you energy. Certain adaptogens, like I’ve got one called ‘3-Sets’, and in there is Ashwagandha. Ashwagandha is a very popular adaptogen, but Ashwagandha is also really good for hair health, anything to do with the roots. So it’s really good for hair. That’s fantastic to use for that. So all adaptogens work on your adrenal stress.

AB: Can you advise me about stretch marks?

MR: So stretch marks, obviously are an indication that you need to up your essential fatty acids. If you’ve got them through pregnancy or if you’re pregnant— ‘Anoint’ is fantastic. ‘Anoint’ is so good for skin integrity. So you just apply that as soon as you’re pregnant, just keep applying that. I’ve got one woman that has had a second baby and I could help with stretch marks. So if you can, get to it as soon as possible, and increase your fish oil (intake). Again, there are essential fatty acid supplements. I’ve just released a brand new one called ‘Ocean EFA’. So that is krill oil. So that’s really good.

AB: Okay. How do you feel about vitamin C serums?

MR: Vitamin C is very good for the morning routine. Certain vitamin C serums can be a little bit aggressive, they can be a little bit inflammatory. Again, I prefer to use vitamin C in my oils. Marula oil has a very high vitamin C dosage, so it’s really good for rejuvenation, acne, and for rosacea. But it’s non-inflammatory, it’s non-aggressive.

AB: Marie you said marula oil?

MR: Yes, marula oil. Marula oil, and that’s an elixir. So Marula oil is one of the highest components of vitamin C. But see, some vitamin C serums are non-chelated or they’re non-buffered, so they can cause a little bit of irritation. Especially if you’re using vitamin A at night time, that’s quite in fact inflammatory, and then you’re using a vitamin C. But generally vitamin C serums are brilliant to use in the morning.

AB: Okay. Then someone else is asking about age lines on the face.

MR: Age lines on the face? Well, see, the thing is, I’m not against any lines. People are so anti ageing and it’s such a blessing to reach a certain age that we have reached. And I think it’s lovely to have some character in your face. Don’t get me wrong, if you’ve got damaged skin, through drinking lots, smoking lots, having a poor diet, and laying in the sun, then obviously you’re going to have a speeded-up form of ageing. However, to reach a point in your life that we are so blessed to do, and as women, we are under so much pressure when we reach a certain point in our life that we’ve got to have botox, we’ve got to have fillers, we’ve got to do this. You’re gorgeous as you are. Embrace your life. They are the reminders of the adventures that you’ve had in life and even stretch marks, they’re a reminder of you housing and making beautiful human beings. And, as women, I think that they’re like medals to our bodies, to think how miraculous our bodies have produced this human being. And we shouldn’t be shamed into thinking a stretch mark or a scar, a cesarean scar or a hysterectomy scar is bad. But you can get what I call drinkles’ which are very fine dehydrated lines that have an indication that you need to increase your hydration. Anti-ageing? I’m all about healthy ageing.

AB: And then someone’s asking for any advice to Nevus depigmentosus?

MR:  Yes. So it’s like a little sponge nevus. So again, there are different things that you can go for like topical solutions. You’re better off going to an aesthetician where you can have a very fine superficial laser. And with pigmentation, you have to look at what type of pigmentation it is and how it’s caused. People with melasma, for instance, I always say to people, you cannot tell anyone that you can get rid of pigmentation because it depends on whether it’s a pendulous melanocyte. If it’s pendulous, it means that it’s dropped down below the epidermis and it’s being fed by a nerve and blood supply. So again, you’re better off making sure you’ve got your SPF, just gentle exfoliation and supporting the liver.

AB: Fantastic. Someone else is asking if she’s got very, very dry skin. She’s got very sensitive and very dry skin. What do you suggest? She also has terrible allergies.

MR: Okay, so now see, this is where it comes to consultation really because allergies are like a still lake. Let’s just say it’s a still lake. If you throw a pebble in that still lake, you don’t look at the actual drop, you look at the rings and eventually the rings come through. So if you look at the outer ring, that would be the allergy. But let’s look at the inner ring and what is causing that allergy. So we need to look at whether it could be stress factors, could be different pathogens, that may be an underlying factor or different viruses that she may have had that could be laying dormant that could create (other) viruses. There are different things, like even with fruits and vegetables, people might have lots of fruit and vegetables and they say I’ve got an allergy to it. But if you are eating those vegetables a day or two late, they can create things called mycotoxins that then can create an allergy. So we have things in our system called phenolics. Phenolics are in fruit and vegetable, but we also have phenolics as well and they’re very sensitive molecules. So there’s something called an isopathic phenolic ring, which is a homoeopathic remedy that you can take for that. For extreme dryness, there’s a tissue salt called Nat mur. Nat Mur is a tissue salt that is often deficient, if we have dryness in our skin. So Nat mur is really good. And if you’ve got sensitive skin, just start off solely with the oil, moisturiser or hydrator. Look at a hydrator rather than a thick moisturiser.

AB: So the same person has said, I have marula oil, how do I use it? Is that something she can use for very dry, very sensitive skin?

MR: Marula oil? Yeah, it’s very hard because I don’t know where that’s from and what other things that they’re from. But if it’s an elixir, you literally only need to, I mean, you use skincare, so you literally only need a tiny amount, don’t you? And it goes a long way.

AB: Lots of us are with different skin types. My girls have different skin from me, my niece has different skin. We all use it and it hasn’t affected us. It hasn’t had any adverse effects.

MR: And that is a clear indication that you can use it with different skin types and different skin ages, but you’re all using the same thing. And that is an indication that we protect the lipid barrier or support the lipid barrier and feed the microbiome. The difference is the remedies, isn’t it? The difference is the supplements.

AB: And what you eat.

MR: Yes, that’s right.

AB: What would you recommend as a good over-the-counter brand for vitamins, for good health and skin?

MR: A good over-the-counter well, I mean, I can’t say any others than my own, can I, really? But I suppose the key thing is to make sure that they have no bulking agents in them. Have a look to see if they’ve got bulking agents in the back of them. Because a lot of supplements have a lot of bulking agents in them. Some of them are needed as like a carrier, but if you’ve got a lot of bulking agents, then it’s not great. But yeah, that’s the key thing. But for good skin, ‘Coll-Force’, I do one called ‘Coll-Force’, which has got marine collagen in it, and that has also been seen (to give good results). People have doubled up on the dose, so they’ve been having two of each, two in the morning, two at night time with the adaptogen ‘3-set’. And it makes your hair grow so quickly because it’s got biotin in it and it’s also got selenium in it. So it’s really good for the skin and hair.

AB: Someone’s asking about a recommended product for biotin supplements.

MR: ‘Coll-Force’. But biotin is very, very good for hair growth anyway. So if she’s got a biotin supplement, yeah, that’s fantastic.

AB: Okay, great. Someone else is asking, what is a good face wash for a normal skin type.

MR: But see, this is what I don’t do. For me, your skin is your skin. So if you’ve just got, sort of like healthy skin, ‘Goji Mallow Cleanse’ is really good. Or just look for a more creamy cleanser. ‘Goji Mallow Cleanser’ has oat silk in it, so it has an anti-age, ultra-hydrating action. It’s got coconut oil in it, so it’s still got that antibacterial, antiviral and hydrating action on it. And it’s got hyaluronic acid in it. So it’s calming, it’s soothing, but it still does what it says on the tin. And also if you’ve got a ‘Mitt’, the ‘Mitt’ is very good. The ‘Mitt’ is the microfiber ‘Mitt’. And it’s very gentle that you can use it on its own. But yeah, for normal skin, just look for one that’s non-drying and that’s non-stripping. Because the key thing is your lipid barrier. Your lipid barrier is a blend of oil and moisture, which is what the epidermal blanket is. And we have our own oil and moisture. And once that is compromised, that’s when you get breakouts and you get dehydration and you get sensitivity.

AB: So we have time for two or three more quick questions. If you’re okay, Marie may as well answer people’s questions. Any natural cure for milia?

MR: For milia? Okay, so milia is one of those things that, again, I’d have to look at the diet and what they’re eating. It’s a build-up of protein on the skin. And make sure you go to a licensed aesthetician so that they can get rid of them. And also look at what they’re putting on your skin, especially around your eyes, because they’re more common around their eyes. Heavy concealers or foundations can build up milia. But again, look at what you’re eating, when you’re eating. And I’d have to also look at the overgrowth of like, certain pathogens.

AB: Okay. Someone else is asking if you have a supplement for underactive thyroid.

MR: Well, again, conditions I do not treat. That’s one thing I always say, for any condition, you go to your doctor. I’m not a doctor, but energetically I will test. And there is a homoeopathic remedy called thyropath or thyro-cord, which is very good as well, but you can’t just get it, you have to have a consultation with me. We have to do a full consultation, and then I can see what I can recommend for you.

AB: Okay. And then someone else on the biotin, someone said, does it negatively affect rosacea at all?

MR: No, I mean, it’s like anything, there are certain things that can cause a little bit of it. See, with rosacea, for me, I look at the stomach. We look at the stomach and we look at the hormonal balancing. So I’ve got people that have been taking the ‘Coll-Force’, who’ve got rosacea, and it doesn’t cause any flare ups at all.

AB: Okay.

MR: But for rosacea, definitely look at your stomach because it links in with too much acidity in the system.

AB: And the last question is any suggestions for a flaky, itchy scalp?

MR:  Yes, there is a tissue salt called combination D, which is a combination of various tissue salts that is really good for an itchy, flaky scalp or itchy eyebrows. And also warm up ‘Anoint’. If you warm up ‘Anoint’ and then just pour it in your hair and massage your hair and your scalp, and if you do that two to three times a week, it’s fantastic.

AB: Oh, so you can put ‘Anoint’ in the hair. I didn’t know that.

MR: Yeah, ‘Anoint’ is one of those. All of my products, I tried to make them multipurpose. So ‘Anoint’, you can use for scar tissue. You can use it as just an all-over body oil. You can even add one or two drops of highlighter in it and place it in and put it on your hair as a hair mask. It’s amazing. You can mix it with ‘Restore’ to form a probiotic exfoliation, or you can just use it on its own. You can add a couple drops of it into ’Resonate’.

AB: Okay, Marie, I missed one very quick question. Someone said, do you approve of vitamin C serums daily? I know you do because you have it in one of your products.

MR: Yeah, again, it depends on what vitamin C it is. But yeah, vitamin C in the morning and vitamin A at night time.

AB: Okay, great. Thank you, Marie. It was such a pleasure to have you here.

Thanks for joining us. Hope you enjoyed the Wellness Curated podcast. Please subscribe and tell your friends and family about it. And here’s to you leading your best life.