We’ve been strong believers in the link between great skin and everything that lies beneath it since we first opened in 2011: our skin is, after all, often the first thing to reveal what’s going on inside of us.

So it seemed to make sense to add more products to our shelves over time that didn’t fall under the usual skincare, haircare, makeup, and fragrance categories: supplements, TCM-inspired tinctures, and Bach Flowers, for example.

Now that we’re carrying a fair number of them, we thought we’d explain our perspective a bit. Because, too often, supplements add to the snake-oil reputation of the beauty industry: the supplement world is even more Wild West-y than the world of creams, serums, and cleansers, hooking you with a promise of thicker hair, clearer skin, or fewer wrinkles — and all too often hitting you with ingredients you don’t need in the process. At the end of the day, you’re left thinking a) “I’ve been had,” b) “I can’t believe that potentially dangerous supplement is actually legal,” c) “What did that even do for me?” or d) all of the above.

Which, to us, is a tragedy. Because the right internal treatments can, in fact, be marvelously effective and, in many cases, could be the missing piece to your skincare puzzle. 

For example:

Vitamin C, internally, is what really boosts collagen synthesis in the dermis…the Vitamin C serum you’re putting on your skin, while helpful, actually works a little differently. 

Without a great probiotic supporting your gut microbiome, your skin’s detoxifying function may be overtaxed, and the best skin-clarifying serums can only do so much. 

Antioxidants and anti-inflammatories work in concert to mitigate oxidative stress and keep cells functioning optimally. But again, if there’s inflammation and oxidative stress happening inside the body, even the best serums in the world can’t solve your problems alone.

And, at the end of the day, it’s often about emotions. Most clients who’ve come into our SF studio with breakouts, dull skin, or flare-ups of red, rashy conditions have admitted that stress is what’s underneath it all. And while the box of Omni-Biotic Stress Release or the tin of Bach Flower pastilles they often leave with won’t remove every last bit of stress in their lives, it’s a first, empowering step — one that inspires them to listen to what their skin is telling them, and to take care of themselves in more ways than one.

Finally, we hope you know that you can trust us to curate these products in the very same way we do all the others on our shelves — with an emphasis on their efficacy, on the integrity of the incredible people behind them, a balanced blend of science and spirituality, and the recognition that using all of these products can be a source of pleasure in our everyday lives, for so many reasons. 

(And yes: we think “experiential bathing” deserves a call-out. A serious bath can do a lot of good.)

Any topic discussed in this article is not intended as medical advice. If you have a medical concern, please check with your doctor.