Tune In: I'm a Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner & Here Is What I Do For My Skin

"I feel like traditional Chinese medicine helps you access and recognize other dimensions of yourself, such as your spiritual self, emotional self, and physical self. It turns these on in a way where we are able to thrive—and feel like we're supposed to feel as human beings," says licensed acupuncturist, herbalist, and TCM practitioner Sandra Chiu, L.Ac., MSTCM, founder of Lanshin. Chiu has garnered an impressive reputation for her work within facial rejuvenation and skin care (her specialty), thanks to her focus on education, high-quality products, and integrative practices. 

Your skin is not an entity in and of itself: It's an organ that interacts with other organs and systems in the body. One of the most notable systems that affects its health and appearance is the circulatory system. 

"So often in beauty we talk about collagen, elastin, skin cell turnover, and those are all important things to talk about because they are part of the skin function and structure. But what Chinese medicine also says is that we need to talk about circulation—because circulation is what feeds all of that," says Chiu. "In fact, it goes back to the very basic principle in Chinese medicine, which is that circulation is everything."

"Aging cosmetically isn't just about wrinkles, texture, or elasticity of the skin—it's also how the shape of the face changes with time. Tension reshapes our face—so if we live with a lot of stress, we're going to see it in the jowls and it will look heavier in the lower half of the face," she says. 

As an herbalist, Chiu is well versed in ingredients to help your skin—both that you can use internally and externally. 

"In Chinese medicine, internal herbs are probably regarded as much more important for skin health," she says. "But when recommending them, it just varies. It depends on the condition, and it depends on the person with the condition. Chinese herbal medicine is very individual, bio-individual." Essentially: Visit a practitioner who can give you an individualized recommendation.

However, there's also a place for topical herbs in TCM dermatology, she notes. A few of her favorites there include cica (Centella asiatica, but sometimes called tiger grass), bakuchiol, and licorice.