Your skin is your largest organ, and the state of your skin can tell you a lot about your body's needs. Your skin is exposed to everything the day brings - heat, cold, sun, wind, environmental toxins, household toxins, and more. And our little ones are just the same. Often, kiddos can have even more skin needs than we do!

YOUR SKIN IS AFFECTED BY…

• The health of your gut
• Hormone balance
• Exposure to natural elements (wind, sun, etc.)
• Exposure to toxins around you
• The amount and quality of sleep you get
• Stress
• Your diet, especially sugar consumption

Some of the things affecting our skin are out of our control, and some of the things are within our control. So we choose to make the best decisions we can regarding what is in our control, give our skin lots of love with healthy fats, lots of water & minerals, good sleep and minimizing stress. And the same goes for our kiddos!

CHOOSING HEALTHY PRODUCTS Sadly conventional skin and personal care products are chock full of synthetic ingredients that wreak havoc on the body, especially over time, disrupting hormones, causing allergies (often low-level so we barely notice!), and filling our systems with chemicals that cause damage over time. Switching from conventional, chemical-laden beauty products is a great, simple step in the right direction! Young Living products contain NO synthetic ingredients. NO hormone disruptors. NO artificial colorings. And you can bet that every ingredient used is of the highest quality.

FAVORITES FOR ALL THINGS KIDS & SKIN Whenever we have skin needs, we feel so thankful to have a host of natural options in our toolbox. Here are some favorite for use on the skin for more acute needs:

• Lavender, Copaiba, Frankincense: soothing, calming oils for both the mind and body! Think of these like little fire-fighters going around the body and putting out the fires on the skin.
• KidScents Owie: our go-to for when someone falls off their bike, gets into an ant pile, forgets the bug spray or any other owie-related need! For more on handling bumps & bruises, check out the resource linked below!
• Rose Ointment: swap out the OTC ointments in your kit for this rose-infused one. Rose Ointment is wonderful on its own (we apply it before a bandage) or you can add extra essential oils to it as desired.
• Seedlings Diaper Rash Cream: this zinc-oxide cream is infused with skin-loving essential oils and is a wonderful thing to have on hand for all your skin needs!

SIMPLE EVERYDAY SWAPS We can create nourishing daily routines for our little ones to give their skin what it needs, and that starts with reducing our chemical load by switching to natural options. Here are a few ways we can do that and some favorites for reducing our exposure to toxins in the home!

• Young Living KidScents products: Shampoo, Bath Gel, Lotion & Toothpaste
• Rose Ointment & KidScents Owie Roll-on: keep these in your first aid kit!
• Thieves Cleaning Products: Thieves Household Cleaner, Laundry Soap, Hand Soap, Dish Soap and Kitchen & Bath Scrub
• Diffusers + Oils instead of scented candles & plug-ins.

SUPPORT FROM THE INSIDE OUT Often, our childrens' skin is the first sign that something is happening on the inside that needs to be addressed. There are many ways that this shows up - sensitivity, inflammation, itchiness, redness, breakouts and more. Each situation will be a bit different, but there are a few supplements that work from the inside out to truly nourish and support the skin (and body overall!).

• MightyPro Probiotic: Skin health is directly linked to a healthy gut, and a really good probiotic is the cornerstone of gut health. This pre and probiotic is formulated for your little ones, easy to use, and tastes great.
• SulfurZyme: Dietary sulfur and MSM are essential for healthy skin. If your little one is struggling with dry, itchy, or inflamed skin, check out this supplement! Add it to 2-4oz of NingXia Red daily and watch things turn around.
• NingXia Red: There isn't much this delicious, nutrient-packed drink can't support – gut health, immunity, respiratory health, energy levels, antioxidants and more. Pair with SulfurZyme & Mineral Essence to nourish the skin from the inside out.
• Mineral Essence: This one supplement can do so much because minerals are essential for the health of our skin (and so much more!). Water is great, but if you aren't adding essential ionic minerals to your routine, you're not getting all you need! Mix with NingXia Red and Lemon Vitality for a fun daily drink.
• Progessence Plus Serum (topical use): For older girls, hormonal acne can sometimes be caused by an imbalance of estrogen and progesterone, so helping the body balance progesterone levels can have a huge impact on the skin!

Other things to consider include dietary reactions to things like dairy, wheat, or sugar that often show up as skin reactions. Also, the link between gut health and skin health cannot be ignored! Depending on the individual this can be as simple as bone broth and a probiotic daily or it can be a more complex process needing more support.

WHERE TO START If you're not sure where to get started, we have you covered! Choose 3 household and 3 personal care products to switch out to natural options. Grab NingXia Red, MightyPro and SulfurZyme and get them into your child's daily routine. Make these things a habit and nourish your child's skin daily!