Few experts know more about the holistic mind-body-skin approach than Tammy Fender. As an experienced aesthetician and founder of her eponymous skin-care line—she’s also recently opened her second serene spa, this time in Delray Beach, FL’s Opal Grand—Fender is considered the authority in the space. So much so, she calls celebrities ranging from Gwyneth Paltrow to Julianne Moore clients.
Instead of pushing excess product and recommending a more-is-more approach to skin health, Fender pares it back, encouraging a slower, more intentional approach that often starts with your lifestyle, not what’s on your vanity. “For me, the overarching goal is to seek simplicity, allowing the body, skin and the whole being to find natural ease,” says Fender. Ahead, three lifestyle changes the expert says will help usher in a healthier, happier complexion—and spirit.
Diet Do: “Simplicity helps me remember that eating foods in their most natural state—raw vegetables and juices, and unprocessed foods—is best for the body, and for the skin’s radiance.” If your skin is sensitive or chronically congested, Fender suggests drinking plenty of lemon water and watching your dairy intake.
Formula Fix: “Natural plant-based skin-care formulas are best for the skin because they work in harmony with the body’s natural rhythms.” Unlike many facialists, Fender is a fan of doing less to the skin and allowing it to breathe and repair on its own.
Zen Must: Fender’s signature spa treatments trade traditional extractions and multi-step skin care for a slow, rhythmic, wellness-focused experience that puts wellness first. “Making time for quiet, and allowing our hearts to sink into peace, lets the body process excess stress hormones,” says Fender.
The Bottom Line: “On the physical level, each of these holistic practices helps us conserve energy,” says Fender. “On the level of the skin, living in simplicity allows the body to process any contaminants and to just glow with natural radiance. And on the spiritual level, all these little shifts bring us in harmony with the whole.”
