Beyond Topical: Imperfect Wellness with Daphne Javitch

"Health is improvement. Health is not perfection. Healing is a circle, not a line."
- Daphne Javitch

Thank you to Daphne Javitch for joining us and helping us expand the conversation around imperfect wellness. Our goal with this conversation was to provide a strategy + a starting point for clients who are navigating unwanted symptoms. Having struggled with perioral dermatitis herself, Daphne is an authentic user of Marie Veronique skincare and has worked with Kristina to create a supportive regimen for healing her own skin.

Rather than solely focusing on pain or a breakout itself, Kristina + Daphne discussed first considering health challenges more broadly, then implementing daily habits that can contribute towards greater balance. Based on this approach, here is a framework designed by Kristina to specifically help you support skin health:

Step One: Observation (without necessarily trying to resolve or find the meaning)

1. Acknowledge symptoms + when they started: breakouts, dryness, inflammation, redness, etc..
2. Take note of the past few days and any changes that may be contributing to your current skin: high stress, poor sleep, cyclical influences, travel, etc..
3. Are you experiencing other (internal) symptoms: digestion, constipation, pain, etc..

Step Two: Build Trust

1. Is this a pattern or a recurring symptom? If so, what helped/occurred last time? For example: healing after 5 days, getting worse before getting better, etc..
2. Remind yourself that the body ultimately wants to heal, which does require time, but could anything potentially be in the way of healing? For example: improper topical products, high stress, picking, etc..

Step Three: Find Your Inevitable Truths

1. Make a simple plan based on “inevitable truths” around your health, as outlined by Daphne during the interview. These are personal priorities, unique to you + your well-being, that must be addressed in order to feel your best. As a good example, see Kristina’s list below.
2. Assess priorities that need attention and set attainable goals for the next 2-3 days: afternoon walk, drink more water, get in bed 1 hour earlier, etc..

Step Four: Reset Expectations

1. Do your expectations align with your current symptoms? For example: are you expecting to have perfectly clear skin, even though you know breakouts around your period are a consistent pattern? Is stress a trigger for your skin and you’re currently stressed with work?
2. Create a few simple and realistic expectations for the next few days versus one long-term goal. For example: “I expect my skin to fluctuate as it is a living dynamic system and tightly connected to my internal body, I will support my skin and body as best as I can with the things I can control and be curious about what shifts.”

Step Five: Topical Support

1. The number one thing you can control when your skin is symptomatic is what you apply topically. If you have products or a regimen that has helped your skin heal in the past, implement that now. If you are unsure or have questions, get in touch with our skin health experts for guidance on building a supportive regimen: info@marievonique.com

Kristina’s Inevitable Truths when addressing unwanted skin issues:

• Sleep: Prioritize restful sleep habits with the goal of 7-8 hours each night.
• Hydration: Drink more water while symptoms persist, especially early in the day to properly rehydrate.
• Diet: Boost variety + fibrous foods each week, incorporate new vegetables regularly. Nourishing, whole foods (avoiding processed foods) is always a priority.
• Stress: 1x restorative practice daily, such as a 5-minute breathwork, journaling (Daphne’s favorite) or a stretching routine.
• Movement: Focus on enjoyable movement so you feel more inclined to do it regularly (walking is an excellent choice!). A variety of movements can be especially beneficial for the body as well as knowing when to rest.

Daphne Javitch has amassed a loyal and engaged online community as Founder of Doing Well and her private health coaching practice, which is inspired by her history of overcoming lifelong symptoms of Stage 4 Endometriosis through diet and lifestyle. Her inviting and shame-free approach focuses on nutrition and holistic essentials for sleep, stress management, exercise, purpose and routine building. She frequently appears on wellness panels and podcasts and has been featured in Vogue, The New York Times, The Cut, and The Slowdown, among others.