5 Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) approved tips to naturally support your skin health.

Achieving radiant skin is an inside job. Whether you’re prone to frequent breakouts, struggling with uneven texture or dealing with a dull and dry complexion, it’s easy to feel tempted by  topical serums and treatments promising to “fix” your skin. The reality is: lasting, luminous and glowing skin usually begins with internal balance.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), our skin, the body’s largest organ, is also a mirror of our inner health. Imbalances in the body, whether hormonal, digestive or even emotional, can show up on the skin. To restore harmony—and achieve that radiant complexion—you can begin by nurturing your body from within.

Let’s explore some of TCM’s ancient beauty tools and practices to achieve glowing skin, naturally.

1. Nourish Your Body & Your Gut.

We are what we eat. The foods we consume act as fuel for our body and nourishment for our microbiome. When we let food be our internal pharmacy, it not only tastes good, it also looks good. Aim to incorporate skin-supportive foods into your daily diet: 

• Nutrient-rich ingredients: these are the foods highest in antioxidants, healthy fats and skin-supporting vitamins and minerals. Reach for organic berries, bone broth, avocados, salmon, dark leafy greens, sweet potatoes, beets, and a variety of nuts and seeds.

• Probiotic-rich and prebiotic foods: foods rich in pre and probiotics feed your good gut bacteria to support healthy digestion, reduced inflammation and clear skin. Try adding foods like kimchi, miso, sauerkraut, kefir, yogurt with live cultures and pre-biotic rich foods like garlic, Jerusalem artichokes, leeks and asparagus. 

• Energetically balanced meals: TCM encourages balance not only in what foods we eat but also in their energetic properties. This means including all five flavors (sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent) whenever possible and focusing on warm cooked foods over cold raw ones.

2. Try Skin-Supporting TCM Herbs.

Herbs are a science-backed way to address internal imbalances and gently bring the body back to harmony. Certain traditional herbs are even considered ancient beauty herbs for their ability to create glowing skin. WTHN’s Daily Glow is a doctor-formulated supplement that combines potent herbs to hydrate, detox and renew the skin:

• Organic Pearl Powder: promotes cellular renewal

• Organic Turmeric Root: soothes irritated skin

• Organic Rose Hips: enhances overall skin texture

• Organic Goju Berry: boosts skin elasticity

• Organic Schisandra: protects against stress-induced dullness

• Licorice Root: balances hormones and calms inflammation

These herbs work synergistically to create a daily “beauty potion” that helps you glow from the inside out.

3. Practice Gua Sha as a Daily Ritual.

Designed to lift, sculpt, and depuff the skin, the gua sha is an ancient beauty tool that does it all. Practicing daily gua sha can revitalize the skin with benefits including:

• Reduced facial tension

• Stimulated circulation and lymphatic flow

• Increased detoxication

• Released tension in the jaw, neck and facial muscles

Even a few minutes in the morning or evening can smooth and sculpt, leaving your skin with a healthy, natural glow. 

4. Sip for Your Skin.

Hydration is essential to skin health. A well-hydrated body supports a strong skin barrier, which helps your skin to maintain moisture, prevent dryness and stay supple. If plain water isn’t your thing, there are many herbal teas that both hydrate and enhance your skin health.

• Hibiscus tea: Rich in antioxidants

• Green tea: Ant-inflammatory

• Rose tea: Soothes the skin

• Nettle tea: Supports gentle detoxification

• Dandelion root tea: Aids liver function and digestion

Sipping on room temperature water or warm tea throughout the day will green tea, rose tea, nettle tea, dandelion root tea all work to support the skin from within while delivering an extra dose of hydration.

5. Elevate Your Glow with Facial Acupuncture. 

For an even deeper complexion boost, facial acupuncture offers a personalized approach to target your specific skin needs. 

• Facial Acupuncture: Ultra thin needles stimulate facial acupoints to increase blood flow, smooth fine lines, boost collagen production, sculpt the face, reduce jaw tension and inflammation for a visibly brighter, naturally lifted complexion.

Put Your Best Face Forward.

Glowing skin isn’t about perfection; it’s about balance. With a little patience, consistency and the right TCM tools, you can transform your skin from the inside out. Start incorporating even a few of these practices and rituals into your daily routine and watch your skin transform into a radiant glow that reflects your internal health and harmony. 

Written by Justine Parker, who is a copywriter, yoga instructor and acupuncture enthusiast living in Brooklyn, NY.