The Lineup is a monthly series where we're giving you an inside peek at the beauty lineups of the most sought-after experts and tastemakers in the industry. Get ready for a behind-the-scenes look at all the can't-live-without products that make their worlds go 'round.
Like most people who menstruate, I have a love-hate relationship with my time of the month. After years of struggling with an eating disorder and hormonal imbalances as a result, I'm actually happy when I get my period now—it signals that my body is happy and healthy. Still, PMS symptoms like cramps and mood swings are no walk in the park. Lulu Ge, an herbalist and the founder of Elix Healing, knows this all too well. She experienced burnout in her late twenties, which led to a variety of hormonal imbalances—acne, migraines, anxiety, insomnia, and indigestion—all of which culminated in excruciating menstrual cycles. Her doctor recommended birth control, painkillers, or just "sucking it up," but she wasn't satisfied with those answers. So, she sought a more holistic way to heal.
Ge went back to her cultural roots and began implementing Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). "TCM is a mind, body, and spirit approach to wellness, and works with your body to heal at the root cause of imbalances," she explains. "So many of us are not taught how our hormones are connected to everything—from the health of our skin, hair, and nails, to our energy levels, sleep quality, mental acuity, cravings, digestion, and more." Ge began incorporating herbal remedies, along with practices like gua sha and gentle movement, and was finally able to reduce inflammation, soothe her skin, and regulate her cycle. Here's a glimpse into her daily rituals:
Natural Light and Meditation. "Most days, I avoid setting an alarm clock and let my body wake up naturally with the sunlight. The sun is filled with Yang energy and is like a natural shot of espresso for our bodies, and vitamin D is great for hormone health. I open the blinds and breathe in this natural light before sitting down for my Vedic meditation."
Herbal Lattes and Gratitude Journaling. "I usually make an herbal tea or mushroom latte and add in my Elix herbal formulas to give my body an adaptogenic boost while I journal about my intention for the day and visualize all the great things I want to bring in."
Nutritious, Protein-Filled Breakfast. "I try to eat 30 grams of protein for breakfast every morning. I also like to consume a variety of fruits and vegetables every week to ensure I get enough phytonutrients."
Gentle Movement. "QiGong is a gentle way of aligning breath with movement to remove stagnation in the body and promote the healthy circulation of blood and Qi. If you have 30 seconds between Zoom meetings, QiGong spinal twists are a great way to release tension for an extra boost of energy."
Holistic Facial Sculpting. "I'm in my late thirties and want to avoid Botox and fillers, so using TCM tools like jade rollers and gua shas for facial sculpting is a huge part of my routine. These are great for activating circulation and releasing tension and stagnation. I especially love the jade rollers from my friend Stephanie’s brand, Mount Lai. She creates them in a variety of stones so you can choose the one you need for the moment—for example, the amethyst roller helps release negative energy, whereas the jade roller helps to ground and depuff."
Want to know Ge's other tools, including the exact gua sha she uses for lymphatic drainage and her bespoke tincture to reduce cortisol face? Keep reading to see her complete beauty and wellness routine.
"I love the jade roller tools from my friend Stephanie’s brand, Mount Lai. This amethyst roller helps release negative energy."
"In the days leading up to my period, I switch to my personalized Cycle Balance formula for menstrual and hormone health. I love adding it to my morning matcha or coffee to give my body an extra boost of anti-inflammatory and hormone-balancing herbs to start the day."
"On the weekends, I love to meditate in the mornings with a red light mask. Red light therapy helps to even skin texture and increase firmness and elasticity while boosting collagen. I definitely notice a nice glow after using it—and it's especially soothing in the wintertime when we are exposed to less sunlight, as it mimics the low-level wavelengths found in natural sunlight."
"This mask is perfect for an overnight boost of radiance and post-sun hydration. It's packed with sage, rosemary, oregano, and chamomile botanical extracts that deliver anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds to soothe and repair the skin barrier. I wake up looking refreshed and rejuvenated."
"Deodorants can typically contain a ton of hormonal imbalance triggering chemicals, so I love that this natural deodorant uses clean ingredients like aloe vera and eucalyptus to deliver a moisturizing and cooling effect, while also helping to guard against odor and absorb excess sweat."
"I love the moisturizing and plumping effects of this retinol oil. It's also boosted with phytonutrients from natural sources like brown seaweed. I always wake up radiant when I use this."
"Gum health is directly related to hormone health so I love using this eco-floss that's made from naturally cleansing coconut oil. It makes flossing so much more fun and enjoyable."
"I'm obsessed with my friend Sandra's gua sha, which is made of a gorgeous nephrite jade that has unique healing properties. This tool is expertly designed to be used with lymphatic drainage techniques to increase circulation and energize the topical skin and underlying tissue. She has a ton of educational videos on her site on how to use [this] for real, visible results."
"When I'm feeling stressed or anxious, I start my day with Daily Harmony, an adaptogenic herbal blend based on a thousand-year-old TCM formula that supports hormone health and enhances our stress response. Plus, it helps to minimize the appearance of cortisol face because it soothes our nervous system."
"This toner has been a complete game changer. The active ingredient is a Korean rice extract that moisturizes, boosts elasticity, and strengthens the skin barrier. It's smooth and super nourishing without feeling sticky."
"This is my go-to everyday face and body tool. It helps to loosen tension and relieve stagnation along the face, neck, shoulders, and throughout the body."
"I love pairing the above tool with Yina's active botanical serums, which are all made with TCM healing herbs. My go-to is the Clarity serum, which leaves my skin glowy and luminescent."
"This eye cream contains niacinamide and adenosine, which I've definitely noticed helps to brighten, tighten, and soothe the area around my eyes."
"This is my favorite leave-in hair oil to protect my strands from heat styling or to get an extra boost of shine and softness. I love that it's naturally formulated with potent fruit oils and ashwagandha to strengthen hair."
"For a gentle yet effective exfoliator, I use this polish twice a week as a delicious treat for my skin. I love that it consists of an all-natural brown-sugar base with wild strawberry extract in a soft, creamy texture to smooth away impurities while brightening my skin."
"I love a moisturizing cleanser that's gentle yet effective, and this one is my go-to. It has a heavenly scent and [can] remove makeup and sunscreen while delivering antioxidants, restoring moisture, and supporting pH balance."
"The oil is like an Ayurvedic herbal healing tonic for your face. It's my go-to splurge product. It's brewed for five days and contains 51 different nutrients, and my skin definitely loves soaking it all up. I've noticed a huge overall improvement in skin health since adding this to my skincare routine."
"When I'm gearing up for travels or starting to feel under the weather, I reach for the Stay Well herbal blend to fortify my immune health with organic ginseng, medicinal mushrooms, and anti-inflammatory herbs."
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