Shannon Vaughn
June 16, 2016
After being diagnosed with a chronic illness that would compromise her reproductive system, Shannon Vaughn decided that there had to be a gentler way to treat her body so that she didn’t have to sacrifice her ability to have a healthy family. Using homeopathic remedies and alternative medicine, Shannon developed a practice of self-care that inspired her to create beauty detox brand Pursoma. The result? A line of beauty and wellness products that make you not only look better but also feel better, too. Here’s a look into that self-care routine that Shannon lives by every day.
Beauty Approach
For me, beauty comes with clarity: my mind being clear, my skin being unblemished, and my body feeling a sense of lucidity. This is a daily challenge because we are always experiencing things that disrupt this clarity. Stress clouds the mind, toxins clog the skin, and the body becomes burdened from our overly hectic days and anxious, sleepless nights.
A beauty routine that is focused on wellness is an evolving regimen, driven by what’s going on in our lives. Sometimes we need more silence and quiet time; sometimes we need things to give us more energy. We constantly need to adjust to what our needs are at the time. For instance, our skin changes throughout the year as it’s affected by the weather, the climate, our location, the environment, stress at work, and sleep or lack thereof. All of these factors contribute to our inner wellness and ultimately our outer beauty. In order to have a routine focused on wellness, one must address what needs the most support and care for that. If you aim for wellness rather than outer beauty, the result will be one that feels good and looks good. I believe in a beauty wellness routine that is a body, mind, and spirit approach. In my opinion, the only way to maintain real beauty is from the inside out.
A.M. Rituals
In the morning I wake up 10 minutes before I have to—this allows me those few extra minutes before I “feel the hustle.” I have an Ayurvedic ritual that I follow, and I use a neti pot and Pursoma Sea Spray Nasal Rinse; I swear this is why I don’t get sick. Then I meditate in the morning for 10 minutes: I have a point of focus. I ask for guidance. I try to sit somewhere quiet that I have designated for this focus. If I don’t have that opportunity then I just sit at the end of my bed.
Next, I wash my face with Floracopeia Face Cleanser and then I start my internal regimen. The creator of the product line, Sara Crow, is a good friend who has helped me in so many ways with internal supplementation directly improving my skin’s overall condition. I then take my Chaste Tree Berry supplement, which is good for all reproductive issues, creating regularity and lessening the negative symptoms of PMS. I drink 16 ounces of water. I make a pot of Red Raspberry Leaf Tea or Lemon Balm Tea, also great for the reproductive system. I make a pot and drink it throughout the day warm or at room temperature.
If I am trying to limit my caffeine then I’ll have some green tea, but sometimes I’ll drink half-caf coffee with local goat’s milk and maple syrup…yum! Before my coffee or tea, I take an oral liquid supplement of wormwood from Osmosis Skincare. This is what I am currently using to diminish the melasma that developed during my pregnancy. It’s a natural, safe alternative to estrogen-disrupting bleaching creams. I take it under the tongue and then swish and wash it out.
Then I go into my bathroom and address my face; I apply a Vitamin C & A serum and safe sunscreen from Osmosis Skincare. The founder of the line, Dr. Ben Johnson, is a friend. He used to own medi-spa clinics around the US specializing in laser treatments. He has since created these products which are oncology friendly and don’t use excessive exfoliation or aggressive ingredients to strip the skin, but instead help to regenerate skin with healthy ingredients.
Before or after I exercise I’ll usually have a green smoothie or sometimes grapefruit juice in the summer. In the fall and winter, I drink a cup of bone broth.
Green Smoothie Recipe
- A handful of kale
- The juice of half a lemon
- Hemp seeds
- Frozen bananas and/or frozen pineapple
- Coconut water
- Maca powder
- Optional: Healthforce Green Protein Alchemy
I always pray before meals, quietly being grateful for healthy food and my family. I feel this adds a sense of calm to a meal even if it’s hurried. It makes me acknowledge how fortunate I am to have that moment to practice gratitude. There is nothing better than a moment in silence to be thankful.
In the middle of the day for afternoon tiredness, I drink either Argoya Pomegranate Green Tea or Argoya Matcha, which I mix with Tocotrienols (Sunfood Superfood Tocotrienols) and a spoonful of bee pollen from a local apiary. I drink a lot of water, and if I am eating lunch versus drinking it then I eat a super-food salad with lots of seeds mixed in.
P.M. Ritual
In the evening, I take the Osmosis Skincare Restore supplement again, and 90 minutes to two hours later I take a probiotic (Dr. Ohhira probiotic). After I eat dinner I do not eat again for 12 hours, which is the best way for the body to rest. I try to not use my cellphone or other gadgets starting one hour prior to sleep.
Once a week I give myself an at-home facial. I take a lot of advice from my esthetician at Bespoke Aesthetics, which allows me to efficiently maintain my skin at home. I use an anti-aging powder that she supplies to me mixed with a pure quality aloe vera gel. I apply it all with a galvanic machine, which I purchased from Nu Skin. I use the galvanic spa system to apply the gel and powder mixture and then I take a hot bath and apply the left over mixture while all my pores are open.
