Lusan

19/11/2025

Retinol

Lots of us use it, it’s hugely popular in anti-ageing (ooh I hate that term!) and acne skincare products due to its ability to increase cell turnover, reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and reduce breakouts.

But do you know how it’s made? Would you be surprised if I told you it contains acetone, yep that solvent in nail polish remover and that by forcefully increasing cell turnover we are actually accelerating the ageing process?

My new Journal Post takes a little dive into Retinol with some surprising facts. And of course it shares a beautiful alternative from the plant world.

Link in Bio and Stories to journal

19/11/2025

Retinol

Lots of us use it, it’s hugely popular in anti-ageing (ooh I hate that term!) and acne skincare products due to its ability to increase cell turnover, reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and reduce breakouts.

But do you know how it’s made? Would you be surprised if I told you it contains acetone, yep that solvent in nail polish remover and that by forcefully increasing cell turnover we are actually accelerating the ageing process?

My new Journal Post takes a little dive into Retinol with some surprising facts. And of course it shares a beautiful alternative from the plant world.

Click the link to read the Journal Post

https://lusan.co.uk/blogs/myjournal

07/11/2025

Do you know one of the most important products in your skincare routine is the humble cleanser?

The skin has a protective outer layer to keep moisture and nutrients in and act as a shield against ‘invaders’ (bacteria, viruses, allergens), pollution and the elements.

This acid-mantle-barrier-system is made up of dead skin cells (corneocytes) the ‘bricks’ held together by a ‘mortar’ of lipids which includes, fatty acids, cholesterol and ceramides. Sweat and sebum secretions help to create a slightly acidic environment which then provides a ‘home’ for our unique microbiome.

Having a well-established lipid barrier and diverse skin flora is key to skin health. Many cleansers damage these important aspects, breaking down the healthy fats in the skin, changing the pH and disrupting the skin microbime, leaving the skin dry, irritated, red and vulnerable to infection and pathogenic bacteria.

If your skin feels tight after cleansing then it’s an indication it’s probably doing more harm than good. You want a gentle cleanser that helps to clear impurities, sweat, dirt & makeup off the skin, but keeps the healthy fats and microbiome of the barrier intact.

Purity Cleanser has been formulated to support the protective skin barrier. The beneficial blend of organic plant oils, effectively dissolve impurities on the surface of the skin and within the pores, without stripping the lipid layer, leaving the skin soft, comfortable and glowing with health.

Infused with organic botanicals Lavender, Calendula, Meadowsweet and Liquorice, it soothes and calms irritation while also providing food for the microbiome. Enzymes in wildflower honey from the lovely people gently remove skin cells that are at the end of their life cycle without removing those that are still providing the ‘bricks’ for our skin barrier.

Purity Cleanser is not just the precursor to your ‘active’ skincare products, it’s Treatment Step 1 in your skincare routine, delivering nourishment and actively stimulating cellular renewal.

18/10/2025

It’s World Menopause Day and although its something that will affect about 50% of the population and is more widely talked about than in previous generations it is still chronically under supported.

Hot flushes, anxiety, brain fog, low mood, weight changes, disturbed sleep, skin issues are some common symptoms, however the reason symptoms and the severity experienced vary widely can often depend on our genes.

How those genes are expressed can be influenced by various things, one of the biggest is our diet. Through diet we can support detoxification and hormone metabolism. Specific nutrients including magnesium, B vitamins and antioxidant compounds further support detox pathways and methylation. We can address stress and adrenal function (the main producer of eostrogen post menopause) to restore sleep and cortisol regulation.

Our food can be medicine, we can reduce the symptom burden and improving quality of life with personalised supplementation, diet and lifestyle plans.

There’s further information on the website in my journal posts (link in bio).

I offer in-person and online consultations, please reach out if you have any questions.

06/10/2025

It’s Seabuckthorn season.
Seabuckthorn berries are a super-food for your skin, with oils coming from both the seed and the flesh of the berry. The deep, rich orange colour comes from skin nourishing beta-carotenes, antioxidant powerhouses, protecting the skin against damaging UV exposure.

There are also flavonoids, catechins and procyanidins to neutralise free radicals. Cutting-edge research shows seabuckthorn’s proanthocyanidins may activate stem cells, aiding in tissue renewal and repair, slowing the signs of ageing.

The oil from the berries is known as the single highest vegetal source of Vitamin C. It also contains Vitamin E, a host of B vitamins including folic acid, B1, B2, B3 (niacin) and B6, Vitamin A. It provides powerful antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, great for acne and healing wounds while also effectively supporting collagen production to ensure healthy, glowing skin. The fruit oil also contains rare palmitoleic acid (omega-7), a component of skin lipids and stimulates regenerative processes in the epidermis aiding wound healing.

The seed oil is packed with vitamins A and E to further protect from free radical damage, support skin regeneration and stimulate collagen production. Also rich in Omegas 3, 6, and 9. Omega 3 has anti-inflammatory properties, it can help with relieving itchiness, reddness and irritation, while omega 6 plays a crucial role in barrier function of the skin.

The ability of our skin barrier to function optimally is important for keeping harmful bacteria, chemicals and dirt out while ensuring we can absorb the nutrients our skin needs. Omega 6 is quickly absorbed by the skin and effortlessly carries additional plant nutrients into the deeper layers of skin to nourish and condition the cells.

Read more about Seabuckthorn https://lusan.co.uk/collections/seabuckthorn-seed-oil

03/10/2025

Food is one of the most powerful tools we have when it comes to supporting the skin. To produce healthy skin cells we need to provide the body with ‘ingredients’ to make them. Skincare doesn’t make skin cells, they were produced around a month before skincare products even touch them!

Eating quality protein is essential as the amino acids they contain are the building blocks for our skin cells. In addition skin cell production requires certain minerals, vitamins and plant compounds. Nutrient deficiencies can lead to a variety of skin conditions.

There is a well established link between the gut microbiome and the skin, imbalances in our gut microbiome will have a negative effect on our skin, and it’s the food we eat that will keep or rebalance a happy microbiome.

Hormone imbalances are another internal factor that effects the skin and this can often be supported by our food choices.

But skincare products also have a role to play. Our skin is alive, it Skin is where the inside meets the outside and a healthy skin barrier protects by preventing moisture and nutrient loss from the inside and ensuring harmful substances and bacteria remain on the outside. The skin barrier has 3 elements physical, chemical and microbial and skincare products should support all 3, but this is typically not the case with many ingredients found in both conventional and natural skincare harming one or more of these elements. That’s why Lusan preparations contain only ingredients to support the skin with no fillers, binders or preservatives that disrupt any part of the skin barrier.

30/09/2025

Sourdough September is at an end. I’ve been baking sourdough bread for 11 years, but why the sourdough obsession? Well it’s the oldest way of making bread, using naturally occurring wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria (LAB). The slow fermentation means that the LAB can get to work, this not only gives sourdough a delicious flavour it also means the bread is more digestible and nourishing. Today commercially produced bread is a quick business and one of the main reasons more people are finding bread doesn’t ‘agree’ with them!

Baking with wholegrain flours adds to the flavour and nourishment and in turn feeds our own microbiome, keeping it strong and robust. The diversity of our gut microbiome is key to overall health including skin health. The Gut-Skin axis is something I talk about regularly with skin clients especially those with conditions such as acne, eczema and rosacea.

But a sourdough starter isn’t just for bread it can be used in sweet bakes too, and by using a variety of flours we increase the diversity of plant foods that then benefit our microbiome. I’ve recently started baking with botanical blend flour which is just the most delicious flour (see last pic, I mill it fresh from the grains).

Some of the bakes my sourdough starter made this month

Spelt, Fig and Pumpkin Seed
Rye
Stoneground White and Botanical Blend
Mini cakes with blackberry compote
Plum and Almond cake
Miso and Prune danish pastry
Chocolate Cake
Botanical Blend

Thanks to Vanessa Kimble for botanical blend flour and recipe inspiration.

https://lusan.co.uk/blogs/recipes/spelt-fig-and-seeded-sourdough

23/09/2025

As a nutritionist my skincare is an extension of the food I eat, minimally processed and as close to mother earth’s natural goodness as possible.

Typical cosmetic ingredients are produced in chemical manufacturing plants from synthesised or petrochemical ingredients. Even conventional plant-based skincare focuses on using ‘derived from’ ingredients, so processed that it retains little of the original plant and certainly nowhere near its full spectrum of nutrients. Skincare brands don’t make their own ingredients, they buy them from a laboratory.

My preparations are made in small batches using medicinal herbal tinctures and hand crafted infusions I make in my herbal apothecary, from organic raw ingredient that grows from the soil. These active plant ingredients take several weeks to prepare and never would I add lab or otherwise manufactured emulsifiers and surfactants used to stabilise a formulation. These ingredients, such as sodium laureth sulphate, cocamidopropyl betaine, decyl glucoside, coco-glucoside, cetearyl alcohol and polysorbates disrupt the protective skin microbiome and damage the skin barrier, leaving us vulnerable to irritation, bacteria and accelerated skin ageing.

Rather than looking like a chemistry lab my ingredient list reads like a gardner’s note book, one that is firmly rooted in the science of plants and herbal medicine

14/09/2025

Come along and see me today at Harelaw Farm between 11-4, just 7 miles drive from Newton Mearns and 15 miles from Glasgow city centre

13/09/2025

Be lovely to see you there

It's THIS SUNDAY. Come see. It will be fun.

12/09/2025

Weather is looking very autumnal on Sunday, that’s code for wet! Stay dry and come see me at the lovely Wylde Thistle Events at Harelaw Farm. Just 11 mins from Newton Mearns and 25 mins from Glasgow city centre.

11/09/2025

Echinacea is in its flowering glory at the moment.
Rich in antioxidants and phenolic compounds it boosts collagen production, supports the skin barrier, locking in moisture to ensure deeply hydrated skin. It’s a wonderful ingredient to support slow ageing of the skin, it’s infused in all Lusan Serums and Balms in a process that takes 6 weeks to ensure all the active plant compounds are captured