This week, Joy chats with Melanie Cruikshank, the founder of Toronto-based clean beauty brand dalish Cosmetics whose mother said she was born to wear lipstick and heels. After attending Cosmetology & Aromatology school - the study of Plant & Botanical based Chemistry, she knew she wanted to create nontoxic cosmetics so her customers could feel confident and fabulous. Her mission is to create clean, luxurious beauty products that you feel good about using, that are vegan, easy to apply, feel amazing on, are long lasting, sustainably sourced and come in killer shades.  In this episode Melanie shares her struggles growing up with acne and how she was inspired to create a line of cosmetics that are as accessible as they are clean. She also goes into detail about the foods, habits, and lifestyle tips she follows to support glowing health from the inside out. After listening to this episode you will feel empowered to ditch the toxic cosmetic chemicals and get ready to enhance your beauty, naturally!  If you want to learn more about holistic approaches to skin health, the cosmetics industry, and how to choose the best products for yourself and the planet, then you won’t want to miss this episode! So steep your favourite cup of beauty-boosting tea, settle in, and get ready to be inspired to live a clean beauty lifestyle.    Episode Highlights: How her childhood anxiety and learning disability impacted her overall health & confidence. Melanie’s struggles with acne and the bullying she encountered. Her magical first experience with makeup and how it became a tool to help her survive her teenage years. Her experience with intense medications to get rid of her acne and how they impacted her body.  The opportunity she received to go back to school for plant-based chemistry.  How that education gave her the ability to recreate her favourite products.  The importance of a holistic approach to whole body health.  How drying products designed for acne can actually make it worse.  Helpful tips to move past skin obsession after a severe skin condition.  Foods that Melanie avoids to support her skin health.  The focus she places on whole, organic foods to nourish her skin from the inside out.  The importance of adapting your routine depending on the phase of your life. How balance in your diet and lifestyle can impact your skin health. How she stops the binge/restrict cycle when it comes to food. Why meal prep is the foundation of her healthy eating plan.  The supplements that Melanie takes for healthy skin.  Why she loves taking mushroom supplements for gut health.  Melanie’s lifestyle approaches to skin health.  The importance of sleep for skin health.  How she manages her stress levels as an entrepreneur.  The importance of strength training for hormonal balance and feeling strong in your life.  The creation of da lish cosmetics.  Why she wanted to create clean cosmetics that were beautiful and functional. Her focus on creating makeup basics rather than chasing all the new trends.  Why dalish tests their products on different skin tones and textures.  Why she had to create products that were better than conventional ones so people would switch. How certain ingredients in conventional cosmetics can trigger skin issues.  The importance of accessibility in the clean cosmetics industry.  The number one cosmetic she can’t live without.    Resources: Melanie on Instagram dalish on Instagram dalish on Facebook dalish Website dalish on Pinterest   More about Joyous Health:   Check out our award-winning blog Joyous Health   Check out Joy’s bestselling cookbooks   Sign up for the Joyous Health newsletter   Follow Joyous Health on Instagram   Find Joyous Health on Facebook   Learn more about The Joyous Health Business Program   Check out our full line of Natural & Organic Haircare and Body Care.   Join Joy’s Hair Care Challenge at Natural Hair Care Challenge    Explore Joyous Health Kids at Joyous Health Kids