From Chanel to Clean: My Hormone Healing Journey Through Beauty

I still remember how it made me feel — that iconic Chanel Mademoiselle perfume, with its elegant mist settling into the collar of my blazer every morning. It felt luxurious, feminine, and powerful. As a young professional, it was more than a fragrance; it was a daily ritual, a statement, a piece of my identity. Paired with the glowing foundation I swore by, the perfect pink lipstick, and my beloved powders pressed into compacts stamped with that chic double C, my vanity was curated to perfection. I was doing everything a “put-together” woman should…but how could I have known differently? I’ll tell you.

But behind the scenes, my body was quietly asking for help. Throughout my twenties and into my early thirties, I struggled with acne, rosacea, unexplained bloating, and a creeping, heavy fatigue that no amount of sleep or green juice could fix. I dealt with subclinical hypothyroidism, and the most devastating moment came with a miscarriage I never saw coming. The frustrating part? I was doing all the “right” things — eating mostly gluten-free, staying active, practicing yoga, managing my stress. And still, something felt off.

It wasn’t until I discovered functional medicine that things began to click. I learned that our skin — our body’s largest organ — isn’t just a passive barrier. It’s a powerful gateway. Everything we put on it gets absorbed into our bloodstream in a matter of seconds. I had been spraying synthetic fragrance directly onto the delicate area near my thyroid every single day, completely unaware of how it might be impacting my hormones.

What We Put on Our Skin Is Just as Important as What We Eat

Fragrance was the first red flag. What I once considered elegant and harmless was actually a chemical cocktail of unregulated compounds — many of which have been shown to disrupt the endocrine system. These chemicals can linger, not just on our skin, but in our system. And that wasn’t all. I learned that the talc in my favorite powder had been linked to serious health concerns. The aluminum in my go-to metallic eyeshadow? Also shown to interfere with hormonal balance. Even the lightweight “healthy” sunscreen I wore every day contained chemical filters that had been connected to both human hormone disruption and damage to marine ecosystems.

One afternoon, while chatting with a clean beauty rep stocking shelves at Sephora, I heard a phrase that would stay with me: “What you put on your skin is just as important as what you eat.” That conversation changed everything. It planted the seed that eventually transformed my career, my motherhood journey, and my approach to wellness.

My Clean Beauty Awakening and the Start of Functional Medicine

After that moment, I began to research obsessively. I read every label, studied ingredients I couldn’t pronounce, and dove deep into the science behind what we call “clean beauty.” Around that same time — about twelve years ago — I discovered Beautycounter, a brand that was leading the way in beauty industry reform. What drew me in wasn’t just the clean ingredients, but the mission: safer skincare backed by data and advocacy.

I didn’t switch everything overnight, but I started where I could. The perfume was the first to go. Then came the foundation, the powders, the eyeshadows, the lipsticks. As I cleaned up my makeup bag, I also began making changes at home — swapping out plastic containers for glass, replacing our household cleaners with natural alternatives, and slowly transitioning into a lifestyle that aligned with my values and what I was learning in my functional medicine training.

How Clean Beauty Helped Heal My Hormones

As the products disappeared, something beautiful emerged. My skin began to clear. Not just surface-level improvements — my rosacea faded, and my complexion looked brighter and more balanced without makeup. My thyroid lab markers improved. My menstrual cycles became less painful and more predictable. And when I tried to conceive again, after two heartbreaking losses, I stayed pregnant.

That pregnancy was marked by an unexpected but telling symptom: a deep aversion to synthetic scents. The perfumes I once adored now made me nauseous. It was like my body, finally in balance, had no tolerance for what once passed as luxury. My body craved simplicity. Purity. Alignment.

Why Hormone Health Needs a New Conversation

If there’s one thing I want more women to understand, it’s this: hormone health isn’t just about your diet or how often you move your body. Yes, those things are important — but what we absorb matters just as much. Our skincare, makeup, fragrance, and household products all contribute to our total toxic load. And when that load gets too heavy, your hormones are the first to take the hit.

This is why I now guide women through their own healing journeys using a functional medicine approach. I help them look beneath the surface — at the root causes of fatigue, breakouts, fertility issues, mood swings, weight changes, and irregular cycles. Because often, the clues are hiding in plain sight: in our morning routines, our medicine cabinets, and the fragrances we spray on our necks without a second thought.

Your Body Is Talking — Are You Ready to Listen?

If you’re like I was — doing everything “right” but still not feeling like yourself — it might be time to take a closer look at your daily habits. You don’t have to figure it out alone. Functional medicine offers a roadmap. It gives you real data, real insight, and a holistic guide to healing that actually works.

I now offer lab testing for women who are ready to understand what’s really going on beneath the surface. My testing includes a comprehensive hormone panel to evaluate sex hormones, thyroid function, cortisol levels, insulin, and vitamin D. We also test for toxin exposure, including glyphosate and heavy metals, and analyze mineral levels to uncover the foundational deficiencies that often block true healing.Because you can’t change what you don’t see — and your body is always speaking to you. So, again, are you ready to listen?

From Chanel to Clean — Let’s Rewrite Your Story

This journey isn’t about losing the ritual or the beauty. It’s about redefining it. It’s about choosing products that align with your body’s needs and your values, and saying yes to a version of yourself that is radiant, healthy, and hormonally aligned.

So if you’re ready to go from Chanel to clean — to glow from the inside out — I’m here to guide you.

Let’s take this journey together.

Xoxo, Angeles

Source: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10051690/