Proprietor and proponent of That Bowe Glow, Dr. Whitney Bowe is a pioneering dermatologist and research scientist who finds herself constantly dispelling myths about what it takes to have—and maintain—great skin. Now she is setting the record straight in The Beauty of Dirty Skin, and you’ll never again look at loofahs, Diet Cokes, skim milk, energy bars, and antibiotics in the same way. You’ll soon be on your way to radiant, clear skin – aka the Bowe Glow – with the help of a simple three-week plan of action to maximize skin health and beauty—complete with step-by-step instructions, do-it-yourself practical skincare strategies, and menu plans. Here, she shares her 5 Rules For Life, in her own words. 

1. Be the CEO of your glow. 

When I talk about glow, of course, as a dermatologist, I’m often referring to healthy, radiant skin. But, equally important is your inner glow, your fire, your spirit! I don’t let other people’s opinions define or limit me. I really put myself out there whether I’m appearing on Good Morning America or introducing fresh concepts in medicine at an international scientific conference. I make a choice every single day to wake up with a positive, productive outlook, a fire in my belly, a passion for my life, and an open mind and heart. I put 100 percent into everything I do. Sometimes I win, sometimes I don’t, but at the end of the day, I’m true to myself and I don’t let anyone else dim my light. This is an outlook I teach my 6 year-old daughter as well because I think it’s so important to own your experience and own your journey. Own your glow.

2. Get a little dirty. 

We over-cleanse, people. We are killing our skin’s healthy bacteria – our healthy warrior bugs that make up our microbiome- and we need them to be healthy if we want to have glowing, clear skin. Learning about diet and the skin – this is must-have information. I share so much of this in my book, The Beauty of Dirty Skin, because America is redefining clean.  If we want to have healthy skin, we have to protect our skin’s healthy microbiome so that it can do its key jobs in helping to prevent acne, rosacea, sensitive skin and even premature aging.

3. Exercise like it’s your job. 

“I really regret that workout,” said no one… ever! After you finish a workout, your body feels powerful and strong, your mind is clear, you are ready to face your goals and make things happen! It is no secret that exercise is good for your entire body and your overall health – but you might be surprised to learn how beneficial exercise is for your skin! When you exercise, you increase the blood flow to your skin, nourishing your skin with vital nutrients and oxygen.  Not only does exercise improve your skin’s metabolism, it is scientifically proven that you can even begin to reverse the signs of visible aging by working out! Based on recent evidence, not only do people who exercise feel younger, they look younger as well!  Incredibly, this is true even if you don’t start working out until later in life.  The benefits of exercise reach way beyond your skin. Studies show that prolonged sitting and our increasingly sedentary lifestyle actually increase the risk of premature death. I encourage my patients to exercise up to 5 times per week because it’s so key to overall health – and of course, it’s integral to healthy, glowing skin!

4. Take a daily probiotic. 

Beauty is so much more than skin deep. Your diet has a direct impact on the health and radiance of your skin. I encourage my patients to incorporate skin-friendly fermented foods and beverages such as kombucha, miso, kefir, and sauerkraut into their diets. I also encourage my patients to supplement their healthy diet with an oral probiotic to boost their skin’s glow. The word “probiotic” literally means “for life.” Oral and topical probiotics support the health of the “good bugs” that make up our microbiome, to keep our gut and skin healthy. To keep it simple, among their many health-boosting jobs, probiotics: (1) fight bad bacteria in our gut and on our skin, (2) help regulate our immune system by working to control inflammation, and (3) support the healthy barrier function in both our gut and skin, preventing “leaky gut” (and “leaky skin”). To keep my signature “Bowe Glow”, I take a probiotic supplement every day and I encourage my patients to do the same to nourish their skin from the inside out! I recommend my favorite products – products that I actually use, recommend to my patients, and are based on real science- on my Dr. Whitney’s Picks page: https://drwhitneybowe.com/dr-whitneys-picks/.

5. Learn to meditate, especially if you are super Type A. 

Because of what I’ve learned through my work, I know that I not only need to carve out time to exercise, but I also need to carve out time for mindfulness, yoga, and meditation. I use a meditation app a lot of the time when I’m traveling or when my schedule gets crazy. I use headspace or breethe – I love both. I sometimes can’t believe that I actually sat down long enough to learn to meditate because I hate sitting still, but I did it and it makes a huge difference for me in terms of my stress levels, productivity, focus, and the health and wellness of my skin because of the connection between your mind and your skin (the gut-brain-skin axis).

Thanks, Dr. Bowe!

Stay tuned for more Five Rules installments.

 “Five Rules,” is a series on Rouge18 in which I ask others to share their five rules for life about anything and everything. You can learn a lot about a person by reading which five things govern their actions, no?