For me, it always comes down to one simple question. Why? The answer usually isn’t quite as simple.

I’ve always been driven to have a deeper understanding of the human body. The intricate network of systems within the body reflected through everyday health is fascinating to me, and it led me to become a holistic esthetician more than twenty-seven years ago. My passion for the skin and body didn’t stop there - I became certified in Aromatherapy, Thai Body Massage and Reflexology, Advanced Skincare, and I’m a Certified Podologist through the North American School of Podology.

Since opening the award-winning Richmond spa, Tao Day Spa, I’ve helped hundreds of clients achieve their goals and improve their overall health and well-being through coaching, skin transformation through our services, and maintenance with organic products. By finding the root cause of any skin reactions, we can find the solution and provide preventative measures. I’m passionate about helping women heal their skin holistically, but nine years ago, my journey in holistic health became personal in ways I never could have imagined. It’s what has led me here today.

I’ve been mindful of my health for as long as I can remember. As an adult, I ate well and exercised often - I’ve climbed the Grouse Grind more times than I can count. (For those of you who don’t call Vancouver home, it’s known as ‘Mother Nature’s Stairmaster). It was during one of these hikes up to the peak of that it really hit me that something was wrong.

There were warning signs, of course. There always are. In my late thirties, I had developed asthma and eczema. My collagen production had also decreased, but all tests said I was the picture of health. It wasn’t until I found myself halfway up a mountain with unusual pain in my sides that I was confronted with the fact that the tests had to be wrong. I insisted on seeing a specialist and one week later I was diagnosed with cancer. Mere days after that I underwent a full hysterectomy.

As I lay in bed recovering, the same question kept coming back to me - why? I wanted to find out why I had cancer at 40 years old in the first place. Why I needed a surgery that left me struggling with severe temperature fluctuations, sweating, depression, and hormonal imbalances that usually come with menopause. Not to mention, extreme changes to my skin, collagen, and body. I decided to try and heal my body holistically.

I’ll forever be grateful to the herbalist I found who worked with me after my diagnosis. She did a blood panel test that revealed I had black mould in my blood and lots of it. I worked with her for years to purge my body of the black mould and am so glad to be free of it and free of cancer, eczema, and asthma today.

Going through my cancer journey, I became my own case study on holistic health. I also gained insight into what some of my clients had experienced. I’d been treating the skin of women undergoing chemotherapy for years and I knew what it did to their skin and body, but now I knew what it did to them emotionally.

I knew that to overcome my health problems after surgery, I had to strengthen and balance my body and skin again. Healing took years, but one of the most significant things I did was bringing the glow back into my skin. The healthier my skin was, the more confident and healthier I felt. My mission is to help women build their confidence by strengthening the health of their skin and body so they feel ready to take on any health obstacle they’re confronted with. I created Love & Natural so I can reach those in need beyond the spa and help women across Canada.

My cancer journey was actually the inspiration for our in-house line, esenti. The esenti custom facial oil is custom made to address the unique challenges of each person’s skin. The esenti body mist was created because as I healed I couldn’t use conventional deodorants with toxic ingredients, but I still wanted something that felt feminine and light and could be used to freshen up my sheets post-surgery.

My journey has led to an even deeper passion for helping my customers achieve their goals as our skin is a mirror of our internal health. No matter what you’re facing, know that I’m here to help you learn to love your skin and nourish it naturally.