The answer to Rosie Speight's post-pill breakouts could only be found in a clinic. So she and best friend nutritional therapist Alice Mackintosh joined forces to fix that by creating their own range of skin-boosting supplements. Here’s their story
I’d been on the contraceptive pill for years and wanted a good break before my husband and I started trying for a baby. As soon as I came off it though, I started developing terrible acne all over my face and neck that was showing no sign of abating.
At the time, I was working in sales at an investment bank, so life was pretty fast-paced and quite stressful. I was trying to stay fit and eat well, but like so many other busy women, I was working long hours, grabbing lunch on the go and often spending evenings out with clients or friends.
I tried countless different topical treatments and facials but they didn’t do anything aside from put a nice dent in my purse! All of the facialists I saw said that I should go on Roaccutane , which was the last thing that I wanted to do when thinking about trying for a baby.
Luckily, my best friend is one of London’s leading nutritional therapists, specialising in skin health. Alice Mackintosh and I met at university almost 15 years ago and have been at each other's side through many ups and downs over the years as all close friends have - as each other’s bridesmaids, helping with house moves, new jobs, bereavements… and I was very lucky to have such an amazing therapist on-hand to help.
Alice helps women suffering from breakouts after coming off the pill all the time in her clinic, as well as for many other skin issues and general imbalances often related to the busy urban lifestyles so many of us live. From her years of study (she has two degrees) and experience, she knows how to get fast results. She prescribed a programme for me to follow that included a few small dietary modifications and taking seven different supplements. Within just a couple of weeks, my acne was disappearing and my scars fading.
But this range of supplements did more than clear up my skin, it made me feel the best that I’d felt in years. My energy levels were through the roof, I could concentrate for longer, my digestion was smoother, my mood more balanced and my immunity stronger - Alice’s advice totally fixed me from the inside out.
Breakouts after coming off the pill are a common problem, but at the time, the only way for women to get hold of this incredibly effective yet complex combination of ingredients was through a practitioner. The supplements I was taking came in nondescript bottles with next to no information on them, so without an expert, you wouldn’t really know where to start. What’s more, taking seven different products is expensive, time-consuming… and the bottles take up a lot of shelf space. Alice and I shared the same vision of wanting to provide all of these key ingredients in one affordable product so other women could easily access them. So we joined forces and launched our brand, Equi London .
Beauty Formula is born
We called our first product Beauty Formula and as well as containing all of the supplements that I took, we added even more skin-boosting ingredients to help not just those with acne or stress and time-of-the-month related flare-ups, but also those who want to slow the signs of ageing, reduce redness, rosacea, dry skin and eczema or just to get that gorgeous, radiant glow.
The cherry on top is that it also improves your energy at the same time thanks to our range of high quality and carefully curated ingredients that support everything from digestive health to hormone levels and stress systems. We’re meticulous about everything that goes into our products - everything’s natural and there for a nutritional reason. And, unlike many of the cheap options that you’ll find on the high street, our supplements don’t contain binders, chemicals, fillers or low-quality ingredients. It's become the product that we're most known for and has won numerous awards over the years, including 'Best New Health & Wellbeing Product' in the 2016 Beauty Awards and an InStyle 'Best Beauty Buy' in 2017.
Our formulas reflect Alice’s in-clinic recommendations to her patients where she’s all about a 360 approach to skincare from the inside out. I’ll hand over to Alice to explain the science-side of things and how taking Beauty Formula alongside making some valuable dietary adjustments can provide the solution to your post-pill breakouts in the same way it did for me.
How Beauty Formula can help you
It’s common to notice changes to skin when coming off the pill as hormone levels change and your own natural cycle comes back and finds its own balance. This can take time, but there are some things you can to do support this process:
Hormonal support
Imbalances to testosterone, oestrogen and progesterone can lead to spot prone skin and some of the best ways to manage this is to reduce sugar intake, eat an anti-inflammatory diet (oily fish, turmeric, flaxseed, ginger, garlic, green tea and colourful vegetables) and get plenty of fibre to keep the gut moving each day.
B vitamins, iodine, zinc and magnesium are important nutrients for hormone balance, all of which are included in Beauty Formula, as well as schisandra - an ancient Ayurvedic herb shown to help support healthy female hormone balance.
Aiding natural detoxification
Hormone levels naturally fluctuate throughout our monthly cycles, and the liver is responsible for breaking them down so they can be removed from the body. Supporting these processes is essential when it comes to managing acne and foods like nettle tea, green leafy vegetables and eggs are good for liver function. Beauty Formula includes choline, turmeric, folate, B12, milk thistle and important liver antioxidants glutathione, alpha-lipoic-acid and methionine to aid this process.
Digestive health
Many clients with acne also complain of constipation or can find they regularly get bloated and uncomfortable after meals.
Fermented foods and a fibre-rich diet are key for this, as are good quality probiotics such as those that we include in Beauty Formula - Lactospore® is dairy-free and super resilient so the bacteria get to the gut alive.
Skin targeted nutrients
As well as targeted internal systems like hormones and digestive health, we also want to deliver key nutrients to the skin to help nourish skin cells from the inside out. Equi Beauty Formula contains a super powerful, science-backed blend called GlowCutis®. Working synergistically to support every step of the cell cycle to help create bright, glowing skin, this includes vitamin C, zinc and silica, collagen, hyaluronic acid and super skin antioxidants resveratrol and pine bark.
Whatever your concern, there's an Equi supplement for you
While our original inspiration was rooted in skincare, our philosophy has evolved to support other areas of women’s health, we have products for energy, healthy weight loss and pregnancy. See which formula is right for you .
Beauty Formula, £53 for a 30-day supply. Buy it online here and explore the full Equi London supplement range here . Get 30% off until midnight on 31 July 2019 with the code GTG30
Written in partnership with Equi London.