Healthy skin isn't created by expensive creams, complicated skincare routines, or the latest beauty trend. It's a reflection of what's happening inside the body.

In this episode of Everyday Epigenetics: Raw. Real. Relatable., Susan Robbins sits down with licensed esthetician, Functional Medicine Practitioner, and founder of Skin Deep Aesthetics & Wellness, Samantha Dench, to explore the powerful connection between skin health and whole-body wellness. Together, they discuss how gut health, hormones, stress, sleep, nutrition, genetics, and lifestyle all influence the health and appearance of your skin. From acne and rosacea to eczema, premature aging, and perimenopause, Samantha explains why lasting skin health begins by addressing the root causes instead of simply treating symptoms.

Susan and Samantha also dive into today's biggest skincare debates, including sunscreen versus sunblock, the rise of aggressive skincare routines among younger generations, the impact of processed foods on aging, and why personalized health is essential for achieving healthy, resilient skin. This conversation is filled with practical takeaways that will change the way you think about skincare and remind you that your skin is often one of the body's first signals that something deeper deserves attention.

In this episode:

• Why healthy skin starts with gut health, hormones, and lifestyle
• The connection between stress, the nervous system, and common skin conditions
• How nutrition influences acne, rosacea, eczema, and premature aging
• The truth about sunscreen, sunblock, and healthy sun exposure
• Why perimenopause and menopause dramatically change skin health
• Simple lifestyle habits that support healthy skin from the inside out

Learn more about Samantha Dench:

Samantha Dench is a licensed esthetician, functional medicine practitioner, entrepreneur, and educator with over two decades of experience helping clients achieve clear skin from the inside out. As the founder of Skin Deep Esthetics + Wellness, she addresses the root causes of skin issues by understanding the connection between internal wellness and external beauty.

Samantha blends functional medicine with esthetics to empower clients and professionals alike to view the skin through a whole-body lens. Her focus is on women suffering from perimenopause and autoimmune conditions. Her work includes gut testing, customized nutrition and lifestyle plans to help her clients look and feel their absolute best at any stage of life.

She’s also the creator and host of The Functional Aesthetician Podcast, where she shares insights on how gut health, nutrition, hormones, and lifestyle impact skin health.

When she’s not working, this single mom of three finds balance in walks, baths, journaling, and spending time with her kids.

RESOURCES:

Connect with Samantha Dench:

Website: www.skindeepil.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skindeepil

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skindeepIL/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@skindeepil

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@skindeepil

Episode shownotes: https://healthyawakening.co/2026/07/13/episode132/

Connect with Susan: https://healthyawakening.co/

Visit the website: healthyawakening.co/podcast

Find listening links here: https://healthyawakening.co/links

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Have you ever wondered if frequencies could play a role in supporting your health? In this episode, Susan sits down with Stephen Davis, founder of the Nikki wearable, to explore the fascinating world of frequency wellness. Inspired by his family's long journey with Lyme disease, Stephen shares how years of searching for answers led him to develop a wearable device designed to deliver frequency-based wellness programs that support the body's natural healing processes.

Together, Susan and Stephen discuss how the Nikki is used for everything from stress, sleep, and recovery to athletic performance and Lyme support. Susan also shares her own experience using the device over the past several months and the changes she's noticed along the way. Whether you're curious about frequency technology, living with chronic health challenges, or simply looking for new ways to support your overall well-being, this conversation offers a thought-provoking look at an emerging area of wellness.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Stephen's personal journey that led to the creation of the Nikki wearable.
• What frequency wellness is and why it has become an area of growing interest.
• How Stephen believes frequency technology can support the body's natural healing processes.
• The connection between stress, sleep, immune function, and overall wellness.
• How the Nikki is being used for general wellness, recovery, athletic performance, and Lyme support.
• Susan's personal experience wearing the Nikki and what she observed over several months.
• Why healthy lifestyle habits remain an essential part of supporting long-term health.

Learn more about Stephen Davis:

Stephen Davis is a serial entrepreneur, venture capitalist, seasoned inventor & a healthcare pioneer with over 35 years in the global business economy. He has a deep passion for and involvement in mission-driven companies and organizations that seek to promote social good and greater access for all.

As a pioneer in health & wellness, he has co-developed a cutting-edge proprietary device, waveforce ONE, that utilizes frequency emission technology to temper and – in some cases – completely eliminate the symptoms of chronic Lyme disease and other debilitating ailments. This is a product Mr. Davis feels uniquely tethered to as the conception of the waveforce ONE stemmed from his own personal struggles with chronic Lyme disease having witnessed it upend the lives of his daughter and two grandsons. Beyond the overall hopelessness, the immense financial strain of sustaining the costly medications and treatments prompted Davis to seek out alternatives. Fortuitously, he connected with Stuart Gross who would introduce him to the groundbreaking frequency emission technology that would ultimately stave off the symptoms of his daughter and grandsons, as well as lay the foundation for the revolutionary and affordable waveforce ONE wearable device.

RESOURCES:

Connect with Stephen Davis:

https://wellness.wearenikki.com/

Episode shownotes: https://healthyawakening.co/2026/07/06/episode131/

Connect with Susan: https://healthyawakening.co/

Visit the website: healthyawakening.co/podcast

Find listening links here: https://healthyawakening.co/links

P.S. Want reminders about episodes? Sign up for our newsletter, you can find the link on our podcast page! https://healthyawakening.co/podcast

In this episode of Everyday Epigenetics: Raw. Real. Relatable., Susan Robbins sits down with Alyssa Blue, Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner, former aerospace engineer, and co-founder of Align Mat, for a powerful conversation about nervous system regulation, chronic stress, resilience, and what it truly means to create a foundation for healing.

In a world that constantly pushes us to do more, optimize more, and achieve more, many people are finding themselves exhausted, anxious, inflamed, and disconnected from their bodies. Susan and Alyssa explore why so many individuals are stuck in cycles of burnout despite doing all the "right" things, and how nervous system dysregulation may be the missing piece. They discuss the impact of chronic stress, biohacking overload, sleep disruption, information fatigue, environmental stressors, and the cultural pressure to always be productive.

Together, they challenge the idea that healing comes from adding more supplements, protocols, or wellness trends. Instead, they highlight the importance of creating safety within the body, honoring biological rhythms, building resilience, and learning to trust the body's innate ability to heal. This conversation is filled with practical insights, empowering perspectives, and reminders that true wellness begins when we stop fighting our bodies and start working with them.

In this episode:

• Why nervous system regulation is foundational for healing and recovery
• The connection between chronic stress, anxiety, sleep issues, and weight loss resistance
• How biohacking and wellness optimization can sometimes create more stress than health
• Why your body needs to feel safe before it can heal, recover, and thrive
• The impact of technology, social media, and information overload on the nervous system
• How beliefs, mindset, and emotional patterns influence physical health outcomes
• The importance of honoring circadian rhythms and listening to your body's signals
• Why personalized wellness matters more than following generic health advice
• The role of resilience, recovery, and creating balance in a high-stress world
• Practical ways to support your nervous system and reconnect with your body's natural intelligence

If you've been doing all the things but still feel exhausted, anxious, overwhelmed, or stuck, this episode offers a refreshing perspective on healing that goes far beyond supplements and protocols. Sometimes the next step forward isn't doing more, it's creating enough space for your body to do what it was designed to do.

Learn more about Alyssa Blue:

Alyssa is a non practicing Aerospace engineer that found the human body more fascinating than rockets. After suffering a health crisis in her early 20's she went on a decade long journey learning how to heal herself. Today as an FDNP, her research background shines, taking a deep dive to investigate her clients bio-individuality and walking with them on a path back to balance.

Out of a necessity to help more people than their 1-2-1 practice would allow, Alyssa and her partner Mike embarked on a 2.5 year R&D journey to co-create ALIGN. Clinically researched, meticulously crafted wellness tools that blend ancient wisdom with modern technology. Together they are on a mission to empower people to actualize their own true healing potential.

RESOURCES:

Connect with Alyssa Blue:

https://myalignmat.com

https://www.instagram.com/myalignmat/

https://www.facebook.com/myalignmat

https://www.youtube.com/@MY-ALIGN-MAT

Episode shownotes: https://healthyawakening.co/2026/06/29/episode130/

Connect with Susan: https://healthyawakening.co/

Visit the website: healthyawakening.co/podcast

Find listening links here: https://healthyawakening.co/links

P.S. Want reminders about episodes? Sign up for our newsletter, you can find the link on our podcast page! https://healthyawakening.co/podcast