Azizam: Why Love Heals Your Skin – And How Traditional Persian Medicine Explains It
on April 06, 2025

Azizam: Why Love Heals Your Skin – And How Traditional Persian Medicine Explains It

I want to let you in on a secrets skincare isn’t just about what you slap on your face.

It’s how you’re feeling and who you’ve got around you. And whether you show up for yourself with the same tenderness you give everyone else.

The word “Azizam” has been floating around a lot lately (thanks Ed Sheeran), and it hit me hard.

Because it’s not just cute. It’s home. it’s my childhood and my present 

Azizam is what my mum & dad call  me. It’s what I whisper to my son. It’s woven into our language, but also into how we express care.

And that’s why I wanted to write this. To remind you that the glow you’re chasing might not be in a bottle. It might be in how deeply you’re being loved. Or how deeply you’re loving yourself.

Traditional Persian Medicine knew this long before skincare trends exploded.

It teaches that your emotional world directly affects your physical state. Especially your skin.

So let’s talk about it—through the lens of tradition, science, and personal experience.

And yes, there will be Sefidab®. And tea. Always tea.

Love Is Skincare. Literally.

We don’t talk about this enough.

We talk about exfoliation. Retinol. SPF.

But what about:

  • Getting a real hug?
  • Someone rubbing your back?
  • A long phone call where you belly laugh until your mascara runs?

That’s skincare.

Not metaphorically. Biologically.

Touch, affection, feeling safe—they lower cortisol, balance hormones, and increase blood flow. Traditional Persian Medicine sees these effects in terms of mizaj (your body’s temperament). When you’re in a state of love or deep connection, your body becomes more warm and moist—which just so happens to be the best internal condition for skin renewal, digestion, sleep, and healing.

That dry, brittle, flaky vibe? It often reflects a cold, dry temperament—the one that shows up when you’re anxious, disconnected, or overworked.

You can put all the moisturiser on it you want. But if you’re crying in the car and skipping meals? Your skin will snitch on you.

How Traditional Persian Medicine Breaks This Down

Here’s the structure.

There are four primary temperaments in Traditional Persian Medicine:

  • Choleric (Hot + Dry)
  • Sanguine (Hot + Moist)
  • Phlegmatic (Cold + Moist)
  • Melancholic (Cold + Dry)

When you’re in love, or feeling deeply cared for, you naturally lean into a more sanguine state.

That state is where all the good stuff happens:

  • Smooth digestion
  • Clear, glowy skin
  • Stable hormones
  • Balanced emotions

It’s why I always say: your skincare routine should start with a check-in.

How are you really? What are you carrying? When’s the last time someone poured into you without asking for anything back?

And if you’re in a season where that love has to come from you alone—that counts.

It might even be more powerful.

What Love Looks Like In My House

I’m not about the elaborate 10-step routines.

Here’s what I actually do:

  • Boil water, brew Damnoosh™ Immunity Tea (Sumac Berry + Echinacea)
  • Light incense or burn wild rue to clear the vibe
  • Rub rosewater on my pulse points and say a prayer
  • Massage my face with oil if I’m feeling dry
  • Use Sefidab® Face Detox 2-3x a week to gently exfoliate

That’s it.

Nothing fancy. Just consistency. Intention. Ritual.

When I treat my routine as an act of love, not self-critique, everything shifts.

Let’s Talk Gut + Skin (and the Liver’s Role)

Traditional Persian Medicine puts a huge focus on liver health. The liver is considered the seat of beauty.

If your liver is congested or sluggish, it will show on your skin. No serum can cover that.

So what helps?

  • Drinking Damnoosh™ daily
  • Cutting out processed junk when possible
  • Making sure you’re going to bed before midnight (a big one in Traditional Persian Medicine)
  • Moving your body gently
  • Taking emotional rest seriously

Honestly, one of the best skin decisions I ever made wasn’t a product.

It was deleting WhatsApp for a week.

My face relaxed. My digestion improved. I felt human again.

Sefidab® Isn’t Just a Product. It’s a Cultural Hug.

If you grew up Persian, you probably saw a Sefidab puck in your grandmother’s bathroom.

We’ve modernised it, added healing botanicals like calendula, rose, papaya—but the essence is the same.

It clears away dead skin without stripping. It brings your skin back to a balanced state. It doesn’t fight your skin. It works with it.

Use Sefidab® Body Detox once or twice a week. Use the Face Detox version even more if you like. But be gentle. This isn’t a punishment. It’s a reset.

Six Lifestyle Principles You Can Actually Stick To

Traditional Persian Medicine encourages balance through six core lifestyle principles:

  1. Nutrition – Eat warm, cooked foods in cold seasons. Raw cooling foods in heat.
  2. Sleep – Honour circadian rhythm. Sleep before midnight. Wake with light.
  3. Movement – Gentle, regular movement is medicine.
  4. Air – Breathe clean air. Avoid damp, musty or stagnant environments.
  5. Emotional hygiene – Avoid overstimulation, gossip, toxic content.
  6. Seasonal awareness – Adjust diet and habits with nature’s rhythms.

You don’t need to be perfect. But if you’re waking up anxious and your skin is inflamed? Start here.

You’d be surprised how much changes when you sleep well, move your body, and drink tea.

More on that here.

Let Me Say This Plainly, in Eanglsin of course.. 

Love is a legitimate health tool.

If your skincare plan doesn’t include:

  • A relationship with your emotions
  • Understanding your temperament
  • Daily rituals that ground you

…then it’s incomplete.

And no, this isn’t about needing a romantic partner. That’s just one kind of love.

The kind that heals your skin?

  • A best friend who sends you a random voice note
  • Your kid climbing into bed at 6am
  • You saying no to something that drains you
  • You making soup and watching reruns alone, guilt-free

That love glows.

Next Steps for You

  • Make a cup of Damnoosh™
  • Use Sefidab® without rushing
  • Choose one of the Four Temperaments to explore
  • Do something kind for yourself today
  • DM me what your ritual looks like @etwlife.com

So What Now..

The more I lean into my Persian roots, the more I understand the medicine in everyday rituals.

Azizam isn’t just a word. It’s how we show love.

I built The East To West Lifestyle Co. from that energy.

From the belief that glow is personal.

From the realisation that skin responds better to care than to control.

So whatever season you’re in—grieving, glowing, growing—you’re not alone.

Your body is listening.

Let it feel loved.

Shop the Ritual

Need help figuring out your temperament or picking a routine? Message me. I’m here for that or go to Temperament on on my website to do a test 

Love & Light

Sherry

"I would recommend it to everyone – my skin is always left 
fully exfoliated but without any redness. It’s a great base to 
start my skincare routine."

Poppy - Sefidab® Face

"I bought this for my teenage daughter who is suffering from acne and has very sensitive skin; this has really helped her complexion and given her a boost of confidence."

Razia - Sefidab® Body

"I’m really happy with the results, I use it 1 to 2 times a week, and I’m always left feeling so refreshed and cleansed.  The glove is beautiful, too."

Niloo - Sefidab® Body