With a background in naturopathic medicine and over 15 years’ experience as a skin therapist, Nataliya Robinson has an innate understanding of the skin which started with her own experience of acne as a teenager. Her holistic approach is combined with her motto ‘do not harm’.

We speak to Nataliya Robinson about the benefits of natural skin treatments, the impact of nutrition on the skin and fitness as an anti-ageing regime.

Tell me a bit about yourself and your background in beauty.
I first became interested in the idea of skin health at the age of 13 when I had a sudden attack of acne. My interest grew and led naturally to wanting to work in this field. My career began in Russia working alongside a dermatologist who specialised in acne treatments. 

You have a holistic approach to skincare - tell me more about that.
The guiding principle of my holistic approach is Premum Non Nocere (‘First Do Not Harm’). I prefer non-invasive treatments, which minimise the risk of any harmful side-effects. I also try to avoid any skin treatments that create prolonged inflammation of the skin. Many professional treatments on the market may give an ‘instant’ result, but the price to pay is that it also leaves a prolonged inflammation, which damages skin cells and is not beneficial to long-term beautiful skin. I strongly believe that any treatments leaving inflammations actually age us, especially any that have left a long-term skin irritation. 

How ingrained are nutrition and good skin?
Nutrition and good skin walk together hand in hand. Without a good diet there cannot be healthy skin. So your diet needs to contain plenty of antioxidants, amino acids and essential fatty acids to feed the skin. I see the visible proof of this when I give clients my favourite Herbal Peel massage, which contains these ingredients. This has the immediate effect of bringing oxygen and healthy nutrients to the skin’s surface. 

How do you see people’s lifestyles reflected in the condition of their skin?
The lifestyle we choose has a direct impact on the health of our skin. For instance an early night will always pay dividends in younger-looking, healthier skin. I can tell at a glance all those who keep late nights – if you go to bed later than 10.30pm you will certainly get dark shadows under your eyes, as your skin needs lots of time to recover from the stresses of the day, a lot of which it gets from sleeping. 

What are your top lifestyle tips for people who want naturally beautiful skin? 
Try and avoid stress as this will lead to acne and red, itchy skin. If this isn’t possible then make sure you give your body time out each day from stress. So, watch a comedy, take a walk, dance, shout or even cry (crying helps relieve your inner energy), or take a bath with Epsom salts. Trying to live in harmony with the world really pays dividends!
How important do you think natural ingredients are to the skin?  Freshly prepared natural ingredients are as important as freshly-squeezed juice.  That’s because natural ingredients are recognised and absorbed by the body much more easily, so your skin doesn’t need to work as hard to absorb them.

What is your own daily beauty regime?
It’s never the same – I’m always trying different things. For example one morning I could wash my face with honey, the next I will wash it with oats. Yesterday I washed my face with soya milk and in the evening I applied a simple DIY mask made from yeast. However, I don’t use natural ingredients all the time as I need to test new commercial skin care products for my clients. 

Have any beauty or health products been game-changers for you? 
Yes. The original Blemish Balm by Dr Schrammek, first created more than 60 years ago, has been my favourite concealer for the past four years. A health product that I’m taking religiously at the moment is fresh frozen organic Royal Jelly – great for boosting immunity and general good health. 

Is fitness important to you?
It’s very important. When you undertake any type of exercise that involves the heart beating faster, this changes your body temperature and makes you breathe more deeply. This in turn improves the circulation and lymphatic flow all over the body, including the brain. So exercise not only keeps you fit and active but it also acts as part of an anti-ageing and anti-disease programme. 

How do you relax?
I relax by walking on Hampstead Heath with my dogs. I also love to bathe my feet in Epson or Magnesium salts for 10-15 minutes before bedtime – it works amazingly well. And, of course, now and then nothing beats a glass of red wine and chocolates.


Interview by our resident beauty writer Jenni Retourné of Style with Substance. With a career in the beauty industry spanning almost a decade, Jenni has a huge interest in health and nutrition, believing that everything you eat has an effect both on the outside and inside.