About Skin Friend
Skin Friend was created for people with multiple food intolerances.
Developed by nutritionist and author Karen Fischer, Skin Friend was born out of a desperate need to find supplements that were free of salicylates (found in fruit flavourings and teas), biogenic amines, histamines, gluten, dairy, soy, caffeine, colours, flavours and preservatives, to name but a few.
Our supplements reflect our values which include a commitment to providing ingredients that are non-GMO and vegan-friendly, and the bespoke jars are reusable.
Join our caring and sensitive online community for supplements, support and dietary advice.
Meet the team...
Karen
Our founder Karen Fischer is a nutritionist, mother of two, and an award-winning author whose personal family journey with eczema is the reason Skin Friend exists.
Karen's passion for helping people with skin disorders began when her baby developed eczema, which worsened by age two. So with Karen's knowledge of nutritional biochemistry, she designed The Eczema Diet.
Karen says: “I grew up eating a lot of junk food and dairy products and I was a sickly and shy child with dermatitis, depression, dark circles under my eyes and allergies (a classic histadelia child!). However, healthy food and exercise really changed my life for the better. The best health advice I can give is to ‘create a life you love to look at’. For me this means leading a quiet life out of the spotlight, doing yoga daily, beach walks, wearing hats and feasting with family and friends.”
Karen's books include The Eczema Detox, The Eczema Diet, Healthy Family Happy Family, Don't Tell Them It's Healthy, Younger Skin and The Healthy Skin Diet. Her next book is due for release in 2020.
Katie
Katie is a nutritionist registered with the Australian Traditional Medicine Society, and a wonderful cook who contributes to developing and preparing the delicious eczema-friendly recipes for our blog at eczemalife.com.
Katie also looks after our social media and oversees the Eczema Diet Support Group. If you're having trouble following any of Karen's diet programs or if you want further advice, you can book an appointment with Katie here.
Kelly
Kelly is in charge of customer relations and is a part of our team in reception. She is a nutritionist with an Advanced Diploma and is about to finish her Bachelor in Nutrition and Dietetics in 2019.
Kelly followed a few different career paths including working in hotels, retail, and hospitality until she realised that nutrition and health were her true calling. Kelly says “I absolutely believe we are what we eat and I feel so thankful for all of the knowledge I have gained in my degree. I have an absolute passion for health and nutrition and I love seeing the benefits that a healthy diet and lifestyle has had on myself and my family. My son recently had some eczema flares but thankfully we have seen improvements through using Karen's supplements and by being mindful of his diet and environmental exposure.”
In Kelly’s spare time she loves going to the beach with her two little boys, as well as cooking and eating and keeping active.
Sarah
Sarah is a part of our team in reception and packaging, and she is a second year student, currently studying for Bachelor of Health Science, majoring in Naturopathy.
Before embarking on her studies, Sarah worked as a make-up artist and fashion stylist for a number of years, where she often worked with people who suffered from a wide range of skin problems. One of the common themes she noticed was that people seemed to be largely unaware of how much of an impact diet has on the skin, often turning to ‘band aid’ solutions to fix their skin issues. During this time Sarah also began to develop quite severe pompholyx eczema on her hands which left her desperate for relief from the constant itching and burning.
Sarah says “I strongly believe in food as medicine and holistic healing, and I have a passion for creating delicious and nutritious whole food recipes to help heal the body from the inside out. I had always been interested in alternative and natural healing, however after seeing multiple doctors that prescribed different steroid creams for my eczema, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I eventually figured out it was an allergic reaction to soy products and this sparked my interest in changing career paths. Alongside my eczema issues, I have suffered my whole life with asthma, air-borne allergies and hormonal issues, all of which have greatly improved since I made the conscious decision to put my health first in relation to what I was eating and putting in my body.”
Sarah has a keen interest working with young families and children and wishes to help them create the healthiest and happiest life possible.
Bonnie
Bonnie is also part of our team in reception and packaging, and she is a third year student, currently studying for a Bachelor of Health Science, majoring in Nutrition and Health Promotion.
Bonnie’s health journey began when she developed chronic eczema as a child, which continued into her adolescent years. Despite years of taking strong medications and steroid creams she continued to suffer chronic eczema. This had a significant impact on Bonnie.
Bonnie says “In my mid-teens I embarked on a new journey to heal my skin from the inside out after reading Karen’s books. To my delight my skin completely healed. The dramatic change to my health sparked something inside of me. I realised the incredible impact of diet and lifestyle, and how much it has an effect on our lives both good and bad.”
It was this interest that encouraged Bonnie to study for a Bachelor of Health Science in the hope of helping others. She is very thankful to work at Skin Friend as she is now able to offer support and share her personal journey with eczema.
With a love of children and a passion for nutrition, Bonnie says: "I have a keen interest in educating and improving the health of young people. My ultimate goal is to show little ones that veggies can be delicious and they really do give us super powers!"
Photo of Karen and family by Lyn McCreanor; Staff photos by Karen Fischer.