It’s hard to believe that I started The Spa Dr. six years ago.
Whether you have been here since the beginning or you have just discovered us, I am so grateful you are here. It is truly my joy and passion to empower people to discover how they can take more control over their health, starting with the clues from their skin.
I started The Spa Dr. because I felt there was a need for a toxin-free skin care line that was luxurious, effective, and visibly enhances natural beauty. Now, as we celebrate our 6-year anniversary, it’s exciting to see how far we’ve come and where we are headed in the future.
But hold that thought – before I share what’s next, let’s take a walk down memory lane.
Where We’ve Come From
For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Dr. Trevor Cates, and I’ve been practicing as a licensed naturopathic physician for 21 years. I’m the founder of The Spa Dr. natural skin care and supplement line, and the author of Clean Skin From Within.
That doesn’t mean my skin has been perfect my entire life. Far from it!
I’ve had my own struggles with skin and health. When I was a kid, I was sick a lot – I experienced allergies, recurring infections, annoying skin bumps, and itchy rashes. After struggling with side effects from the various medications I was put on, my parents found a holistic practitioner and that approach changed my health and the course of my life.
The good news is that this journey is what eventually led me to naturopathic medical school.
As a medical practitioner, I began to notice skin clues in my patients and connected them to their health concerns. Ultimately, I determined that the skin is our magic mirror – it’s an outer reflection of our overall health.
I learned this firsthand as a child and discovered the implications in clinical practice from my patients. Acne, for example, often has root causes in hormonal imbalances and gut issues. Unfortunately, most women are prescribed birth control pills or Accutane to control acne, which can come with serious side effects and do not address the underlying cause.
In my 21 years of seeing patients, I’ve found that when I addressed the root cause of skin issues, it not only helped clear up skin conditions but also helped people prevent or address other health problems.
The Birth of The Spa Dr.
In the earlier years of my clinical practice in Santa Barbara and then in Park City at the Waldorf Astoria Spa, when I told my patients to choose non-toxic skin care, they replied that they were concerned about sacrificing their beauty routine and results.
Even my dermatologist and esthetician friends said, “natural skin care products just don’t work.” Determined to prove them wrong and find a solution, I dove into the research and learned about the skin microbiome (before it was all the buzz it is today). I learned about the importance of key ingredients that act as prebiotics, as well as the pH of formulas that support a healthy skin microbiome.
As I continued to do research, I couldn’t find a natural skin care line on the market that met my criteria:
- Free of hormone-disrupting chemicals and other toxins
- Containing key nutrients in their pure, active form
- Perfectly pH balanced for healthy skin
That’s when I decided to create my own unique 4-step skincare system: the Daily Essentials. And when I applied this in combination with my Clean Skin from Within 2-week program, it was a magical combination for my patients.
In 2015, when we introduced The Spa Dr. skin care products online, I have to admit the response blew me away. The testimonials poured in, and many of our customers have continued their autoship deliveries of the Daily Essentials skin care system since the very beginning.
In year 2 of The Spa Dr., my book Clean Skin From Within came out and it became a USA Today and Amazon #1 best seller in two categories. More testimonials flooded in about both the book and the Daily Essentials skin care system. I shared information about toxins in skincare, how to find natural alternatives, and my approach to address the root causes by traveling around the United States doing my public television special and on other TV shows like The Doctors and Extra TV.
Since then, The Spa Dr. line has expanded to new skin care products and a full line of supplements.
What Our Customers Say
Reflecting back on this journey, it is still so exciting to see people’s responses and the company’s growth. Six years later, we still receive testimonials every day that blow us away, such as this one from Kathleen Mortensen:
I used to spend a lot of money at the large department stores for skin care and makeup. I always purchased what I thought were quality products. I developed Ocular Rosacea and had a horrible rash on my skin and eye infection. I had to go to work makeup free and no skin care for close to 4 months. I had a professional job and met with many clients, so this was devastating to me. I have always been very organic with my eating habits and started to look for a clean source of skin care and I believe at that time, 6 years ago, The Spa Dr. was getting started with skin care and I loved the information available, and I purchased Dr. Trevor Cates’ book, Clean Skin From Within. This started my journey with The Spa Dr. skincare. It was the first series of products I used with NO adverse reactions to my skin. I am so happy with the way my skin feels and I even use ENHANCE glow boost on my hair for a little shine. I use CLEAR gentle cleanser for daily face cleaning but also works great for makeup removal. Once a week, I use the Pearl & Rose Petal Facial Exfoliant because I live in Arizona and the sun is a challenge to my skin.
Dr. Cates also has a very active Social Media presence and up to date information for total health. I love her products and look forward to trying some of the new products. I highly recommend all of The Spa Dr products and look forward to future offerings.
You can find other reviews HERE. And hundreds more below products in our store such as our best selling skin care system.
What’s Coming Next
Since my last book came out, one of the big questions I get asked about is how to resolve hormonal imbalances related to skin issues. Hormones also have been one of the primary focuses of my practice in medicine over the last 21 years. I’ve lost count of the number of patients who have come to me frustrated by the conventional approach that suppresses symptoms – or they’re told their lab results are “normal” and told their symptoms are from stress or aging.
I too had this experience. When I was 30 years old, a gynecologist said to me about my weight gain concerns, “well, you’re 30 now and you’re getting older, so it’s normal to put on weight.” I wasn’t satisfied with her answer, so I checked my hormone levels and found that I simply needed to get to the root causes and restore my hormonal harmony. My patients have had similar journeys, and I’ve helped them overcome their skin and health challenges.
Because of all the misunderstandings and confusing information online and in the media, I’m in the process of interviewing close to 50 experts for a docuseries on women’s health and hormones. Restoring our hormonal harmony is the key to restoring radiance, boosting energy, balancing our metabolism and so much more that helps us achieve our goals with our families, work, social lives, and overall health. When we are tired, moody, bloated, lacking sleep and overall drive, we are missing out on an opportunity to embrace life fully.
And that leads me to the next chapter of The Spa Dr. – as you read this, I’m working on my next book to help provide solutions to balancing hormones and restoring radiance.
I can’t wait to share with you Natural Beauty Reset: The Spa Doctor’s 7-Day Program to Harmonize Hormones and Restore Radiance – this and the docuseries are coming in 2022!
Again, I want to thank you for being part of The Spa Dr. community. My dream is to help you fall in love with your skin, feel confident and harmonious, embrace your natural beauty, and empower you to be an advocate for your own health!
The Spa Dr.® Approach
At The Spa Dr.®, our approach is to help shine the light on skin care information and offer our guidance to nurture your skin care journey. We believe we provide information that will help support your self-care and healing, and we want you to feel safe and cared for within our community.
The Spa Dr.® offers natural skin care products that are safe and free from chemicals and toxins that can harm your skin and health. Our products are formulated to contain key nutrients in their pure and active form in order to provide optimal results. In addition, our products are pH balanced toward mild acidity to promote and protect a healthy skin microbiome.
If you are not already part of The Spa Dr.® community, please join us at TheSpaDr.com and on social media.
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