PHOTO: BY BIRD’S EYE PHOTOGRAPHY

Besides being blessed with great genes and innate talent, stars like Sienna Miller and Penelope Cruz have something else in common—their secret weapon, Dr. Nigma Talib, ND. The naturopathic doctor and author of Younger Skin Starts in the Gut recently moved to L.A. from London, where she lived for more than a decade. In addition to creating individualized treatment plans using safe, natural remedies, Talib, or Dr. Nigma, as she’s often called, is known for her innovative and effective skincare and supplement lines.

“I became interested in health and wellness when I was six years old,” says Talib. “My grandmother used to give me turmeric mixed with honey whenever I had a cough or sore throat.” A bout with eczema as a teenager—and a visit with Dr. Kelly Farnsworth, ND—helped Talib discover that the food she ingested, stress levels and medical history all contributed. “I realized I had other health issues I would have never known had I not seen this amazing naturopathic doctor.”

Talib moved to L.A. at the urging of some famous friends. “Kate Bosworth pulled at my heartstrings, and Gwyneth Paltrow made me see the potential to help women have a voice for supporting their hormone and overall health in general,” says Talib. “L.A. is where things happen—they happen fast, and the word spreads across the globe at the speed of light. I find in other parts of the world, in particular, women feel guilty about doing stuff for themselves in terms of skin [and] health treatments. Because it’s not ‘conventional,’ they see it as a luxury, but in L.A., it’s essential. People here not only want to prevent disease and premature aging, but chronic issues, which naturopathic medicine does so well.”

PHOTO: COURTESY OF DR. NIGMA TALIB

There are a countless wellness practitioners in L.A., but Talib stands out for a variety of reasons. “I’ve always been so passionate about what I do and how I can help people find a solution versus putting a Band-Aid on top—that goes for skincare and ‘overall cellular wellness,’ as I call it,” she says. “If we bathe our cells in nutrient-dense food, quality supplements and meditation… we are changing the way our genetic material expresses itself. [Most of the time] a practitioner will do only inside work for the health of the body, but not the outside. I [am] different because I [focus on] inside-out optimal health and wellness.”

Since arriving in the City of Angels, Talib has been working nonstop, seeing clients and further expanding the reach of her products. Two of her bestsellers—the Beauty Cocktail Collagen Powder and the Super Vitamin C Cocktail—are now available at Erewhon. She’s also been focusing more on her second book. “I had started it in 2020 but had to take a break and see patients suffering with Covid and long Covid, which took up a lot of my time,” she shares. “But I’m back in the saddle… stay tuned!” healthydoc.com