While everyone’s root cause is different, and some people may need specialized testing and professional help (which I’m not certified to provide), there are several key lifestyle changes that helped improve my skin tremendously. Some of these tips have also been covered in My best tips to start healing acne, which could be a good place to start if you’re looking for super simple tips to get started.

Skincare & Makeup

One of the first things I recommend is checking your skincare and makeup for pore-clogging ingredients. These ingredients can irritate the skin and make you more likely to break out. Every person reacts differently, but there are some common ingredients to avoid.

How do you check for pore-clogging ingredients?
I start by using the Acne Clinic NYC Pore-Clogging Ingredients Checker. Simply search for the product online, copy the ingredient list, and paste it into the checker.

For a second check, I use The Emily Morrow Pore Clogger List.

If both checkers approve the product (which, honestly, isn’t that common), I feel good about trying it. However, some ingredients might come up as potentially problematic, and that’s where you can decide if you want to try them. For example, silicones aren’t classified as pore-clogging for everyone, but they cause closed comedones and sometimes pimples for me.

Quick tip: Make sure each ingredient is separated by a comma when you paste it into the checkers, or they might not work properly.

My last tip for skincare and makeup:
Don’t over complicate your routine. Avoid using too many actives (like retinol, exfoliators, or vitamin C) unless you know it’s necessary. A lot of people have compromised skin barriers and just need to simplify things, stick to a moisturizer and a gentle cleanser for a few weeks. 

If you need more guidance, check out @Emilymorrow on IG and The Skincare Experience on Facebook.

Diet & Nutrition

As I’ve mentioned in nearly every post, the more whole foods you eat, and the more variety, the better. A whole foods-based diet will transform your life. One key tip is to aim for a minimum of 30g of protein per meal, especially for breakfast. This helps maintain steady blood sugar and energy levels throughout the day. Steady blood sugar means you’re less likely to crave sugary foods, and it reduces overall inflammation.

Here’s a simple breakdown of how blood sugar works:
When your blood sugar spikes after eating, your body pumps out insulin to lower it. But if this happens too often, your body can become less responsive to insulin. This is called insulin resistance, and it’s a common issue that impacts much more than energy levels, it affects your skin too.

Insulin resistance messes with your body’s ability to regulate energy, including the health of your mitochondria, the tiny powerhouses inside each cell. When your cells aren’t producing energy properly, your skin suffers. Clear, healthy skin starts with balanced energy, so keeping blood sugar stable throughout the day isn’t just about avoiding the 3 p.m. slump, it’s about supporting every function of your body, especially your skin.

Also, alcohol won’t help your skin. It’s inflammatory and full of sugar, so cutting back on it can make a big difference. 

Focus on increasing your fiber intake through food, this is really important for digestion and skin health.

Minerals

I love the Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) test to better understand mineral levels, which impact every aspect of your health. For example, if you have a calcium shell, it can make it harder for nutrients to enter your cells, where they’re needed to support a healthy body.

Minerals are especially important for skin and hormone health, influencing how you handle stress, your thyroid function, insulin, cortisol, energy levels, mood, and much more.

How to start supporting your mineral levels today:

• Eat whole foods: Potatoes, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, cucumbers, melons, broths, soups, and herbal teas like nettle are all great sources of minerals.
• Magnesium: I personally take 400mg a day.
• Electrolytes: I use Jigsaw Pickleball electrolytes. I also recommend BodyBio E-Lyte to mineralize filtered water.

The HTMA test can show what your body needs, and which supplements might help. If you’re not sure how to read the results or don’t have time to learn, I recommend working with a practitioner. @HormonehealingRD on IG has a course called “Master Your Minerals” that I highly recommend. @LifeasJenn, who is the founder of fit + functional also has a group program called “Renew Your Energy” which seem to be really good for mineral balancing.

Other things that helped me

• Cod liver oil: It’s rich in Vitamin A (amazing for skin health) and Omega-3s (which reduce inflammation). It also has Vitamin D, which is important for hormone balance.
• Supporting Glutathione: I take 1500mg of NAC, but you could also try Milk Thistle (great for liver support), Schisandra (an adaptogen that helps with adrenal health), or liposomal glutathione (though I haven’t personally tried this). Glutathione is key for detoxing.

What’s next?

While these changes made a huge difference for me, they may not address the root cause of your skin issues. That’s why working with a practitioner is so important.

From my experience, the most common root causes of skin issues include:

• Inflammation
  • Poor lifestyle habits (alcohol, processed foods, lack of sleep, sedentary lifestyle)
• PCOS (not a true root cause but is caused by hormonal imbalances)
• Hypothyroidism 
• Gut dysbiosis
  • histamine problem
  • low stomach acid
  • low commensal bacteria
  • pathogens
  • bacterial overgrowth/sibo
  • candida/parasites/fungi
  • h pylori 
• Stress
  • HPA dysfunction/Cortisol/burnout/mineral burnout
  • Emotional stress (from toxic relationships, financial stress, lack of joy, work dissatisfaction)
  • Mineral imbalances

These factors are often connected, and working on one area can improve another. For example, treating gut dysbiosis without addressing why it happened in the first place will only result in temporary improvement.

Bottom line
Start by focusing on your diet, mineral levels, and making sure your skincare and makeup are free from pore-clogging ingredients. Just working on these three areas alone can create amazing results. Healing is never linear, so be patient, stay consistent, and remember, your body’s natural state is healing. Your skin and body are constantly working toward balance, and by making these changes, you can support that process. Acne is simply your body’s way of signaling that something is out of balance and needs support.