This post is going to be all about how to achieve clear skin 100% naturally.
Skin is a reflection of the body’s internal environment. It has a purpose, and that is to act as a barrier, to protect, absorb nutrients, and excrete toxins. It is the largest organ in the human body!
Skin that operates at its best looks clear, supple, and radiant.
I’m a strong advocate for a holistic healing approach when it comes to achieving clear skin. This is because I’ve been practicing natural remedies for quite a few years now and have experienced the many beautiful benefits that take place.
One of my favorite transformations that resulted from a healthy lifestyle is the clearing of the frustrating acne that filled my face a few years back:
5/2021:
My skin 2 years ago was inflamed, dull, and oily. My face felt bumpy to the touch and was constantly irritated.
At this point in my life, I was stressed and sleep deprived. My diet was poor, and my hormones were imbalanced. My health was clearly manifested through my skin.
5/2023:
Here is my skin now. I’ve come a very long way. My face feels smooth, and my overall health is drastically improved. All the changes I have made involve nourishment to the body from the inside out with a touch of TLC to the skin to leave my skin soft, refreshed, and healthy.
In today’s post, I’m going to be sharing the most effective practices I’ve taken to clear my acne completely naturally.
Medicated products have never been a part of my routine and to this day I continue to maintain clear skin without the use of any harsh chemicals.
Beautiful skin can be attained through simple lifestyle changes. These are the top 7 habits that will help you look and feel at your very best.
1. Diet
I attribute the majority of my results to how I eat. Diet is foundational to overall health, and therefore reflects in the skin. It makes a significant difference.
Whenever I make changes to my diet, I see changes in my skin, every single time.
Inflammation
Acne is a response to inflammation in the body. There are many ways to reduce it, and one of the easiest and quickest ways is by choosing a diet that works for your benefit.
Cut out
First, gluten, sugar, and dairy are highly inflammatory elements. In addition, processed foods as well, because of the high content of chemicals and preservatives that disrupt hormone and gut health.
I know this sounds like a headache. This puts almost every fun food under the umbrella. But, it’s certainly worth it. And trust me, after feeling the differences, going back becomes much less appealing.
I’ve felt and seen significant changes from eliminating or reducing gluten, dairy, sugar, and processed food.
Not only has my face cleared up; but other areas of my body are also improved. I have always been prone to keratosis pilaris —a skin condition of small red bumps (that almost look like a rash)—on the back of my arms.
In addition, when my intake of inflammatory foods goes up, I notice skin-colored texture and bumps on my forearms, shoulders, and other areas of the arm.
Cutting out inflammatory foods has completely cleared up the texture and bumps on my forearms, and helped to reduce the keratosis pilaris in the back of my arms.
It was clear that these skin conditions were simply reactions to what I was putting into my body.
And of course, the breakouts on my face reduce by cutting out these foods. The face is where I see some of the most obvious improvements.
Fill up
Second, there are many foods that fight inflammation, and the more they are consumed, the more the body is replenished with essential nutrients needed to clean itself out and function optimally.
These are all foods that come from nature in its rawest form. A diet rich in natural color—vegetables, herbs, roots, and spices—even meats vibrant in color— attribute to glowing and beautiful skin.
I personally find choosing foods to eat, an enjoyable process. It’s always satisfying to know that what I choose at the grocery store is going to work like a boost for my body and health.
Remember, it is best to purchase food that is as natural as possible. Preservatives, hormones (if buying meat), and pesticides are harmful to the body.
Easily Make the Transition
You don’t have to go cold turkey. Experiment with eliminating different foods, and watch how your body reacts.
Maybe one week you choose to focus only on cutting out dairy products, and the next week the focus is gluten. Or, you can practice replacing certain foods and finding healthier alternatives.
There is no need to try to do it all at once (unless you absolutely want to). Even small changes will make a difference.
2. Back-Sleeping
Sleeping on my side was another cause of the acne on my face. This is because of the skin’s exposure to oils/irritants, through tossing and turning, night sweats, or even laying on hair without realizing it.
I noticed acne lining the areas that touched the pillows most, so it made sense that my side sleeping could have contributed.
When I switched to back sleeping, this problem significantly went away.
Now for some, sleeping on the back can be a big change—for myself, it certainly was. But there are some ways to ease and work into it so that it can feel more natural:
- Sleep elevated –
- Sometimes 2-3 pillows underneath the head can make this position feel more natural. Even starting out on a couch could support the elevated sleeping position. This is a great way to start working into adjusting to the new sleeping position.
- Mouth Tapes –
- Mouth tapes promote nose breathing (which has many benefits).
- This discourages snoring and from my experience, improves sleep quality a TON. I wake up in the mornings breathing deeper, I wake up less in the middle of the night and dream more.
- In addition, nose breathing changes the shape of your face! This is due to the posture of your tongue when the mouth is closed.
- Mouth tapes promote nose breathing (which has many benefits).
- Optimal Back Sleeping Position – This sleeping position has been the most comfortable for me and helped me with my back sleeping.
- Place the pillow as far as your shoulder blades, and your arms above the head
- Place another pillow underneath your knees, and a small rolled towel under the back.
- Use a specialized back-sleeping pillow (in addition to the pillows mentioned above)
-
- Flawless Face Pillow – This back-sleeping pillow is a great addition to make the switch easy and comfortable. It is ergonomically designed to support healthy posture and keep you from rolling and turning during sleep. This is healthy for maintaining flawless skin.
As a former side sleeper, I understand how switching to back sleeping can seem daunting. The fact that I used to snore as well, added to the apprehension. (Mouth tapes can help with this issue). This may not be for everyone, but if possible, I highly recommend it.
The good thing is, it is something you can become comfortable with over time.
Sleeping on your back will not only help prevent acne, but it will prevent asymmetry in the face, as well as wrinkle formation. I encourage giving it a try.
3. Sleep
Going straight down the same path from the tip before, this one is obvious but important.
Sleep is a magic cure — for just about anything. When you sleep, your skin naturally glows in ways it would not otherwise. It’s like a facial without effort.
Now, I understand getting in enough sleep isn’t easy for many of us.
And if you’re like me, it can be especially difficult. I have always been a light sleeper and struggled with insomnia for years.
Stay tuned for sleeping tips that actually work, from a former insomniac.
Making whatever effort and setting aside whatever time you possibly can improve your sleep cycle will pay dividends.
The body needs time to repair itself and cleanse itself out and as we all know, sleep is when these processes are most effective.
For optimal sleep results, stop eating two-three hours before bed (fasted). This allows enough time for all the food in the body to digest. That way, when you are asleep, the body can most efficiently and effectively activate healing and cleansing processes.
Andrew Huberman discusses the processes and benefits in his Intermittent Fasting Podcast. Start at the time stamp at 42:07.
Healing acne starts from the inside. This is one of several factors that play a role in maintaining clear skin.
Although this is more of an indirect and longer-term approach, it is more important, because true healing starts from within.
I’m a strong believer that many health issues are manifestations of inflammation in the body. When you target the inflammation, the body will eventually radiate that on the outside.
Sleep, in addition, helps us emotionally. Stored stress and negative emotion can lead to acne. For myself, sleep leads to breakouts.
4. Facial Massages
Acne is one of the ways the body excretes toxins. Facial massages are helpful because they help drain lymph nodes from toxins present in the face.
This, in turn, discourages the production of acne.
In addition, facial massages define and sculpt and define the face.
There are many ways to perform a facial massage and many different exercises for it.
Two excellent influencers from which I’ve personally tried their programs, and seen great results are:
- @Karina_na_more —
- She provides a full-face marathon that includes a well-rounded plan of lymphatic exercises to improve the symmetry and appearance of the face.
- The only tool required is your bare hands.
- The program is rich with exercises and also focuses on posture, which she explains is the foundation of facial appearance.
- @_theskincoach_ —
- Her program provides a well-rounded, holistic approach to healing, from the inside out. This, in turn, results in optimal gut, hormone, and skin health. (When the body’s systems are functioning optimally, it shows externally, and can be felt)
- Her course includes a portion dedicated to facial massages – they are one of the key elements that play a role in clear and youthful skin.
Lastly, the usage of tools is a great addition and a nice way to change up how facial massages are done.
All you need is good quality facial oil, at minimum, your hands, and some tools.
Massages are great to be done daily to stimulate collagen and detox the face.
5. Strengthen the Skin Barrier
Acne can be a result of sensitive and irritated skin. When the skin barrier is thin and stripped, it becomes more sensitive to irritants and pollutants.
Remember that the skin is an organ. It has a function, and that is to protect and keep toxins out.
Sometimes, it is necessary to allow it to do its job. If we are consistently washing our face, even worse, with harsh chemicals, we wear away at healthy skin cells, therefore interfering with the skin’s natural functioning.
Maybe you are already experiencing a damaged skin barrier. The good news is, it’s very easy to fix, and you don’t need an expensive barrier-repairing product.
Washing the face only once a day can go a very long way.
I personally noticed my skin’s sensitivity and rosacea drastically reduce, when I started doing this.
Surprisingly, I found that I did not break out from washing my face only once a day.
Just keep in mind, there are some precautions to take when sleeping: If you are a back-sleeper, you don’t have much to worry about. However, if you are a side sleeper, using a real silk pillow case, and frequent changing of the case is necessary to avoid acne-causing bacteria from contacting the skin.
6. Derma-Roll
The derma roller is becoming increasingly popular nowadays.
It’s a facial roller with tiny needles. I first heard about derma rolling from Gin Amber, who heavily teaches about this specific topic.
The tiny needles in the roller create micro-punctures in the skin. This causes blood flow and nutrients to the affected areas to heal them. As a result, the skin repairs and rejuvenates itself. Over repeated application, the skin becomes healthier.
So essentially, derma rolling is a workout for the skin. There is intentional damage to induce repairing processes.
Derma-rolling helps with many skin issues; acne being one of them.
However, take precaution: if you have cystic or severe acne, avoid derma rolling, as it can worsen and agitate the skin.
Ever since I began derma-rolling, over a year ago, my skin has become increasingly smoother and more glowing.
If Derma rolling is completely new to you, Gin Amber outlines all of the basics and essentials to derma-rolling in this video.
7. Hylaronic Acid Spot Treatment
Maybe sometimes you get those random, stubborn big pimples.
Pimple patches are nice for these big pimple patches, but even better is hyaluronic acid.
Applying pure hyaluronic acid as a spot treatment for pimples is just, if not more (in my opinion) effective than the patches. And, having a bottle of pure hyaluronic acid available is beneficial—it can be used for multiple purposes than just attacking pimples directly– and, there’s way more product in a bottle which means more uses for way less money.
I credit this tip to Malia’s (@_theskincoach_) healing course.This course is amazing— it’s all about gut, hormones, skin, and overall healing. This is where I truly saw for myself that so much can change when you nurture yourself from the inside.
The beauty of this trick is that pure hyaluronic acid is clean, works just like (if not better) than a pimple patch, and has multiple uses so it is convenient to have around.
I see noticeable changes in my pimples after just one night of applying. With pimple patches, there’s only one application, so
These two pure hyaluronic acid serums are recommended in Malia’s Healing Course:
Conclusion
In 2021, I was going through a rough time with my health and skin. I used to struggle with acne that broke out all over my face.
I went on a healing journey since then and learned how to clear my skin, completely naturally. To this day, my skin is clear, and I am able to maintain it.
I emphasize the importance of healing skin naturally—from the inside – out. This is because radiant skin is one of the many expressions of a healthy lifestyle and body. The skin can be an indicator of what’s going on inside.
Here, I am tackling acne from its source over just treating it. Acne is a result of inflammation in the body, and working to fight the inflammation will, in the long run, help heal it. This was certainly the case for me.
These tips are ordered from most effective to least effective and are the exact ways I have achieved, and maintain clear skin naturally.
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