If you’re here, you’ve already slathered on every “miracle” product promising to clear skin. You’ve tried those mild cleansers, oil free products and more.

One thing I hate about most clear skin advice is it’s generic and doesn’t go after the root cause. We’re about to change that!

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, just a girl who is conquering her skin problems one ZIIP facial at a time. With a balanced diet, managing the sun’s rays, and the right tools and products, people with acne can say goodbye to breakouts.

Understand Your Skin’s Needs

Know Your Skin Type

Oily Skin
Oily skin has excessive sebum, an oily substance, that beautifully handles more disruption to the skin barrier when you use higher strength products or go get a peel in the office. However, it also creates a nutrient-rich surface for bacteria to survive and clog your pores.

Dry Skin
Dry skin (like mine) tends to have a more delicate skin barrier (less sebum) and therefore can still get clogged. but it’s more likely from irritation (like fragrance or environmental triggers). It also responds better to lower strength products since the barrier can be thinner. And if the skin gets too dry, it can trigger the sebaceous glands to produce more oil, triggering congestions and leading to breakouts.

Diet

Ever notice your skin is worse after a decadent chocolate eclair? Truffle Fries? Pizza? Meet the gut-skin axis.

Your skin reflects your gut. A 2016 study from the American Academy of Dermatology links sugars, dairy, and refined carbs to insulin spikes that boost sebum and inflammation, worsening acne. Dairy’s hormones, like IGF-1, can disrupt your skin’s microbiome.

To support clear skin:

Pre and Probiotics
Check out Seed Probiotic–I’ve found it to be life-changing for repairing the skin barrier.

Healthy fats
Eat a healthy diet of omega-3 fish (like sardines), olives, tallow, and ‘whole’ foods fats

Take a cue from the French and cap sugary and fried foods at once per week, eat fish once per week, and vary your meals for a proper nutrient-packed glow. For dairy, stick to grassfed dairy like Alexandre milk that doesn’t use seed oils in their production.

Pro Tip: Fermented foods like yogurt enhance nutrient absorption and outperform supplements. Try Dr. William Davis’ homemade yogurt recipe for an extra nutrient boost.

Environmental triggers

We’re talking about mold, pet dander, and even pesticides. Check your home for triggers like harsh cleaning products, and review medications (e.g., steroids) that may increase sebum.

UVA and UVB rays: Does the sun help pimples?

Daily low dose sun exposure has many benefits. However, excessive ultraviolet UV rays can inflame skin, so wearing sunscreen or clothing with sun protection most of the day is crucial to prevent sun damage, dark spots. Too much sun can create a cycle of excessive oil production on blemish prone skin since the sun dries it out.

Remember to keep it short. Too much exposure can cause a rebound!

Stress and Hormones

Stress elevates cortisol, stimulating sebum production, while dairy and high-glycemic foods can exacerbate inflammation, per a 2016 dermatology study. These things can decrease anti-inflammatory microbes like Lactobacillus, worsening acne. Manage stress with 7-8 hours of sleep, meditation, and gentle exercise to calm your skin’s microbiome.

Scroll to the bottom for discount codes!

 

Build Your Clear Skin Routine

The ZIIP Advantage: My clear skin superstar

ZIIP is my ride-or-die for camera-ready skin—a revolutionary microcurrent device delivering professional-grade results at home.

The ZIIP DOT, designed for acne, targets breakouts, bacteria, redness, and inflammation in 2-4 minutes daily, reducing acne by 44% in 12 weeks, per clinical trials. Its compact, travel-friendly design and calming conductive gel (Aloe and Dendriclear to balance the skin microbiome) make it perfect for busy schedules and jet-setters.

For those over 30, the ZIIP Halo tackles acne, hyperpigmentation, and aging, but the DOT’s affordability (half the Halo’s price) and acne focus make it a must-have. Use ZIIP nightly after washing your face, and pair with diet changes to say goodbye to breakouts. It’s your acne-fighting superhero.

Use code VANILLAZIIP for 10% off ZIIP Tools and all ZIIP gels

Other Tools

Blue light therapy
Blue light and infrared together are like magic. If you can afford the Dermalux, that’s the best tool on the market (IMO) for isolating colors to heal your skin. If you’re on a budget, Currentbody just came out with a new acne mask (review coming soon!) that does a great job eliminating the bacteria with blue light and healing your skin with the red light.

BeautyBio
Glo Facial Hydro infusion gently extracts active pimples overnight, ideal for oily skin. It targets only ready-to-pop blemishes, ensuring safety. Do not pop pimples by hand.

I’ve found doing this tool before the ZIIP DOT on active pimples cleared up those pesky pustules overnight because it attacks on all sides.

Microdermabrasion
Clears buried breakouts but limit to once weekly, especially for skin dry, to avoid barrier damage. I like PMD Beauty’s tool.

Water Filter
Consider a filter if you have a lot of contaminants in your water or hard water. I like Filterbaby for the bathroom sink. For the shower I like Jolie and AquaBliss.

Supplements

Unfortunately, soil depletion is real. If you’re keeping your diet varied, real and fermented foods always trump isolated pills for bioavailability. However, if you spend your days behind a desk and missing your Vitamin D sunshine, or grabbing meals on the go, these acne-fighting supplements can help fill in the gaps:

Probiotics
Take Bifidobacterium supplements to support the gut-skin axis, per a 2022 International Journal of Molecular Sciences study. Try Seed or MegaSpore.

Zinc & Selenium
These regulate oil and inflammation. I like Earthley’s Oyster supplement for this.

Cod Liver Oil
Cod liver oil reduces inflammation and aids cell turnover and is rich in Vitamin A, D, and Omega 3. Use within a month to avoid oxidation and possibly carcinogens (See Deeper Nutrition by Dr. Shanahan).

Vitamin E
If you struggle with scarring, this is your best friend, both internally and topically. Choose non-synthetic Vitamin E like Nordic Naturals Vitamin E Complex (d-alpha-tocopherol and mixed tocopherols with olive oil, not seed oils) for better absorption, per a 2018 Nutrients study.

Skincare Products for Clearer Skin

Build a skincare routine: cleanse, moisturize, treat.

Start with Face Cleansing: How to use cleanser
Start by washing your face twice daily with warm water (lukewarm water since hot water can strip) and a pH-balanced face wash (4.5–5.5) like Frownies pH Balancing Face Wash or Potency No. 710 Filthy Face Cleanser specially formulated to preserve the skin microbiome. Frownies Cleanser, with willow bark and soapwort, suits all skin types, while Potency No. 710’s charcoal and green tea detoxify acne-prone skin. Top product picks:

Clearstem Skin care (oily skin)
This face wash cleanser and Clearity serum got rid of a blackhead my 23 year old friend had for months in one go. She has oily skin.

AverraGlow (dry skin)
My friend, 33, who has dry skin but terrible cystic acne used this kit with amazing results instead of using acne medication.

Potency No. 710 Gold Serum
The Before/Afters are incredible and the serum smells amazing. I prefer the gold serum more for oily skin (less sensitivity to strong oils) but I’ve used it for years with my dry skin because there are ZERO chemicals in it.

Spot treatment: Mario Badescu drying lotion
Shrinks pimples overnight. Kate Somerville has a stronger version here.

Serum: Topical Retinoids
If you’re like me and retinols irritate your skin, try retinyl propionate, like the one from Dermageek. It’s the only retinoid my sensitive skin can tolerate and it absolutely cleared my skin.

Serum: Niacinamides
If you need oil regulation, try this.

Alternative strategy: Oil
Surprisingly a great way to reduce and remove excess oil is with oil itself! Fractionated (not regular) coconut oil (like in Potency No. 710), jojoba oil (same pH as skin), and tea tree oil (if in a carrier oil like jojoba) can all be beneficial. Despite oil free moisturizers being recommended for a clear face, oil will not make acne worse.

Acid exfoliation

Shed that top layer of dead skin cells with a mask to exfoliate once a week.

Lactic Acid
Best for sensitive skin. I like the Lactic Acid mask from Arcona and The Ordinary serum (it has HAs, so add squalane over it to prevent dry skin).

Glycolic acid
I’m obsessed with Arcona’s Gentle Solution since it’s made for sensitive and dry skin. Try this one if you don’t need it to be gentle.

Azelaic Acid (10%) and salicylic acid
Apply nightly to reduce acne and calm redness, per a 2021 Journal of Clinical Medicine study. I have not found a formula that has worked for my sensitive skin unfortunately.

Zinc based Sunscreen (SPF 30 minimum!)

Zinc-based broad spectrum sunscreen is generally the best sunscreen for acne prone skin and skin problems due to its non-comedogenic, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties.

I like Sun & Sol SPF 50 for my dry skin because it doesn’t have a white cast and is moisturizing enough it can replace my morning creams. EltaMD UV Clear SPF 46, a zinc-based sunscreen, is non-comedogenic and soothes acne-prone skin, reducing inflammation and free radicals, per a 2020 study. And important so you don’t develop skin cancer! But that’s a whole other debate.

Stay away from…

Alcohol-based products
Avoid drying out your face with alcohol based products to control acne, which damages skin by weakening the moisture barrier.

Benzoyl Peroxide
Use with caution–though it’s very effective, it can thin the skin. Not great for wrinkles.

Home remedies
While they may work as a one-off acne treatment, if you don’t know how to balance them for your skin’s pH, it’s not worth it. Stay away from the toothpaste, the apple cider vinegar, the baking soda unless you can tell me the pH of your skin and each of these products. You’ll end up with enlarged pores and striping the natural oils that work with your skin barrier, leaving your skin feeling awful. One remedy I do subscribe to is washing your hands so you don’t add dirt and oil to your face.

Stay Consistent

Whether your skin is oily or dry, it’s a tricky balance to get your sebum in just the right spot for a healthy skin barrier without attracting too much bacteria and clogging pores. With some changes inside and out, you’ll enjoy clear skin from now on.

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SPECIAL PRICING FOR TVP READERS!!

ZIIP Halo or ZIIP DOT Microcurrent: 10% off discount – use code VANILLAZIIP off ZIIP HALO and all ZIIP gels (my favorite gel is the silver one due to my sensitive skin) during checkout

Serum: I’ve been using Potency No.710 for years now and finally asked for a special code for you since I think it’s so healing. Just take one look at the before/afters and you’ll see why.
Use code THEVANILLAPLUM at checkout to receive member pricing without the membership fees!

Red Light Therapy: I’m kind of obsessed and once I started using different wavelengths and colors, I basically started a tool collection, which you can read about here. Since tools get very expensive, I am starting to ask for discount codes to make it a little more affordable. If you shop the Currentbody Facemasks or Dermalux, use these codes:

Dermalux: $200 off the Dermalux – use code VANILLAFLEX at checkout

Masks:  20% off discount – use code VANILLALED at checkout

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