At Skin

I may be on summer break via Instagram… but the clinic definitely isn’t. 😂😎 I’ve been a little quieter on here lately, but behind the scenes it’s been business as usual.

August promotions are officially here (they actually launched last week via email 🙈), so here’s a little social catch-up.

If you’re not already on my Insider Email list, you’re missing first access to promotions, exclusive offers, skincare education, and the occasional surprise sales.

All promotions are available throughout August, and every featured treatment is completely summer-safe.

If you have any questions, send me a message! And if you’re not sure where to begin with your skin, booking a consultation is always the best first step—we’ll create a plan that’s customized to your skin and your goals. 🤍

Your skincare might be causing the acne you’re trying to treat.

Here are 8 ways the wrong products can make breakouts worse:

1. Closed comedones + pore-clogging ingredients = more congestion
Ingredients like algae extracts, ethylhexyl palmitate, isopropyl myristate, and certain coconut derivatives can contribute to microcomedone formation in acne-prone skin.

2. Drying out acne can increase oil production
When skin becomes excessively dry, it often compensates by producing more sebum. More oil + dead skin buildup = a better environment for clogged pores.

3. An impaired skin barrier creates more inflammation
Overusing exfoliants, retinoids, scrubs, or acne treatments can damage the barrier, increasing redness, sensitivity, and inflammatory breakouts.

4. Not all acne needs salicylic acid
Inflamed, irritated acne may benefit more from barrier repair and inflammation control before additional exfoliation is introduced.

5. Stripping cleansers can slow healing
A cleanser that leaves your skin feeling tight may be removing too much of the skin’s natural lipid layer, making barrier recovery more difficult.

6. More active ingredients ≠ better results
Layering benzoyl peroxide, acids, retinoids, spot treatments, and exfoliants can create chronic irritation that mimics or worsens acne.

7. Dehydrated skin sheds dead skin cells less efficiently
When skin lacks water, dead cells can accumulate around the follicle opening, increasing the likelihood of congestion and whiteheads.

8. Acne isn’t always caused by bacteria
Many breakouts begin with excess sebum, abnormal shedding inside the pore, inflammation, hormonal signals, or pore-clogging ingredients long before bacteria become involved.

The goal isn’t to dry out acne. The goal is to normalize how the skin functions.

Healthy barrier. Balanced oil production. Proper cell turnover. Less inflammation.

That’s where real progress starts. 👏

If you need guidance with determining what the best skin care routine is for you.... You can schedule an in person or virtual consultation OR check out my "acne starter kit" skincare bundles for your specific acne type/concern. Shop online 🔗 in bio.

June is Acne Awareness Month, and I wanted to share some of my TOP picks for acne-prone skin 🤍

Over the years, both personally and professionally, I’ve spent a lot of time learning how much products can either support the skin… or quietly work against it. So I put together a full guide of products I personally gravitate toward for acne-prone skin, not just skincare, but also SPF, makeup, haircare, supplements, and even lifestyle swaps that are often overlooked when it comes to breakouts.

Inside the blog, everything is categorized just like the photos and I also explain why I would personally choose certain products, where I’d prioritize investing first, and the difference between products I personally use vs products I selected based on ingredient analysis and formulation review.

Everything is linked, organized, and easy to reference if you’ve been feeling overwhelmed trying to figure out what products may work better for acne-prone skin ✨

The full blog is linked in my bio OR DM/ comment “ACNE” and I will send you the link.

A huge mistake I see with acne is people trying to isolate ONE trigger when acne is almost always a combination of multiple things building on top of each other.

Your skin reflects everything.
Inflammation. Stress. Blood sugar imbalance. Digestion. Hormones. Nutrient deficiencies. Poor sleep. Ultra-processed foods. Pore-clogging products. Over-exfoliation. Nervous system stress. Lifestyle habits. It all adds up.

That’s why healing acne usually takes more than just buying a “good” skincare product.

You can have the best skincare routine in the world, but if the body is constantly overloaded internally or the skin barrier is chronically inflamed, the skin is going to struggle to function properly.

And this is exactly why acne is so individualized. Two people can eat the same foods, use the same products, and still react completely differently depending on what else is happening in the body.

The goal isn’t perfection or restriction. It’s learning what’s contributing to inflammation in YOUR body and reducing the overall burden little by little over time.

If you feel like you’ve tried everything and your skin still feels stuck, there’s usually a missing piece that hasn’t been addressed yet. That’s what I help clients uncover through a whole-body + skin-focused approach ✨

If you want help understanding your acne on a deeper level, send me a message or book a consultation with me.