My Go-To Habits for Clear Skin + How to Implement Them

Clearing your acne can feel overwhelming and frustrating.

• Maybe you’ve tried all the skincare products…
• Maybe you’ve spent countless $$$ on skincare treatments…
• Or maybe you’ve tried going gluten free and dairy free…

And none of it is showing results?

One of the key indicators for successfully clearing your acne is consistency. Let me repeat that – consistency is the key to clearing your acne.

So I’m here to fill you in on what habits for clear skin are important to implement and how to do it!

When you think about it, clearing your skin really does come down to your daily habits. Sticking to a skincare routine, taking your supplements, prioritizing nourishing foods etc. are all just habits. Well not just habits, they’re habits that help clear your skin!

Changing your habits actually involves a lot of intention and forethought. Many times, people think they can force themselves into adopting a bunch of new habits all at once and they’ll throw themselves into it without much consideration for what is realistic. We all know how this goes; sooner or later they’ll fall off the wagon because it just wasn’t attainable.

In the book Atomic Habits by James Clear, he says “You do not rise to the level of your goals, you fall to the level of your systems.” While your end goal may be to achieve and maintain clear skin, you will not rise to that goal unless the systems that you put in place are properly set up to get you there. Think of your systems as your habits. ​

How to Set Goals for Clear Skin

1. Understand Your “Why”

One of the most important steps in goal setting is acknowledging why you want to achieve it. Taking this step ensures that you are setting goals that are actually meaningful to you and will help you stick it out in challenging times. Ask yourself:

• What do I hope to feel or achieve by reaching this goal?
• Where does the desire for setting this goal come from? (ie. yourself, someone else, society)
• If I reach this goal, how will I feel?

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​2. Use the S.M.A.R.T. Method

The acronym ‘S.M.A.R.T.’ is often used to assess goals. The acronym stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-based. Once you’ve determined your why, ask yourself:

• Is this goal SPECIFIC? Ie. I want to be healthy vs. I will drink 3 litres of water each day. ​​
• Is this goal MEASURABLE? Ie. I want to eat more greens vs. I will eat 2 cups of spinach per day. 
• Is this goal ATTAINABLE? Ie. I will never eat refined sugar again vs. I will enjoy refined sugar treats on special occasions. 
• Is this goal REALISTIC? Ie. I will clear my acne forever in 1 week vs. I will see noticeable improvements in the amount of pimples on my face after 6 months of dedication to my protocol. 
• Is this goal TIME BOUND? Ie. I want to exercise more vs. by March 2nd, I will be in a routine of exercising 4x per week. ​​

​Use Habits to Reach Your Clear Skin Goals

Let’s say your goal is to clear your acne; You’ve acknowledged your ‘why’ and you’ve refined the goal to make it meet the S.M.A.R.T. criteria. Now, you can use habits to reach your goal of clearing your skin!

In the book Atomic Habits, author James Clear talks about the 4 laws of creating a good habit. When you’re trying to implement your clear skin habits, try making sure that they fit this criteria. You’ll be better set up for success and on your way to clear skin.

How to Create Successful Habits

Law #1: Make It Obvious

• If you want to go to the gym everyday, lay our your gym clothes the night before so they’re in plain sight because when you’re first staring a new habit, it can be easy to forget about.
  

Law #2: Make It Attractive

• If you want to eat 1 cup of spinach every day, you probably won’t be very enticed by sitting down and eating raw plain spinach – even though technically you would be successfully completing your habit. Instead, try finding some recipes that incorporate spinach in a tasty way to make it a more attractive habit like this one, this one or this one.
  

Law #3: Make It Easy

• If your goal is to drink a smoothie every day, but the only way you can do that is if you drive 15 minutes out of your way on the way to work to purchase a $12 smoothie, chances are you’ll fall of the wagon pretty quick. Try pre-portioning your favourite smoothie ingredients and keeping them in the freezer so that you can just add water and blend. Try this smoothie to start.
  

Law #4: Make It Satisfying

• One of the simplest ways to make your habit satisfying is to track it! Try using a system where you can colour in a box or add a tally or whatever feels the most satisfying to you.
• I personally love the 5 Minute Journal for organizing daily habits and gratitude list.

Habits for Clear Skin

Okay, now that you’ve gotten really clear on your clear skin goal, you can start to integrate habits that will help you achieve your goal. These are some of my top daily habits for clear skin:​​

Aim for 8-9 Hours Sleep Per Night

• This is when our bodies recover! It’s important to get 7-9 (but I’d recommend 8-9) hours of quality sleep every night if you are struggle with health issues such as hormonal imbalance or acne.
• Poor quality sleep or not enough sleep leads to increased cortisol, which increases sebum production and can contribute to acne.
• Try: Meditation, sleep mask, turning off electronics 1 hour before bed.
  

Move your Body Daily

• Make a commitment to move your body daily to support detoxification pathways and mental health while clearing your acne or achieving your health goals.
• Mix it up to keep it fun or keep a routine if that suits you better. I personally love to exercise 5 times per week and move my body in a creative way 2 times per week (biking, walking, hiking, stretching). This keeps things fun and interesting and supports my skin.
• A habit that lots of my clients love is aiming for 10k steps per day. This is especially great if you love to walk or if you are currently struggling with stress. Go for 2x walks per day to hit this goal, throw on a podcast and feel the benefits!

Fill Half Your Plate with Vegetables at Each Meal

• Fibre promotes detoxification of pesticides, chemicals and excess hormones by promoting bowel regularity. If these things accumulate in the body, they can contribute to acne!
• Try filling half your plate with vegetables at each meal. Consider both raw and cooked veggies to reap the benefits or load up on plant-based proteins (like beans) and whole grains (like brown rice) to ensure you are getting enough fibre to support your skin.

2 Tablespoons of Seeds Daily

• Many seeds are packed with Omega 3’s, protein and incredible hormone-balancing properties. All of which are important for clear skin.
• Try: adding in hemp, chia, flax and or pumpkin seeds to bowls, salads, oatmeals and more!

In summary, we achieve our goals through our daily habits. So the best way to reach your skin goals is to commit to implementing your habits for clear skin. Remember, it’s all about consistency, patience and commitment. You’ve got this!