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If you’re reading this thinking, “This is the year my skin has to change,” … THIS is your episode.
Because 2026 doesn’t need to be another year of:
- cutting out dairy… then eggs… then sugar… then everything
- cycling through expensive skincare routines that only work if you maintain them forever
- being told “this is just hormonal” or “this is normal”
- hearing birth control, spironolactone, or Accutane are your only options
You’re done with that. And honestly? You should be.
I wanted to start this year the same way I started last year — by telling you exactly what I would do if I were starting over today and wanted to clear my acne for real, without extremes.
Because I’ve been on both sides of this:
- the confused woman with acne and PCOS, trying everything
- and the practitioner who now helps women clear acne every single day
So if younger Ashley were sitting in front of me asking, “What should I actually do?”
Here’s what I’d tell her ⬇️
First — You Have to Be Willing to Do Something Different
And I don’t mean:
- a different retinol
- a different supplement
- a different “anti-inflammatory” recipe
I mean a different approach.
Because if treating acne like:
- a skincare problem
- a spironolactone deficiency
- a dairy issue
- a food morality issue
actually worked … your acne would already be gone.
But it’s not.
That’s because acne isn’t the start of the problem.
It’s the end of the line.
You’ve been treating step 10 [the pimple]
But by the time a breakout appears on your chin or jawline, your body has already been dealing with:
- blood sugar swings
- chronic stress
- digestion that isn’t working well
- mineral depletion
- hormone signaling that’s off
So when we treat acne like a surface issue — or even just a “hormone issue” — we’re intervening way too late in the chain.
That’s why so many women feel like they’re constantly managing their skin instead of actually healing it.
Hormonal acne is a systemic inflammation issue.
And managing symptoms with elimination diets, facials, prescriptions, or constant product changes will only get you so far.
So if you’re willing to stop doing more and start doing the right things, let’s talk about what actually matters.
Step 1: Get Functional Testing — and Get It Done Faster
If I were starting over, this would be non-negotiable to save myself years of frustration.
I spent so long trying to outthink my acne:
- changing what I ate
- changing when I ate
- changing supplements
- changing skincare
- changing workouts
All without ever asking my body what it actually needed.
Because the longer you guess, the longer your acne sticks around.
Full stop.
You think you know what’s causing your acne:
- dairy
- eggs
- tretinoin
- the wrong moisturizer
- breakfast
- coffee
But you don’t actually know.
And guessing is exhausting.
Let me be clear:
I am NOT talking about standard bloodwork where your doctor says, “Everything looks normal,” and sends you on your way — still breaking out.
Those labs are designed to look for disease.
They ask: Is something severely wrong?
Functional testing asks a different question:
How is your body actually functioning day to day?
If I were starting over, I would run:
- Deeper bloodwork for acne (beyond basic panels)
- A GI-Map to look at gut inflammation, bacteria, yeast, digestion, immune function, and estrogen recycling
- An HTMA (Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis) to assess mineral status, stress response, metabolism, and hormone regulation
Because minerals are step one for balancing hormones.
The true point for functional testing? You cannot fix what you do not know.
Testing gives direction.
It replaces extremes with clarity.
And it saves you years of trial and error.
Step 2: Stop Ignoring Stress (Yes, This Matters More Than You Think)
This is where I see women roll their eyes, and I get it.
You’re not choosing stress.
I know you’re busy.
You’re driven.
You have a life.
But trying to regulate your nervous system?
That requires changing how you live.
And that’s not as easy as taking a supplement at 7pm & checking it off your to-do list.
Because setting boundaries with yourself is hard (especially when you don’t know how to!).
Here’s the truth:
If your body is stuck in fight-or-flight, your skin does not feel safe enough to heal.
Your body doesn’t know the difference between:
- running from danger
- or running on caffeine, skipping meals, scrolling late at night, never resting
And your body doesn’t care if your stress is:
- emotional
- work-related
- self-inflicted
- “normal”
Stress is stress.
Stress:
- alters your gut microbiome
- raises cortisol
- increases IGF-1 (which increases oil production)
- worsens inflammation
- undoes the benefits of supplements and probiotics
You cannot out-supplement a stressed nervous system.
And no — this doesn’t mean quitting your job or meditating for an hour a day.
It means small, consistent practices that tell your body: “You’re safe now.”
Because survival and healing cannot happen at the same time.
That’s why the woman who’s “doing everything right” often has the hardest time clearing her skin.
In 2026, I wouldn’t aim for less stress.
I’d aim for better recovery.
That means:
- eating before caffeine
- not skipping meals on busy days
- creating predictable rhythms for my body
- building in regulation instead of pushing through
Because a body in survival mode will not prioritize clear skin — no matter how “clean” your diet is.
Step 3: Support Digestion — Not Just Cut Foods Out
This is one of the biggest mindset shifts I teach.
You can eat the cleanest diet in the world … and STILL have acne 🤦🏽‍♀️
If you’ve ever sat at a table thinking, “I eat better than everyone here… so why does my skin look worse?” … this is why.
You can eat the best diet in the world — but if you’re not digesting and absorbing it, your body can’t use it.
Low stomach acid.
Poor enzyme output.
Eating on the go.
Eating while stressed.
Washing meals down with water.
All of these mean:
- nutrients don’t get used
- hormones don’t get made correctly
- inflammation increases
- bacteria and yeast get fed
Food sitting in the gut ferments.
The waste in your poop gets reabsorbed.
Estrogen gets recirculated (which is why you have so many period issues).
Inflammation rises.
Then, your skin breaks out.
And what do most women do?
They cut more foods.
That path always leads to:
- more restrictions
- more sensitivities
- more fear
- less nourishment
Food isn’t the problem.
➡️ Your poor digestion is.
Supporting digestion — chewing your food, eating less distracted, not washing meals down with water — sounds simple, but it’s foundational.
When digestion improves, food stops being the enemy.
Step 4: Balance Blood Sugar (The Hormone No One Talks About)
Everyone talks about estrogen and testosterone.
Almost no one talks about insulin.
But insulin is often the missing piece.
Blood sugar spikes → insulin surges → IGF-1 rises → oil production increases → pores clog → acne forms.
Blood sugar imbalance also fuels inflammation and hormonal chaos.
And the tricky part?
A lot of women with acne don’t feel like they have blood sugar issues.
They just:
- aren’t hungry in the morning
- rely on coffee
- forget to eat
- fear carbs
- crash mid-afternoon
- feel wired but tired
In 2026, I wouldn’t chase perfection. I’d focus on consistency.
The best “diet” for clear skin is a blood-sugar balanced one:
- adequate protein
- fiber
- fat
- carbs
- consistency
Not perfection.
Not restriction.
Consistency.
When blood sugar stabilizes, hormones calm — across the board.
This Isn’t About Doing More — It’s About Doing Things in the Right Order
If there’s one thing I want you to take from this, it’s this:
You’re not stuck because you haven’t tried hard enough.
You’re stuck because you’ve been given fragmented advice — out of order.
And if you’re reading this thinking, “I know I need a better approach — I just don’t want anything extreme,”
… this is exactly what I teach inside The Hormonal Acne Reset Method™.
This is where we:
- run the right testing
- calm the nervous system
- support digestion
- balance blood sugar
- address acne as the full-body issue it actually is
Not just the skin.
If you’ve had acne for 3, 5, 10+ years after antibiotics, spironolactone, birth control, or Accutane … this is about fixing what those things drained — so acne stops coming back.
Ready to Do This Differently in 2026?
If you want to talk through:
- what you’ve tried
- what’s missing
- and whether this approach is right for you
That’s exactly what we do on a Clear Skin Call.
It’s a free, no-pressure conversation where I walk you through:
- what testing would actually help
- what order things need to happen in
- and what healing could look like for your body
👉🏽 Book your Clear Skin Call.
You don’t need to do more.
You just need to do the right things — in the right order.
And if you know someone else who’s ready to stop guessing?
Tell a friend to tell a friend.
Here’s to 2026 being the year you finally start healing your skin.
