Hi friend! 🫧
Pop quiz: what's the #1 question I get as an esthetician? (And as the girl who's been making soap for over a decade?)
"Okay but what do I actually do to get clear skin?"
Here's the plot twist: it's usually not one magic product. It's a bunch of tiny, honestly kind of boring habits that team up and quietly work their magic. So I wrote them all down, and these are the ten I tell everyone first. Most of them are free. One of them involves your phone, and it's a little gross. Let's go!
1. Clean your phone (yes, really)
Your phone goes everywhere with you. The kitchen counter, the gym, the bathroom (don't pretend it doesn't 👀). Then you press it right against your cheek. Give that screen a wipe every day or two. If you always break out on the same side you take calls on… mystery solved.
2. Treat yourself to a fresh pillowcase every week
Your face spends about eight hours a night smooshed into that thing, along with all your oil, sweat, hair products and leftover skincare. Cute! Swap it at least once a week. I keep a couple of spares so future-me has zero excuses. Bonus points for silk or satin: less friction means less tugging and irritation while you sleep.
3. Hands off the face, bestie
The chin-in-hand thinking pose. The "just checking" spot poke. We all do it! But every touch moves bacteria straight from your hands onto your skin. Start noticing when you do it and you'll be shocked how often it happens (and how much better your skin looks when you stop).
4. Wash twice a day, gently
Morning and night, with something gentle and pH-balanced. If your face feels squeaky and tight afterward, that's not "extra clean." That's your skin being stripped. And stripped skin often panics and makes more oil. Rude, but true.
My go-tos:
- For most skin: the Cleansing Charcoal Bar. Deep clean, zero drama.
- For sensitive skin: the Calming Lavender Bar. Soft, soothing, and it smells like a spa day.
5. Sugar, we need to talk
I'm not here to take your dessert away, I promise. But refined sugar can spike your insulin, which can crank up oil production, and for a lot of us that means more breakouts. If your skin's been extra moody lately, try a few weeks of cutting back and see what it says.
6. Say good morning to the sun ☀️
Before the sun gets strong, step outside for a few minutes. Morning light helps set your body's internal clock and supports your vitamin D, and your skin notices both. Coffee on the porch absolutely counts. (Midday sun is a whole different story, so protect that face when it's strong!)
7. Move your body, any way you like
No marathon required. Even a little walk gets your blood flowing and lowers stress hormones, and stress breakouts are very real. Just don't let the sweat hang out on your skin afterward. After a workout I'm all about the Rosemary Sea Salt Bar. Rosemary and peppermint after a sweaty walk? Chef's kiss.
8. Keep it simple, and exfoliate 2–3x a week
Your skincare doesn't need a 12-step routine and an ingredient list that reads like a chemistry final. Simpler is usually better, because every extra product is one more chance for something to irritate you.
Exfoliating two or three times a week clears away dead skin so it doesn't clog your pores. Just not every day, okay? We're polishing, not sanding. The Rosemary Sea Salt Bar shows up again here, because the pink Himalayan salt gently buffs while you wash.
9. Protect your beauty sleep (for real)
"Beauty sleep" is real! Your skin does most of its repair work overnight, and short nights crank up your stress hormones. Your skin is usually the first to tattle. Aim for 7–9 hours and give yourself a little wind-down routine. Mine is a warm shower with the Calming Lavender Bar. It's basically a bedtime story for your nervous system.
10. Drink your water 💧
Aim for about 2–3 liters a day. Living somewhere dry (hi from Arizona 👋), sweating a lot, or just generally thirsty? Add a pinch of sea salt or some electrolytes so your body actually holds onto all that water instead of sending it right back out.
Okay, quick soap moment
Every bar at Handmade Soap Club is esthetician-formulated and made by hand in small batches right here in Scottsdale, Arizona. No parabens, no sulfates, no synthetic fragrance. And they're overachievers: face wash, body bar, shampoo, even shaving cream. One bar, a lot of jobs.
Not sure where to start? The three bars above are my clear-skin dream team. Or go browse all the bars and find your favorite.
Want more of this? New posts, skin tips, and first dibs on every new batch? Join the Soap Scoop list and I'll keep you in the loop. It'll be like texting your esthetician friend, minus the waiting for a reply. 💌
xo,
Lily
This guide is general skincare advice, not medical advice. If you're dealing with persistent or painful acne, please see a dermatologist.