6 ‘Healthy’ Habits That Might Be Causing Your Acne, According to Skincare Experts

If you’ve swapped your cleanser, changed your diet, and cut dairy for the third time—yet your skin still flares up—this episode of The Wellness Process with Elizabeth Endres might be your “aha” moment. Joined by Clearstem founders Danielle Gronich and Kayleigh Christina, the conversation breaks down the less obvious factors that quietly sabotage your clear skin goals.

Acne isn’t always about one bad product or hormonal imbalance. It’s usually a perfect storm of small, overlooked triggers that build up over time. From your morning eggs to sneaky ingredients in your sunscreen to supplements that mess with your hormones, this episode reveals how “healthy” habits can actually fuel breakouts.

Here are the biggest takeaways from their chat—hidden triggers that could be standing between you and calm, clear skin.

Eggs aren’t always a superfood 

Gronich flags eggs as a quiet culprit for cystic flares, especially when you’re eating them daily because they’re supposed to be healthy. “ Eggs are a sneaky acne trigger,” she says, largely because “the type of protein that comprises the egg white is called albumin protein,” which “can be inflammatory and trigger an immune response.” She adds that eggs are “one of the top six allergens” and that this reaction “bothers the lymphatic system,” often showing up along the lymph pathways of the face. 

What to try: Run a true elimination test. As Kayleigh explains, remove common triggers “for about 60 days,” then reintroduce thoughtfully. Some people tolerate eggs “two to three days a week,” but not daily. If you love a protein-rich breakfast, rotate alternatives (smoked salmon, turkey sausage, tofu scramble) while you test. 

Check your sunscreen label

It’s easy to assume that anything labeled “dermatologist-approved” or “non-comedogenic” is safe, but Gronich calls sunscreen the number one hidden trigger for acne. “The tinted one has isopropyl palmitate. That one breaks everyone out,” she tells Endres, explaining that this common ingredient is thick, waxy, and notorious for clogging pores.

Even natural sunscreens aren’t innocent, often swapping in coconut oil or shea butter, which can have the same effect. Her rule of thumb: Always read the ingredient list, not the front label. If you spot palmitate, myristate, or ethylhexyl stearate, it’s a red flag.

What to try: Look for lightweight, zinc-based formulas and remember that your skin type matters. “Skin is not acne skin,” as Gronich puts it. What works for one person might trigger breakouts for another.

Supplements can backfire

In the wellness world, it’s easy to assume that more vitamins equal better health—but when it comes to skin, that’s not always true. Kayleigh shares that she was taking “so many different vitamins, supplements, you name it” without realizing that certain nutrients in high doses can actually cause breakouts. “B12, vitamin D, and zinc—all three of those in excess amounts can alter androgen levels,” she explains, which can throw off your hormones and trigger acne.

She also warned about biotin, a common ingredient in beauty supplements. Kayleigh shares that biotin makes the protein on your skin grow more abundant, so it “can clog your pores a little faster.” Gronich adds that the problem isn’t deficiency, it’s over-supplementation. “The devil’s in the dosage,” she says. 

What to try: Before popping multiple “glow” or “immune” capsules, check the dosage and skip any product promising overnight results. Always test your levels through blood work first, and when in doubt, take a break if your supplements break you out. 

Rethink dairy timing 

Similarly with the eggs, for some people, dairy isn’t the enemy—it’s the timing that matters. Kayleigh explains that many women notice more breakouts the week before their period because “testosterone spikes, which means you’re a little more oily, and that oil is stickier,” making pores clog faster. Add dairy to the mix, and the combination can push your skin over the edge.

There’s no universal rule. “Some people can eat dairy at the first part of their cycle, but as soon as they approach PMS, that’s when it gets them,” she says. Being mindful of when and how often you have it could make all the difference.

What to try: The solution isn’t necessarily to cut it out forever. Try removing dairy for 60 days, then slowly bring it back in small amounts—maybe just a bit of cheese or ice cream here and there—to see how your skin responds. 

Beware of hair products and makeup

Sometimes it’s not what you eat—it’s what’s sitting on your skin. Gronich explains that many breakouts trace back to products you’d never suspect, like bronzer, conditioner, or even under-eye concealer. “If you’re getting it in that stripe where your bronzer goes, it probably has ethylhexyl palmitate in it,” she says. Those small, repeating patterns on your cheeks or jawline can reveal a lot about what’s really triggering your acne.

Hair products are another common offender, especially when you’re sweating. Conditioners and styling creams can drip onto your skin and clog pores. “A lot of hair products are also pore-clogging…you’re sweating, it’s getting on your face, and forming that plug,” Kayleigh says.

What to try: Keep hair pulled back during workouts, wash your face after exercising, and check ingredient lists for palmitates or silicones. And if you can’t remember the last time you cleaned your brushes or replaced that old concealer, bacteria might be doing the heavy lifting behind your breakouts.

Stress is the silent trigger

Even the best skincare routine can’t outdo chronic stress. Gronich shares the story of a longtime client whose acne only truly disappeared after she left a draining relationship. “Her skin’s been clear for six months…the last thing was getting out of a toxic relationship,” she says. 

Acne isn’t just skin-deep—it’s also tied to self-worth, nervous system regulation, and feeling safe in your own life. Stress lowers self-esteem, which then “attacks your self-worth,” creating a cycle that’s hard to break. When your body is constantly in fight-or-flight mode, hormones fluctuate, inflammation spikes, and healing slows down—all of which can show up on your face.

What to try: Sometimes, the real glow-up starts when you remove what’s hurting you—not just from your skincare shelf, but from your life.

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