How to Get Clear Skin: The Mistakes to Stop Making Now

When you think about clear skin, we’re sure you imagine a shelf full of serums, an unrealistic 15-step routine, and a full personality change. But according to The Wellness Digest hosts, Lena and Hannah, clear skin doesn’t have to be that meticulous (or exhausting).

“Clear skin” looks different for everyone, which is why you have to consider things like skin type, skin concerns, and overall skin health. For one person, “clear” may mean no more blackheads. For another, it could mean no more redness and irritation. Regardless of the goal, your gut has a lot more of a say in your skin than you may realize.

On a recent episode of The Wellness Digest, Hannah and Lena dig into one of the most underrated drivers of skin health: gut health! Below, we’re summing up all of their top points, including what clear skin looks like, what causes textured skin, and what you need to do (or not do) to achieve a clear complexion. Listen while you read along, it’s worth it:

How to Get Clear Skin: The Mistakes to Stop Making Now

Clear skin isn’t just about how things look on the outside, it’s also how it feels. 

Your skin is one of the first places internal imbalances show up. On The Wellness Digest, Lena and Hannah refer to the idea that your skin is just an external mirror of your gut. If something in your gut is off? Chances are your face is showing it.

Clearer-looking skin generally comes from consistency, not perfection. Think of the boring stuff that you make sure to do day to day: gently cleansing, moisturizing, sun protection, and supporting your skin health from the inside. And don’t forget about knowing your skin type. An oily skin type won’t benefit from a super hydrating cleanser like a dry skin type would, and knowing that before you spend your paycheck on new products? Definitely worth the few extra minutes to figure out.

If you’re building from scratch, we walk through the whole process in our guide on how to start a skincare routine. Start there, then layer in everything below.

What Does Clear Skin Look Like?

A lot of “problem skin” is just normal skin. The texture, the occasional blemish, the “how are they so large?” pores; this is all normal, natural, and not a sign that you’re doing something wrong. The occasional blemish will still show up when you’re stressed, hormonal, or overdue for sleep, no matter how good your skincare routine is.

Healthy and clear skin isn’t poreless, filtered, or blemish-free 100% of the time. It’s skin that looks balanced, feels comfortable, and recovers well. Your natural skin tone, your pores, and a bit of texture are all part of skin doing exactly what it’s supposed to do.

Chasing an impossible standard is its own trap, and it usually leads to overdoing products and expecting unnatural results. If you’ve ever fallen for a “miracle” claim, our roundup of skincare facts and myths is a reality check worth reading.

What Causes Textured Skin?

Textured-looking skin is rarely the result of one single thing. Here’s what commonly comes up when people are dealing with texture:

• Dead skin cells building up. When old skin cells don’t turn over efficiently, they can leave the surface looking uneven or rough.
• Dehydration and dry skin. Skin that lacks moisture can look dull and feel bumpy, no matter your skin type.
• Clogged pores. Excess oil, especially with oily skin, can mix with everyday dirt, contributing to bumps and congestion.
• Sun damage and skin aging. Over time, unprotected sun exposure affects tone and texture, which is a big reason sun protection matters.
• Internal inflammation. According to Lena and Hannah, gut imbalance can drive systemic inflammation that shows up on the skin as everything from acne to eczema.

There’s no need to panic about texture. Instead, Lena and Hannah discuss how when you notice which factors apply to your skincare experience, you can better adjust your routine.

How to Have Clear Skin?

You don’t need to reset your routine to make a meaningful difference in your complexion. The tips below are sustainable skincare habits that actually hold up over time, and they tend to work well together.

Use a Gentle Cleanser Twice a Day

A good gentle cleanser is the foundation of good skin. Gently cleansing removes oil, sweat, and buildup without stripping your skin barrier, which matters for keeping dirt out and hydration in. Wash your face in the morning and at night, and resist the urge to scrub super hard. Harsh cleansing can trigger more oil production and irritation, which just cancels out all the hard work you’re about to start doing.

Wear Broad Spectrum Sunscreen Every Day

If we could only pick one habit, it’s this. A broad spectrum sunscreen protects your skin from the sun’s UVA and UVB rays, which is essential for preventing sun damage and visible skin aging. 

Protecting your skin from the sun daily, even indoors near windows, is one of the highest-impact moves for keeping skin healthy. Aside from sun damage and signs of aging, UV rays can cause sun spots, an uneven tone, and of course, skin cancer. Keep SPF 15 (at MINIMUM) a part of your daily routine.

Support Your Skin From the Inside With Gut Health

Lena and Hannah tell listeners that the gut controls nutrient absorption, immune balance, and inflammation, all of which can impact your skin. As they explain, nutrients that matter for skin health, like zinc and vitamin D, only help if your gut can actually absorb them well.

They also point to research, saying that a considerable amount of the body’s immune cells actually live in the gut. So if you’re experiencing things like gut inflammation, for example, you might find out just how quickly that inflammation spreads to the skin.

Equally as important: supporting your gut may help manage flare-ups from the inside, which is why Lena and Hannah describe a targeted probiotic as a skincare non-negotiable.They discuss Omnibiotic Balance, which they say improves the composition of your gut flora and supports nutrient absorption. 

As always, this is general wellness information, not medical advice, so check with your doctor before starting any supplement, especially if you’re pregnant, nursing, or managing a condition.

Keep a Consistent Routine With the Right Skin Care Products

Consistency beats intensity. Choose skin care products suited to your skin type and your specific skin concerns, then actually use them regularly. A simple lineup will do more for your skin health than constantly swapping in your trusted go-tos for whatever’s trending.

When in doubt, ask your dermatologist. They literally know product ingredients (and your skin!) better than anyone.

Eat a Healthy Diet That Feeds Your Skin

A healthy diet supports skin from the inside out. Lena and Hannah note that most people fall short on fiber, and that fiber feeds the good gut bacteria your skin depends on. Load up on fiber-rich plants, and steer clear of the highly processed stuff when you can. For more real-world habits, Kristin Cavallari shares her go-to skincare tips that pair nicely with this approach.

What to Avoid to Get Clear Skin

Sometimes, the quickest way to finally get clear skin is to get rid of the habits that are working against you, many you may not even realize! Here are a handful of the most common ones that can make potential or current skin problems a little trickier to manage: 

Over-Cleansing and Harsh Scrubbing

Don’t think we’re about to tell you to stop exfoliating, because that will never happen. What we will tell you is that more isn’t always better. Washing your skin too much can strip your barrier and make things dry and irritated. The same goes for scrubbing. Unfortunately for our skin, a lot of us tend to scrub like we’re mad at it, thinking that the harder we go, the more we’ll shed. To that we say: stop while you’re ahead. Keep it gentle and support your barrier as much as it supports you. 

Skipping Sunscreen

Skipping sun protection is one of the biggest mistakes when it comes to clarity and long-term skin health. Without a broad spectrum sunscreen, daily UV exposure accelerates skin aging and an uneven tone. Protecting your skin from the sun is a year-round non-negotiable, and it’s time we stop keeping it a summer-only skincare habit.

Ignoring Your Gut and Eating Highly Processed Foods

Lena and Hannah flag a few habits that can throw the gut off balance, from antibiotics to chronic stress to a diet heavy in processed foods, sugar, and additives. As they put it, these disruptors can fuel inflammation that eventually shows up on the skin. We’re not saying you have to create a super clean diet or make every meal perfect. Instead, be intentional and take note about what may be causing your gut (and your skin) to go into overdrive.

Piling On Too Many Active Ingredients

Actives are powerful. And when you layer a bunch of strong actives on at once, it’s one of the most classic ways to trigger skin reactions. Retinoids, acids, exfoliants… they definitely all deserve a place in a routine. But too much too fast can compromise your barrier and worsen texture. Introduce one thing at a time and give your skin cells time to adjust.

Constantly Switching Skin Care Products

Skin conditions rarely improve when you never give a routine a chance. New products need weeks to show results, roughly two skin cell turnover cycles. Constant swapping can irritate skin and make it harder to tell what’s actually helping (or hurting) your progress. Pick a solid lineup, commit, and give it time to work.

Your Next Step Toward Healthy, Clear Skin

Getting clear skin isn’t about doing everything at once or even changing your entire routine overnight. It’s about doing a few things consistently: gently cleansing, wearing broad spectrum sunscreen, eating a healthy diet, and supporting your skin health from the inside out. Small, steady habits keep skin healthy better than any 20-product overhaul.

For the full conversation on the gut-skin connection, catch this episode of The Wellness Digest. But don’t stop there! Dear Media is home to over 100 top-rated pop culture, entertainment, and lifestyle podcasts hosted by today’s most talked-about celebrities and creators, so there’s plenty more where this came from.