How I cleared my cystic acne & textured skin (+ my no-Botox skincare routine)

People ask me if I get Botox ALL the time 😂

And tbh I love that question, because my skin did NOT used to look like this. AT ALL. In my mid-20s I had cystic acne from PCOS, post-birth control syndrome and a whole lot of gut + hormone dysregulation, and my skin was dry and textured on top of it.

Because of all the questions about this (and the thousands of DMs I’ve sent with my No Botox ShopMy page…), I’m putting everything in one place in a MUCH easier to digest + implement way, with the real back story: what was actually going on underneath my skin, what finally worked, and my exact skincare routine broken into 3 simple phases, so you’re not even thinking about buying 15+ products (please don’t!!).

My PCOS cystic acne story

Just here for the skin + no-Botox routine (and not the back story)? Skip to the routine ↓

I never had “good” skin. All through my teens and 20s I had textured skin: bumpy, uneven, never smooth, always a pimple or two (or wayyy more). And from 15 to 24 I was on the birth control pill, which I now know wasn’t fixing anything… it was just covering it up.

Then my mid-20s happened. After a brain abscess (yes, really… the full story is here), I was told to stop the pill right before surgery, and I just never went back on. Within months, my body completely flipped on me. Panic attacks for the first time in my life. Night sweats. Eating constantly and still hangry and exhausted. Ten pounds of a “hormonal tire” around my belly. Periods 45–50 days apart, or not at all.

And for the first time in my life: cystic acne. All over my face, my chest AND my back.

Within a year I was diagnosed with PCOS (now called PMOS), SIBO, anxiety and depression.

And here’s the part I think SO many of you will relate to… I was so frustrated and insecure about my skin, and I was running in circles, driving myself crazy trying to figure it out. Every other day I’d cut out another food because I was convinced THAT was the trigger. Chocolate one day. Nuts the next. Then eggs. Then dairy. Then sugar. Etc. etc. And I was ordering a new product online pretty much every single day: another cleanser, another spot treatment, another “miracle” serum, trying to fix it from the outside without having ANY idea what was actually causing it.

A funny story you might relate to: I got so desperate that I tried a lot of crazy things. One of them was putting oil of oregano directly on my skin to kill the bacteria I thought was causing my acne. Nick called me “pizza face” for a long time… not because my skin looked like pizza, but because I literally smelled like one 😂 I went on a girls’ trip to Santa Barbara, and every night our whole Airbnb smelled like oregano because I’d smothered it all over my face.

I remember the pictures we took on that trip. I was so embarrassed by my skin’s texture. And there were SO many other things I tried just like that. I really feel for that girl, so desperately running in circles, trying every little thing to get to the root of her acne without ever actually looking at where it was coming from.

If you’re there right now… I see you. It’s exhausting, it’s lonely, and it is NOT a willpower issue!!!

What causes hormonal acne (what was actually underneath mine)

Here’s what I wish someone had told me at 25: acne is a check engine light telling you something is wrong. It’s not the problem itself. 99% of the time, it’s coming from the inside out.

When I finally stopped guessing and started testing, everything started to make SO much sense (and finally resolve). My acne was never from the chocolate or the lotion I was using. It was several things happening at once:

• My gut. I’d had GI issues since I was hospitalized my freshman year of college, and by my mid-20s I had SIBO + major dysbiosis. Your gut helps clear out used-up hormones, and an inflamed gut will almost always show up on your skin one way or another (your skin is your largest organ and a direct reflection of what’s going on inside). This was a HUGE one for me.
• Coming off the pill after 10 years. Cold turkey, with zero support. My hormones had been suppressed for a decade, and when they came back… they came back LOUD. Post-birth-control acne is SO common and almost nobody warns you about it.
• Blood sugar. I was eating all day and spiking my blood sugar constantly without realizing it, even though I was eating “healthy” food. Blood sugar swings mean more insulin, and insulin tells your ovaries to make more testosterone… which means more oil and more clogged pores. This is a huge piece of PMOS acne that nobody talks about.
• Stress. I was living in fight-or-flight. For years I was over-caffeinated, over-booked and working out 6+ days a week, and at the height of my acne I was still very much processing a traumatizing health event.
• My liver + detox. When your gut and liver are overloaded, hormones and toxins don’t leave your body the way they should, and they can push out through your skin (hello, chest and back acne). I ended up needing a LOT of liver support to actually get things moving.

These things don’t live in separate little boxes. They all feed each other.

*AND non-toxic, non-pore-clogging products are a huge support too (I’ll get into exactly what I use below!)

So what did I actually do? Not one magic thing. I got out of fight-or-flight (rest became part of the medicine, seriously). I balanced my blood sugar: eating ENOUGH, protein at every meal, and no more running on coffee (my recipes are all built for this). And I tested instead of guessing, so I could work on my gut and hormones based on what was really going on instead of trying random fixes.

Over time my cycles came back, my skin cleared, my energy came back & SO much more.

After transforming my life, my body, my skin and, most importantly, my health from the inside out, I’ve now helped over 1,000 women heal at our practice, MaddHealthy. My struggles, my story and my insecurity are exactly why I do this work.

My no-Botox routine (non-toxic, non-pore-clogging & seriously works on fine lines)

Okay, now the fun part 😉

Topicals are the last ~1%… BUT that ~1% matters, especially once things are calmer underneath. The right products help with texture, pores, glow and fine lines. The wrong ones (even “clean” ones!!) clog pores and keep you stuck. (I see you, beef tallow and coconut oil…)

And PLEASE hear me on this: you definitely don’t need to start with everything. I don’t even use all of these daily. Most are weekly, and my nighttime routine is literally 3–4 products. Nothing wild. So:

Start with Phase 1. Give it a month. Add Phase 2 when Phase 1 feels automatic. Phase 3 is the bonus round, another month later, if you’re ready to add the last few pieces! I’ve been building this routine for YEARS, but my skin has also been glowy and clear for over 8 years now, so you don’t need ALL of it to see results. (It’s honestly the best it’s ever been lately though, so a few things have helped even more over time!)

Phase 1: the simple no-Botox + acne-safe routine (start here!!)

When: day 1. Stick with just this for at least 4 weeks (a full skin cycle is about 28 days).
What it does: calms, hydrates, protects, and starts working on fine lines without overwhelming your skin.
Cost: $232 $174 for the core 4 with code MADDIE right now (or $147 if you start with Cellrenew instead of Bounceback).

• Gentleclean Vitamin Infused Calming Wash $38 $28.50 · PM. Gentle, calming, doesn’t strip your skin. I wash TWICE at night and not at all in the morning. I used to over-wash with harsh cleansers and it always backfired.
• Bounceback “No Botox Serum” $98 $73.50 · PM. My ALL-time favorite serum. If you only add one “anti-aging” thing, it’s this. Want an easier starting price? Swap in Cellrenew ($62 $46.50).
• Hydraglow Stem Cell Moisturizer $58 $43.50 · PM. Made for acne-prone AND aging skin, so you don’t have to pick.
• Skin Spray All Day $38 $28.50 · AM (and literally all day). This replaces my morning face wash. It’s a hypochlorous acid mist: hypochlorous acid is a gentle antibacterial your body actually makes on its own, so it calms redness and keeps breakout-causing bacteria in check, plus it has magnesium + peptides to hydrate. It makes my skin SOOO glowy, and it’s how I set my makeup too.

Your Phase 1 routine:

NIGHT → Gentleclean (wash twice) → Bounceback → Hydraglow. Let it soak in. That’s it!!

MORNING → no face wash unless you sweat. Just mist Skin Spray All Day → let it dry → YOUARESUNSHINE.

Phase 1, inside-out:

✔ Savory, protein-rich breakfast within an hour of waking
✔ Coffee AFTER breakfast, never on an empty stomach
✔ Drink about half your body weight (in pounds) in ounces of water a day, with a pinch of sea salt or an electrolyte packet 1–3x a day
✔ Run everything else that touches your face (makeup, hair products!!) through the free CLEARSTEM pore clogger checker

Phase 2: level up (pick your path)

When: after about 4–6 weeks, once Phase 1 feels automatic.

Don’t add all of these! Pick the path that matches what bugs you most, add 1–2 products, and give each one a couple of weeks before adding the next.

Path A: clearer + smoother (texture, blackheads, breakouts)

The one I wish I’d had for my textured skin in my 20s.

• Vitaminscrub $48 $36: alternate nights with Gentleclean so you don’t over-exfoliate
• Clearity “The Blackhead Dissolver” $68 $51: every 2nd night in place of your serum. Start low and slow (every 3–4 days at first), because you may purge a bit, but this stuff is MAGICAL so it’s soooo worth it
• Pregame AHA Mask $56 $42: once a week for a deeper exfoliation

Path B: firmer, smoother lines (the “no Botox” path)

• Cellrenew Collagen Stem Cell Serum $62 $46.50: alternate nights with Bounceback
• Face tape before bed. I use BOTH the regular roll of Japanese face tape and the non-tox sealed pieces: Seald forehead patches ($28.78) or smoothing strips ($20.80). If you start with anything, JUST start with the Japanese face tape (how-to + diagram below!)
• Hydraberry Moisture Mask $48 $36: overnight in place of Hydraglow, about every 3rd night

How to face tape (the simple version)

Work WITH your muscles: placement depends on where you have wrinkles & where you express the most (I can do a separate full blog on this soon). For most of us that’s the forehead and the “11s” between the brows, then crow’s feet and smile lines if you want. I love to do 2-4 vertical strips on my forehead which relaxes the muscles overtime and really helps with those horizontal forehead wrinkles.

My routine: I put the kids to bed around 7, then shower, wash my face and do my skincare. Around 9, when I’m getting ready for bed and brushing my teeth, I do my face tape. By then everything has fully soaked in, so the tape actually sticks.

1. Pre-cut/Round the corners of each strip so they don’t peel off on your pillow.
2. No tension. Smooth your skin flat with your fingers and lay the tape on gently. Don’t stretch the tape. You can lift your skin in some areas but don’t stretch/pull.
3. Sleep in it, then peel it off slowly in the morning.

Path C: glow (dull, dry, tired-looking skin)

• Merit Great Skin Instant Glow Serum ($42): my morning glow step after Skin Spray, and what I gua sha with
• Brightmeup Brightening Toner $38 $28.50: newer and SO good, but again, I didn’t add a toner in until MANY years later!
• Stainless steel gua sha ($49): every morning before sunscreen. Lymphatic drainage = way less puffy, and it completely changes your face + helps with detox

My actual morning these days: Skin Spray → Merit serum → gua sha → sunscreen → optional makeup.

Phase 2, inside-out:

✔ Aim for a daily poop (non-negotiable!! it’s literally how hormones leave your body)
✔ Cruciferous veggies every day (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage): amazing for estrogen detox & clear skin. Same with my raw carrot salad!
✔ Track your breakouts alongside your cycle
✔ Cut way back on alcohol and sugar for a month and see what your skin tells you (ideally no alcohol hehe)

Phase 3: the bonus round (my no-Botox fancy but effective AF tools)

When: about a month after Phase 2, once your routine is on autopilot and you want to go the extra mile. These are a few-times-a-week thing, not daily.

• ZIIP Halo microcurrent device ($399.99, code MADDHEALTHY for 10% off = about $360): mornings, a few times a week. This sh*t wooooorks and I love it. It sends tiny, gentle currents into your face: microcurrent works on the muscles underneath (think a workout for your face, so it looks more lifted + toned), and nanocurrent works on the skin itself. It’s consistency-based (results fade if you stop), which is exactly why it’s so loved: a few minutes, a few times a week, at home.
• HigherDose Red Light Face Mask ($349, code MADDIE15 for 15% off = about $297): at night, a few times a week

Let’s do the math: the average Botox treatment is about $435, and it typically lasts 3–4 months. That’s roughly $1,300–$1,750 a year, every year. The ZIIP + red light mask together are about $655 with my codes, one time (plus gel for the ZIIP). WAY less than Botox, and I truly love what they’ve done for my skin.

Treat-yourself extras (nice, not necessary, and they make GREAT holiday gifts!):

• CLEARSTEM Matcha Eye Patches $38 $28.50
• CLEARSTEM Brighteyes Eye Gel $54 $40.50
• True Botanicals Chebula Eye Patches ($75, code MADDIE for 15% off)
• CLEARSTEM Glass Effect Face + Neck Sheet Masks $38 $28.50
• Pique BT Fountain: beauty electrolyte with ceramides, for skin from within. Get up to 20% off with my Pique discount link

Phase 3, inside-out:

✔ Sleep is skincare: in bed by 9:30 or 10 if you can
✔ Sunlight within 30 minutes of waking
✔ Swap one HIIT class for a walk, yoga or strength training

Your skin + face taping questions, answered

Do I have to use these exact products?

Nope! What matters most is that everything you put on your skin is non-toxic and non-pore-clogging (run it through the pore clogger checker). BUT I’m not gonna lie: these are what have worked wonders for my skin after years of trial and error, and SO many of our MaddHealthy Method clients and community members are obsessed with them too. I truly think they’re the best option out there.

Can you use anti-aging products if you’re acne-prone?

YES, as long as they’re free of pore cloggers. That’s exactly why I love the products I use: Bounceback and Cellrenew work on fine lines without clogging pores. Run anything new through the pore clogger checker first.

What order do I put my products on?

Thinnest to thickest. At night: cleanser (twice) → serum → moisturizer → face tape. In the morning: mist → glow serum + gua sha (if you’re doing them) → sunscreen.

Can I stack another code with the CLEARSTEM sale?

My code MADDIE is always the highest discount, so it overrides any other code anyway!

Does face taping actually work?

YES, but it’s a consistency thing. I’ve been face taping for years (not just occasionally). Think about how many hours a night you spend frowning, squinting or smushing your face into a pillow. The tape holds your skin smooth and still while you sleep, so you’re not folding the same creases over and over all night. And over time, it acts like a gentle reminder for those muscles (like the ones that make your “11s”) to relax instead of scrunching. Think of it as training, not a one-night fix. It won’t erase deep lines overnight, but it’s amazing for softening them and keeping new ones from setting in.

And it’s definitely not a TikTok fad: women have been taping wrinkles at night since at least 1889, when Margaret Kroesen invented Frownies wrinkle patches. The idea of taping WITH your muscles goes back to Japan in the 1970s, when Dr. Kenzo Kase developed kinesiology tape. Today’s Japanese face tape is the simple, at-home version of both.

How do you face tape?

See the step-by-step + diagram in Path B above! The short version: tape where YOUR face creases, on clean dry skin, with rounded corners and zero tension on the tape. Sleep in it and peel it off slowly in the morning.

Which face tape should I buy?

The regular roll of Japanese face tape is the most affordable, and it’s the one I use most. Because you cut it yourself, you can make every piece the exact size and shape of YOUR lines and put it right where you crease, which is why it works best over time. The Seald forehead patches are pre-cut, non-tox and the easiest (great for travel!), but they’re one-size-fits-all. I use both!

Can I face tape if I have acne?

Yes! Just don’t put tape directly on top of an active breakout. Pulling adhesive off a pimple irritates it and can make it worse, so tape around it or skip that spot for the night. And since the tape goes on over your night routine, make sure everything underneath is non-pore-clogging.

How long does it take hormonal acne to clear?

Give a new routine at least one full skin cycle (about 28 days). Hormonal acne is a longer game: it takes about 90 days for hormone shifts to really show up in your skin, because what you see now reflects what your body was dealing with weeks to months ago. This is where the internal work we do at MaddHealthy goes deeper. We test to see what’s actually driving your breakouts (gut, blood sugar, stress, liver, hormones), then work through it in phases so your body can actually heal instead of just covering it up. Some people get a little worse before they get better while their body adjusts, and this is different for everyone and why it’s so important to work with a team to support you through big changes, otherwise most people won’t make it through before giving up. Take photos in the same light every week so you can actually see the change.

If your acne keeps coming back…

If you’ve done the foundations and your acne still keeps flaring, that’s not you doing something wrong. It’s a little (or big) reminder that you haven’t gotten to the root cause yet.

That’s exactly where I was at 25, and it’s exactly what we help women with inside the MaddHealthy Method. We look deeper with functional testing, connect the dots between your gut, blood sugar, stress and hormones, and build a plan around YOUR body, with an amazing 1:1 coach and a whole community of women by your side. You can see many of our clients’ acne stories here.

If you’re done guessing, let’s chat 🤍 This is for women who are serious about getting to the root of it and ready to commit to the work (it’s not a quick fix, but it IS life-changing). If that’s you, no pressure, just a real conversation with my team. Apply for your free call →

XO,
Maddie

P.S. CLEARSTEM is 25% off right now with code MADDIE. Start with Phase 1, give it a month, and DM me on Instagram to tell me how your skin feels!!

This post is for educational purposes only and isn’t medical advice. Talk with your provider before making changes, especially if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding or on medication.

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