How I Balanced My Hormones & Cleared Hormonal Acne

If you’ve ever noticed your skin clearing up, only for your period to roll around and bring back painful, inflamed breakouts, you’re not alone. Hormonal acne is one of the most common struggles women face, especially around their menstrual cycle. Whether it’s acne before your period, cystic pimples around ovulation, or stubborn red marks that never seem to heal, it can feel like a constant cycle you can’t escape.

I know this all too well. I used to dread making plans because I never knew if my skin would flare. After years of frustration, failed treatments, and temporary fixes, I finally learned how to clear hormonal acne naturally by balancing my hormones. In this post, I’ll share the exact steps I used so you can also experience long-lasting clear skin and the ultimate glow-up.

In my latest YouTube video, this is what I'm covering:

✅ Female Hormone Patterns (Monthly Cycle)

✅ Hormone Hierarchy

✅ Does Everyone Need A Hormone Test?

✅ How I Cleared My Hormonal Acne

✅ Homework

Watch the full YouTube video here.

Why Hormonal Acne Happens

Hormonal acne is deeply connected to fluctuations in your cycle. Many women notice new pimples the week before their period or during ovulation. This is because hormonal imbalances, such as excess androgens, low progesterone, or stress-related cortisol spikes which affect oil production, inflammation, and skin healing.

Typical band-aid solutions like birth control, antibiotics, or even harsh acne medications don’t address the deeper acne root cause. That’s why so many people see their acne return as soon as they stop these treatments. The real solution? Supporting natural hormone balance through diet, lifestyle, and targeted strategies.

My Journey With Hormonal Acne

Like many women, I tried everything: restrictive diets, countless products, and even Roaccutane (twice). While my skin cleared temporarily, my acne always came back. I felt defeated and hopeless, until I started working with a naturopath and began focusing on deeper root causes. Read my full acne journey here.

By learning how to balance hormones for acne, support gut health, and manage stress, I completely transformed my skin. Today, as an Acne Nutritionist, Naturopath, and Acne Mindset Coach, I help other women do the same through my Clear Skin Complete Programme.

Understanding Hormone Hierarchy

One of the biggest breakthroughs for me was understanding the Hormone Hierarchy. Not all hormones should be addressed at the same time or in the same way. Foundational hormones like cortisol (your stress hormone) and insulin (your blood sugar regulator) must be balanced first, because when these are out of sync, they disrupt sex hormones like progesterone, oestrogen, and testosterone.

Even oxytocin, the “love hormone” influences your stress response and menstrual rhythm. Supporting these foundational hormones creates stability so that your thyroid, sleep hormones, and sex hormones can naturally return to balance. Without following this order, using supplements or “hormone balancing herbs” often becomes just another band-aid approach.

The 8 Steps That Cleared My Hormonal Acne

Here are the exact steps I took to achieve clear skin naturally:

1. Balancing Blood Sugar & Eating Enough

Under-eating and cutting out food groups made my acne worse. I focused on a clear skin diet rich in healthy fats, animal protein, and complex carbohydrates to stabilise insulin and reduce androgen excess.

2. Eating More Cruciferous Vegetables & Colour

Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower helped support detox pathways while colorful vegetables fed my gut microbiome, which plays a huge role in acne and hormones.

3. Nervous System Regulation

Stress directly affects cortisol, ovulation, and skin health. I used EFT tapping and daily calming practices to reduce acne and stress.

4. Prioritising Sleep Routines

A clear skin lifestyle includes consistent sleep. Going to bed before 10:30pm supported melatonin production, hormone balance, and skin repair.

5. Replenishing Nutrients

Acne can be worsened by deficiencies. I increased magnesium, zinc, B6, omega-3s, and vitamin D, powerful clear skin nutrients that support hormonal balance.

6. Aligning Lifestyle With My Cycle

Instead of pushing myself with high-intensity workouts, I used cycle syncing acne strategies, like lighter exercise during my luteal phase to reduce stress on my body.

7. Supporting Detoxification

I reduced my toxic load by cutting out perfumes, nail varnish, and alcohol. I also used herbs and nutrients to support liver detox pathways.

8. Targeted Supplementation

With the guidance of functional testing, I used supplements like Chaste Berry and Saw Palmetto to address specific hormone imbalances.

Do You Need Hormone Testing?

Hormone testing can provide insights, but it’s not always the first step. Often, simply following these foundational clear skin tips and routines can help hormones naturally rebalance. Testing is most helpful if acne persists after addressing nutrition, stress, sleep, and lifestyle.

Final Thoughts: Clear Skin Is Possible

Clearing hormonal acne isn’t about quick fixes. It’s about building long-term habits that support your body’s natural hormone balance. By focusing on nutrition, lifestyle, mindset, and targeted support, you can finally break the cycle of period acne and enjoy clear, glowing skin all month long.

If you’re ready to stop Googling “how to clear hormonal acne” at 2am and start seeing real results, check out my free acne training: How To Clear Your Acne Naturally in 6-Months or Less. It’s a complete roadmap to help you feel confident in your skin again, without prescriptions or extreme restrictions.

Find out more about my Clear Skin Complete Programme here.