Your acne isn't a mystery or a moral failing. It's a stack of small fixable things. Stop asking what's causing it... ask what you changed.

I've struggled with adult acne for a decade. Deep, cystic, painful acne all over my cheeks and jaw. The kind you can't cover, because you can hide the redness but you can't hide the texture. I'd avoid certain lighting. Some mornings I'd go to put my makeup on and it hurt so much I'd just cry.

I've spent thousands trying to fix it. Skin clinics, facials, peels, antibiotics, Roaccutane, expensive skincare, cheap skincare. If someone promised me clear skin, I tried it.

And a few weeks ago I woke up, looked in the mirror, and went: hell no. Not this again. But this time I knew what to look for. And the fix was so simple I couldn't believe it.

This week's episode is everything I wish I'd known years ago. The biggest shift was realising adult acne is almost never one thing... it's a stack of small things pouring gasoline on the fire. So now, instead of asking "what's causing my acne," I ask: "what have I changed?"

This is for you if:

• You've tried everything for your adult acne and it still keeps coming back
• You're sick of "just drink more water" advice
• You want the real, unsexy stuff that actually clears skin

In this episode:

• Adult acne is a stacking problem: ask "what have I changed?" not "what's causing it?"
• Pore-clogging ingredients hiding in your skincare, haircare, and washing powder
• Skin barrier damage: why burning your acne off makes it worse
• Blood sugar and hormonal acne: the breakfast mistake that broke me out
• My simple skincare routine and the one thing to start with today

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I’m Steph Pase, your (somewhat) organised bestie in your ears. This podcast is about growth that’s messy, building a life that actually fits you, and what happens when life doesn’t go to plan. We’ll talk mental health, motherhood, business, ADHD and how to stop being such an asshole to yourself.

New episodes drop every Monday morning.
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