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If you're here for the Clearstem discount code, you can use code DARCYLYNN to save 15%!

When I tell you I have struggled with my skin for years, I mean it. In high school, I was on accutane. In college my skin was actually pretty good. However, sometime after college I started spironolactone for acne. When we decided to try to grow our family, I got off spironolactone. My skin did OK once transitioning off of the medicine, but I did deal with some breakouts when I got pregnant with our first child. After he was born, I discovered Barefaced and their toning pads* made a significant difference in my skin.

I used Barefaced toning pads* throughout my next pregnancy and while breast feeding. However, once I stopped breastfeeding... my skin freaked out and those no longer worked for me. Nothing I was doing worked anymore. In 2019 I was pregnant, I had a baby in January 2020, and breastfed that baby until April 2021. Then, I got pregnant with our second child in June of 2021, he was born in February 2022, and I breastfed up until early June 2023. Once I was done breastfeeding our second son, I think my hormones just didn't know what to do! My body had been through a lot in 4 years and this was the first time it was truly "just mine" again.

I was trying everything to clear my skin. I started getting monthly facials at a MedSpa nearby and switched all my products to things they recommended (all were incredibly pricey). I almost completely cut out dairy (I never removed it completely because I wanted to be able to enjoy pizza night with my family, but anything I could easily leave it out of, I did). I also started using LightStim for Acne LED Light Therapy Device*. I would see minor improvements for like 1-2 weeks and then either break out like crazy or get a painful cyst. 

I was sooo frustrated. I had mentioned it to my dermatologist at my annual skin check, and they were willing to put me back on a prescription medication. However, I wanted a chance to figure out what was causing my acne in the first place. My skin would clear up with presciption medicine, but as soon as I stopped taking them... the acne came back. Clearly I needed to change something to make the results stick! I didn't want to have to be on prescription medicine forever. I wanted to figure out what was causing it in the first place. 

One day, I had an ad on my Instagram page for a Podcast episode  with the founders of Clearstem skincare. At this point, I was desparate for information so I immediately listened. This episode gave me exactly the knowledge I was looking for -- how to heal my acne from the inside.

Following the podcast, I immediately ordered their hormonal acne supplement* called MINDBODYSKIN*.  You can use code DARCYLYNN to save 15%!

MINDBODYSKIN* targets acne at the source. It has multiple benefits such as inflammation and liver support, supports digestion with liver detoxifiers, provides stress relief, brightens skintone, and helps balance hormones. It addresses entire body functions in order to treat and prevent acne from the inside. MINDBODYSKIN* is a replacement for the prescription meds I used to take but achieves the exact same results.  My review of the Clearstem Skincare acne supplement could not be more positive. 

I wish I had taken better pictures of my skin. When I started taking pictures it was just for my own use -- I had never really planned to share but I loved the results so much that I had to scream it from the mountain tops. The pictures throughout the post show results at 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 4 weeks, 5 weeks, and 6 weeks. Unfortunately I do not have the full before picture as I didn't know I would love the products so much. Just imagine it was way worse than what you're seeing here.  I am not kidding when I say that 2 weeks later my skin was noticeably clearer. 

If you've ever dealt with acne, you know it takes a huge toll on your confidence. There would be times where I wouldn't want to make plans with friends because of my skin. Clearstem* has truly given me my confidence back.

After seeing improvement in my skin in 2 weeks, I decided to try out some more of their products. I planned to just replace my products with their line as I ran out . So, the first set of products I ordered were the CLEARSTEM Clear Skin Kit* and the Anti-Aging Eye Cream*.

The Clear Skin Kit included a vitamin scrub*, an exoliating serum*, a collagen infusion serum*, and stem cell moisturizer*. The combination of these products targets scarring, texture, hydration, and brightness.  Today I am 6 weeks in to using the hormonal acne supplement, and ~3 weeks in to using the clear skin kit, and I don't have any active breakouts. The only thing I am still dealing with is acne scarring -- which I know will get better with time (especially with continued use of the vitamin scrub*). 

Something else I love about Clearstem, is their ingredient checker* on their website. You can check ANY product for pore clogging ingredients by pasting in the ingredient list. I found out that my daily moisturizer had pore clogging ingredients in it! I immediately tossed it once my new stem cell moisturizer* arrived. 

With their current Black Friday sale, I purchased some more products to try out. I purchased the Bounce Back No Botox Serum*, the Clearstem Sunscreen*, and the gentle cleanser*. I cannot wait for them to get here and to see how they contribute to my skin! I will probably do an updated post early in 2024 on my thoughts after I have a chance to use them. 

Clearstem is also very affordable. Compared to some of the medical grade products I was purchasing? $65 for a serum* that actually got rid of my blackheads and unclogged my pores was a steal of a deal. Remember that you can use code DARCYLYNN to save 15%!

There is so much more going on under the surface if you suffer from acne. It requires extra work to solve the issue long-term (for example, I am probably 75% dairy free now) but it is worth it.  Outside of changing up my skincare, the one other tool I am using still is the LightStim Acne Light*. This helps calm and clear existing breakouts, prevents future breakouts, and kills acne causing bacteria. Right now, I use this about twice a week for prevention. If you feel like you have tried everything to clear your acne and are still struggling, please give both Clearstem* and the LightStim Acne Light* a try. 

The MINDBODYSKIN Vitamin* truly made the biggest difference in my skin. If you've struggled in the past with acne and either don't want to get on prescription medicine or the prescription medicine didn't work for you... I can't recommend Clearstem* enough. Their tag line of be clear, age well is exactly what I'm looking for from my skincare. If you can only buy one product from their line to start with, make it the vitamin. The Clearstem Acne Supplement is an amazing product. 

I could go on and on, but this blog post is already pretty long. Although this post is titled "An Honest Review of Clearstem Skincare" it really could be called "A love letter to Clearstem skincare". If you have specific questions please reach out in blog comments or shoot me a message over on Instagram.