Clear Skin Journey: What Potty Training Taught Me About Skin
Okay, hear me out on this one. I know comparing skincare to potty training sounds absolutely wild (and trust me, I questioned myself while writing this), but stay with me for a second. Because the lessons I learned from potty training two very different kids have literally changed how I think about your clear skin journey.
With my daughter, we went all-in on the intense 3-day method right after she turned 2. You know the one I’m talking about – the approach where you dedicate an entire long weekend, stock up on cleaning supplies, and basically don’t leave the house for 72 straight hours. It worked (technically), but it was absolutely brutal for all of us. She wasn’t really ready, but I felt this crazy pressure from other parents who were doing it, from the “experts” who said this was the perfect age, and from those same “experts” saying we couldn’t wait too long or she’d get “too stubborn.”
Fast forward to my son. He’s 2 years and 9 months old, and we took a completely different approach. We put the potty out, offered it regularly, his teacher did the same at daycare, but when he said no? We didn’t push it. And you know what happened? Last week, he just… decided. He started asking to use the potty multiple times a day, celebrating his successes, and genuinely excited about the whole thing. No tears, no stress, no forcing. Just waiting until he was ready.
So what does this have to do with your clear skin journey? Girl, EVERYTHING.
Why Your Clear Skin Journey Isn’t Like Anyone Else’s
Here’s what I realized after going through two completely different potty training experiences: there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. What worked (kind of) for my daughter would’ve been a disaster for my son. They’re different kids with different temperaments, different readiness levels, and different needs.
Your skin is exactly the same way.
I see this constantly with the messages I get – people frustrated because they tried their friend’s routine and it didn’t work. Or they followed an influencer’s favorite products and broke out worse than before. Or they’re using the same cleanser their sister swears by and their skin is a mess.
That’s literally me for 20 YEARS of my life. I kept thinking I just hadn’t found “the one” product yet. I’d see someone with glowing skin, buy everything they recommended, and then be shocked when my skin looked worse. I didn’t understand that what works for their skin (their oil production, their hormone levels, their skin sensitivity) might be completely wrong for mine.
This is why I created The Routine Method. Because your clear skin journey requires a personalized approach based on YOUR skin’s specific needs, not what worked for someone else. Just like my son needed a different potty training approach than my daughter, your skin needs products and routines chosen specifically for how your skin behaves.
The Influencer Problem (And Why Social Media Is Making Your Skin Worse)
Okay, let’s get real about something that literally nobody talks about.
With potty training, I felt pressure from everywhere – other parents, family members, coworkers. But honestly? The worst pressure came from social media. Every parenting influencer I followed was posting about the 3-day method. Success story after success story. Thousands of comments from parents saying it worked for them. So even though I had this gut feeling that my daughter might not be quite ready, I ignored it. Because if it worked for all these people on Instagram, it should work for us too, right?
Wrong. We pushed. And honestly? It sucked. For everyone.
Sound familiar?
Here’s what I see happening with skincare constantly: An influencer posts about their “holy grail” serum with glowing photos (literally). The comments are full of people raving about it. So you buy it too. Because if it works for thousands of people, it should work for you, right?
But here’s what I learned from potty training: just because something is popular doesn’t mean it’s right for your specific situation. My son needed a completely different approach than what was trending on Instagram. Your skin needs products chosen specifically for YOUR skin, not what’s viral on TikTok right now.
And here’s the truth most people don’t want to say out loud: that influencer probably got the product for free. They might not even be using it in their actual routine (I said what I said! 😅). Their “glowing skin” might be from filters, professional lighting, or regular facials. You have no idea if they actually use that product daily or if it’s just a sponsored post.
I’m not saying all influencers are lying (though… some definitely are). I’m saying that even when they genuinely love a product, it might be completely wrong for your skin. Just like the 3-day potty training method genuinely worked for thousands of parents but was wrong for my daughter’s readiness level.
This is why I created the Ingredient Microscope. Before you buy ANYTHING based on an influencer recommendation, check it first. The Ingredient Microscope analyzes both the 115+ toxic ingredients you should avoid AND the 485+ comedogenic (pore-clogging) ingredients that cause breakouts. It tells you whether a product is actually safe and effective for YOUR specific skin type.
Your skin deserves better than trial-and-error based on Instagram recommendations.
And here’s what’s wild – all this pressure and comparison? It’s literally making your skin worse. Stress is one of the worst triggers for acne. When you’re stressed about why that influencer’s routine isn’t working for you, your cortisol levels spike, which triggers inflammation, which causes breakouts, which makes you more stressed. It’s a vicious cycle. Additionally, chronic stress disrupts your sleep quality, which further elevates inflammation and slows down your skin’s healing process.
The pressure to have clear skin on someone else’s timeline, using someone else’s products, following someone else’s routine is actively working against your clear skin journey.
Why Everything Needs Time to Click
The biggest lesson from my two potty training experiences? Sometimes things just need time to click.
With my daughter, we could’ve waited a few more months and probably had a much smoother experience. She would’ve been more developmentally ready, more interested, more capable of understanding what we were asking her to do. But I was impatient. I wanted it done NOW because that’s what everyone else seemed to be doing.
With my son, I gave him that time. And watching him suddenly “get it” and feel so proud of himself has been amazing. The confidence, the excitement, the self-driven nature of it all – that only happened because we gave him the time he needed to be ready.
Your clear skin journey is the same thing. I know you want results yesterday (believe me, I get it – I wasted 20 years and thousands of dollars trying to force results). But skin healing takes time. Your skin cells turn over roughly every 28 days, so you need at least that long to see real results. If you’re addressing hormonal issues through supplements or nutrition, it can take 2-3 months to see significant changes. Healing your gut? That’s a 3-6 month journey for most people.
This doesn’t mean you should sit around doing nothing (that’s where I come in to guide you through the process!). However, it does mean you need to trust that with the right approach, your skin WILL improve. You just need to give it time.
I see so many people jump from product to product, routine to routine, never giving anything long enough to actually work. They’ll try something for 2 weeks, don’t see dramatic results, and switch to something else. That’s the equivalent of trying to potty train a 1-year-old – they’re just not ready yet, and forcing it isn’t going to make it happen faster.
What This Means for Your Clear Skin Journey
So where does this leave you? Here’s what I want you to take away from my completely random potty training comparison (I can’t believe this actually works as a blog post, but here we are):
First, stop comparing your timeline to everyone else’s. That person who got clear skin in 4 weeks might have had completely different issues than you. Maybe they just needed to switch their moisturizer. Maybe their acne was purely stress-related and they happened to go on vacation. Maybe they’re lying on the internet (I mean, it happens). Your journey is YOUR journey.
Second, release the pressure. Stress is making everything worse. Instead of frantically researching and trying new products every week, take a breath. Build your personalized routine based on your actual skin needs, commit to it for at least 6-8 weeks, and trust the process. I promise the constant switching and stressing isn’t helping.
Third, understand that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. What worked for your friend, your sister, that influencer you follow – it might not work for you. And that’s OKAY. That’s not a failure on your part. That’s just how skin works. You need a routine built specifically for your skin type, your concerns, your sensitivities.
Finally, know that I’m here to guide you through this. Just like I wish I’d had more support and less pressure with my daughter’s potty training, I want to be the support system for your clear skin journey. Whether you’re checking ingredients with my free Ingredient Checker, building your routine with The Routine Method, or getting the complete system with The Clear Skin Protocol – I’m genuinely excited to help you figure this out without the pressure, comparison, or timeline stress.
Ready to Start Your Clear Skin Journey the Right Way?
Look, I know this was kind of a weird blog post (potty training and skincare – who knew?). But if you’re sitting there feeling the pressure, comparing yourself to others, wondering why it’s taking so long, or jumping from product to product hoping something will finally work… I hope this helped.
Your clear skin journey doesn’t need to be stressful. It doesn’t need to match anyone else’s timeline. And it definitely shouldn’t be based on what worked for someone else’s completely different skin.
Want to start building YOUR personalized approach? Here’s what I recommend:
- Start with the Ingredient Checker to make sure your current products aren’t actively working against you (both toxic ingredients AND comedogenic ones – because yes, both matter)
- Check out The Routine Method to understand exactly what YOUR skin needs based on your specific concerns, skin type, and sensitivities
- Read more of my Clear Skin Stories to see how other people have navigated their own journeys (spoiler: none of them look exactly the same)
And hey – I genuinely read every single message and comment. If you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or just need someone to help you figure out your next step, reach out. I’ve spent 20 years making every mistake in the book so you don’t have to. Let me help you skip the stress and jump straight to what actually works for YOUR skin. you skip the stress and jump straight to what actually works for YOUR skin.
