How to Make Glass Skin Bone Broth that Clears Acne

The Internet's New Favorite Acne Potion?

If you're on a quest to heal your acne or achieve that glass skin, I'm sure you've heard tales about bone broth and its many (apparently) magic powers when it comes to reducing acne breakouts, unlocking your most radiant complexion ever, and even improving gut health. A quick Google or TikTok search on "bone broth benefits", will have given you lists with endless pros related to healthy skin and girls sipping on broth while the words "collagen elixir", "skin elasticity", "clear skin" "helps with fine lines" popped up on your screen. 

Beef marrow bones 🥩 Image Credit: Lisa (author)

Needless to say: I had to put it to the test myself and even though I was skeptical at first, it ended up improving my painful adult acne and overtly sensitive skin in a way I didn't expect. Was it the one and only thing I did to heal my cystic acne? I wish but it was a more complex journey with many trials and errors. Acne is one of these complex (and extremely annoying) skin issues with a variety of causes and triggers, which honestly makes healing, or even just feeling as if you're somewhat controlling it all the more time-consuming, frustrating, and, well, ✨expensive✨.

One of my favorites: chicken broth 🧅 Image Credit: Lisa (author)

But making and drinking broth played a crucial role in clearing my acne longterm. It was one of the habits I practiced where I saw actual results: Since last year (2022), I've been drinking a small cup of bone broth on a daily basis alongside my shot of trusty apple cider vinegar (mixed with lemon juice and vitamin C powder, so good!), and not only did the chronic inflammation in my skin calm down visibly but I haven't had any deep, cystic breakouts since then (except for when I used a product my skin really hated). 

That being said, before I'd like to introduce you to my Glass Skin Bone Broth, a simple, affordable broth recipe I revised many times until it had the perfect milky consistency, let's look at what science has to say about this nutrient-dense liquid gold and its alleged health benefits.   

The Brain-Gut-Skin Theory 

Seems like everyone is curious about bone broth👀 Image Credit: Lisa (author)

One of my favorite theories in dermatology is called the "brain-gut-skin axis", I love it for many reasons but for one, it baffles me how two researchers in 1930 already recognized that our gut and skin health are connected. I learned about it for the first time when I read a research article by Dr. Whitney Bowe and Dr. Alan C. Logan, I'm sure you know Dr. Bowe from her trending Skin Cycling Method that went viral on TikTok last year (Bowe & Logan, 2011). Anyways Dr. John H. Stokes and Dr. Donald M. Pillsbury, both dermatologists, proposed that if we're exposed to life/work-related stress, it can negatively affect our digestive tract, specifically our intestinal permeability (think: how intact your gut lining is), which in turn can lead to chronic inflammation diseases such as acne (Stokes & Pillsbury, 1930). I remember when I read this paper for the first time, I immediately thought about my skin breaking out the worst whenever I experienced a lot of stress, whether that's life or work-related, I'm sure you and your skin have been there as well. 

Add some broth to your noodles + your favorite veggies = you’ve got yourself a “beautiful skin dish”🤌🏼 Image Credit: Lisa (author)

Now, let's keep in mind that again, acne can have a plethora of causes. You might experience amazing results drinking bone broth if your acne is related to gut issues but let's say you drink bone broth and nothing really notable changes in the severity of your acne, it might be more worthwhile for you to explore other dietary changes or topical skincare products. Yet, one thing I came across during my research that suddenly made everything make sense and it's this: Us acne girlies and boys have one thing in common and that's that many of us don't have the best of gut health. Allow me to explain, before we'll have a look at bone broth's role in all of this. 

Sad Microbiome = Happy Acne 

I love broth made from a whole chicken because you can use the meat to make chicken noodle soup🥄 Image Credit: Lisa (author)

So in 2022, a research paper was published in Life Basel, an international, peer-reviewed journal where researchers did a review of the major studies done so far on the connection between our digestive system, specifically the health of the intestinal microbiome (think all the little microorganisms colonizing the gut) and acne, here are my favorite takeaways (Chilicka et al., 2022):

• The gut flora of acne patients was less diverse (compared to people without acne) (Loveman et al., 1955)

• Acne patients tended to have fewer of the following gut-loving bacteria: Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Coprobacillus, Butyricicoccus, and Allobusulum (compared to the control group) (Deng et al., 2018)

• People with acne tend to have an overgrowth of the bacterium Bacterioidetes spp. when they're exposed to stress (compared to those without acne) (Yan et al., 2018)

As you can see, the list isn't very...long which in the world of scientific research means one thing: If there are limited studies, more in-depth research on the topic giving us scientific evidence needs to be conducted. Yet, we can observe one thing: If you have acne, you might be able to see changes in your skin's inflammation levels and frequency/severity of breakouts if you care for your gut. One way of doing this is to ask your doctor for an analysis of your gut bacteria (yes, this involves a stool sample but it's worth it) and get on a probiotic regimen tailored to what your gut is missing, a treatment approach also suggested by Dr. Stokes and Dr. Pillsbury. Another option when you want to try tackling not necessarily the bacterial colonization of your gut but the overall inflammation levels in your gut related to your skin is, you guessed it: To give bone broth a try.

The Building Blocks & Benefits of Bone Broth 

A marrow bone after 3 hours of cooking. Image Credit: Lisa (author)

When I saw more and more people online rave about bone broth, I got curious: Why should this gelatinous drink be good for our gut and skin? While there are barely any control-group, independent studies conducted on the effects of bone broth on acne, I became curious and looked into what bone broth consists of that might help us ance folks. Please keep in mind that this is me, a cosmetics marketer with a business, not a science degree, and a genuine interest in cosmetic chemistry/dermatology being inquisitive and that when something, whether that's food or a skincare product, works well for our acne, it's usually due to their complex nutritional interactions or their formula, it's never just ONE THING. 

Image Credit: Lisa (author)

We first need to understand the essential nutrients present in bone broth. So let's see what one cup of beef broth contains: According to nutritionvalue.org, one cup contains roughly 10 grams of protein and amino acids. And while this varies on what type of animal broth you're making and the quality of bones used, I'd like to point out one anti-inflammatory amino acids by the name of glutamine, as well as one of the building blocks of protein we all love: collagen. What's also wonderful for us with acne-prone skin is that bone broth also contains vitamin A, and to top things off, it also comes packed with minerals such as calcium and magnesium, which are always nice to have. 

Now this is where it gets exciting: A 2021 research paper published in the Food Science and Wellness Journal, another one of these fab international peer-reviewed journals, found that the amino acid glutamine can support the gut microbiome balance by lowering inflammation levels (Deters & Saleem). This might just be amazing news for us struggling with acne because it is one of the amino acids bone broth contains and it might be one of its nutrients that could explain why many people are seeing great results from it. Yet, let's remember that this study was not done on bone broth specifically but on an isolated amino acid, meaning, ideally, we'd need a study on the possible anti-inflammatory effect of bone broth amino acids on acne, but until then, let's try to make some broth and see whether it might help with your acne: 

My Glass Skin Bone Broth Recipe 

Image Credit: Lisa (author)

The broth you see here featured in the photos is beef bone broth but this recipe works with any kind of animal bones. I highly encourage you to try using chicken bones to make chicken bone broth as these have an even higher amino acid content according to WebMD (remember: anti-inflammatory). 

Ok, before you go: Why should I even make bonme broth at home when I can just...buy it? Let me throw some (hopefully convincing reasons at you): 

• Home-made broth is WAY cheaper than store-bought broth (In this economy?!)

• You'll have more control over the quality of bones that the broth is made from when you make broth from scratch. 

• You can use the bones TWICE: The second time around, the broth becomes even milkier.

• You can customize your broth to your taste and consistency preference in an easy way by adding vegetables and herbs

• If you're conscious about your salt intake: Store-bought broths (yes, even the fancy ones, trust me, I've tried them all because we're all lazy haha) usually are way too salty to preserve them longer. 

• Pro tip: You can even eat the bone marrow after cooking: I know, I know, this takes some getting used to, but it contains the most collagen so instead of buying pricy collagen supplements, you can give this a shot. 

Let the boil begin. Image Credit: Lisa (author)

Ingredients

• Beef Broth Version: 2-4 kg (marrow) bones (When it comes to beef, I prefer grass-fed bones)

• Chicken Broth Version: 1 whole raw chicken

• Cold water (to boil & cover the bones)

• 2 Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (helps draw out all nutrient goodness from the bones)

• If you prefer, you can add dried mushrooms for extra flavor, fresh veggies & herbs like carrots, onions, garlic, celery, parsley, leek, whole pepper kernels, fennel, etc. (add as much as fits comfortably into your pot)

​Serving finishing touches 

• Salt to taste (only after the cooking process do NOT add while boiling the bones)

Instructions

Before we start: I highly recommend wearing single-use gloves when handling raw bones and meat for food safety reasons.

Pre-Prep (optional)👩🏻‍🍳

If you have more meaty beef bones, you can roast them in the oven prior to the boiling process for extra flavor: Rub them with an oil of your choice, place them on your baking tray, and bake for about 30 minutes at 200 celsius. b

Prep 🤌🏼

Soak the bones or the whole chicken in cold water for about an hour to clean them thoroughly and draw out any impurities. Then, rinse off and toss that water. 

Parboil 🍚

Place the beef bones/the whole chicken in a large pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium heat and boil for five minutes. Toss this water, and rinse the bones/the chicken again.  

Boil 🔥

Place the beef bones/the whole chicken into the cleaned pot, add the veggies + herbs, and cover with water but leave enough room for boiling.

Chicken version extra step: After two hours, carefully take the chicken out, let it cool down, and take the meat off the bones so it doesn’t overcook. Transfer all bones and parts you don’t want to eat back into the pot.

Boil the beef/chicken bones for 5-6 hours and refill water to cover the bones throughout this process carefully without watering down the broth. If you want your broth to be more on the clear side, go for a lower simmer during the hours of cooking, if you like a milkier color, for a higher boil. 

Serve 💅🏻

Let the broth cool down and scoop off some of the fat before storing it in containers: You can freeze the majority of broth and have the amount you estimate to drink within a week placed in your fridge so it stays all fresh and yummy. 

Trust …

… the process. Image Credit: Lisa (author)

How To Drink The Broth

I know when I started drinking bone broth, I at first had a hard time drinking it straight because of its (very!) savory flavor first thing in the morning but after a couple of weeks, I actually started enjoying the taste. That being said, I was so desperate when it came to my skin condition and how much it affected my mental health, that I was willing to do anything for my skin, and no tasten would stop me haha SO just in case you're more in it for the finishing glass skin touch and struggle drinking it straight "on the rocks", I can highly recommend heating it up and drinking it warm, chase it with something tasty like a juice shot, or to add it to your lunch dishes/drink it while you're having lunch to get used to it. When it comes to how much bone broth you should aim to drink per day, I'd recommend having one small cup to one big mug per day, but try and find what feels good to you, your skin, and your gut. 

When You Can Expect Results 

I love storing my broth in glass containers: Cute & hygienic. Image Credit: Lisa (author)

After you start incorporating bone broth into your daily routine, I'd give it at least one, preferably two months taking into account the skin renewal cycle which slows down as we age. My dermatologist in Gangnam, Dr. Cho, explained this cycle to me once like this: For newborns, the skin renewal is like the Autobahn with their skin cells renewing extremely fast, meaning every two weeks, while for teens and people in their twenties, it's more like a freeway with their skin renewing every month. For people in their thirties and forties, you can imagine it like a highway, with their renewal cycle taking from one month up to forty days, and for people 50+ years, think of it like a calmer country road, with the cycle taking up to 84 days. Meaning: Try to be patient (I know this is hard because if we're being honest, we all want to see immediate results when it comes to our skin) as your skin needs time to shed its "old" cells and reveal whether or not visible change has happened.

Pro tip #1: While you're introducing the bone broth into your regular diet, try to limit experimenting with irritating skincare actives so you can closely observe whether the bone broth has a positive impact on your acne breakouts. 

Pro Tip #2: Don't rely on the broth alone as a way to "fix" your acne but try to feed your gut with other healthy fats like avocados, nuts, eggs, fish, seeds, full-fat yogurts so the broth has company and can help your gut and skin thrive. 

Lisa is a Cosmetics Marketer & Science Writer with 10 years of experience in curating Korean skincare. When she isn’t taking care of Eucerin’s global brand messaging, she’s researching K-beauty's latest launches and Seoul’s places to be for The Skin Special blog and podcast.

Sources

• Stokes Jh, Pillsbury Dm. (1930) The Effect On The Skin Of Emotional And Nervous States Iii. Theoretical And Practical Consideration Of A Gastro-Intestinal Mechanism. Arch Derm Syphilol.  22(6):962–993. doi:10.1001/archderm.1930.01440180008002.

• Bowe WP, Logan AC (2011) Acne vulgaris, probiotics and the gut-brain-skin axis - back to the future? Gut Pathog. Jan 31;3(1):1. doi: 10.1186/1757-4749-3-1. 

• Chilicka K, Dzieńdziora-Urbińska I, Szyguła R, Asanova B, Nowicka D. (2022) Microbiome and Probiotics in Acne Vulgaris-A Narrative Review. Life (Basel). Mar 15;12(3):422. doi: 10.3390/life12030422.

• Loveman D.E., Noojin R.O., Winkler C.H., Jr. (1955) Comparative studies of enteric bacterial flora in acne vulgaris. J. Investig. Dermatol.;25:135–137. doi: 10.1038/jid.1955.110.

• Deng Y., Wang H., Zhou J., Mou Y., Wang G., Xiong X (2018) Patients with Acne Vulgaris Have a Distinct Gut Microbiota in Comparison with Healthy Controls. Acta Derm. Venereol. ;98:783–790. doi: 10.2340/00015555-2968.

• Yan H.M., Zhao H.J., Guo D.Y., Zhu P.Q., Zhang C.L., Jiang W (2018) Gut microbiota alterations in moderate to severe acne vulgaris patients. J. Dermatol. ;45:1166–1171. doi: 10.1111/1346-8138.14586. 

• Deters BJ, Saleem M (2021) The role of glutamine in supporting gut health and neuropsychiatric factors. Food Science and Human Wellness. 2021;10(2):149-154. doi:10.1016/j.fshw.2021.02.003