The Skincarma Pod | Ep. 84: Can You Clear Acne from Within? A Dermatologist & Chef Explain How
One of the biggest misconceptions in skincare is that clearer skin begins with a better product.
While cleansers, serums, and prescriptions certainly have their place, board-certified dermatologist Dr. Katie Varman believes that for many people, lasting skin health starts much deeper — in the gut, on the plate, and in the everyday habits that shape our overall health.
In this episode of the Skincarma Pod, Carmine welcomes back Dr. Katie Varman alongside her collaborator and Skin Skin Academy co-founder, holistic chef, nutrition educator, and Le Cordon Bleu–trained chef Kimber Dean, for a fascinating conversation about their new program, Clear Skin from Within [https://shine-skin-academy.getlearnworlds.com/course/clear-skin-from-within]. [https://shine-skin-academy.getlearnworlds.com/course/clear-skin-from-within]
Together, they’ve created a practical 90-day roadmap that combines functional dermatology, nutrition, cooking, stress management, and lifestyle medicine to help uncover the root causes of acne. Rather than simply treating breakouts, the program helps participants identify the foods, environmental triggers, and daily habits that may be contributing to inflammation and skin imbalance.
Throughout the conversation, Dr. Varman explains why education alone often isn’t enough, why functional medicine complements — not replaces — traditional dermatology, and how the gut-skin connection influences everything from acne to overall health.
Chef Kimber shares her own remarkable healing journey and explains how cooking can become a powerful form of self-care, making healthier eating realistic, enjoyable, and sustainable — even for busy people.
The conversation also expands beyond acne, exploring food sensitivities, migraines, nervous system regulation, processed foods, hospital nutrition, and why both guests believe the future of medicine will increasingly bring healthcare professionals, nutrition, and community together.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why acne is often driven by much more than what’s happening on the surface of the skin;
How the Clear Skin from Within 90-day program helps identify individual acne triggers;
The surprising connection between gut health, inflammation, and skin;
Why elimination diets work — and how foods can be safely reintroduced;
The foods most commonly associated with acne and why they affect everyone differently;
Why stress, sleep, and nervous system health can influence skin just as much as diet;
How Chef Kimber uses food, cooking, yoga, and mindfulness as tools for healing;
And, why the future of skincare may depend as much on what’s happening in the kitchen as what’s happening in the bathroom cabinet.
Key Takeaway
Healthy skin isn't built by a single product or a single ingredient. It's the result of countless daily choices that influence the body's internal environment. Dr. Katie Varman and Chef Kimber Dean remind us that when we nourish the gut, calm the nervous system, and build sustainable habits around food, we’re not simply treating acne — we’re supporting the long-term health of the entire body.
Connect with Dr. Katie Varman on LinkedIn here [https://www.linkedin.com/company/shine-skin-academy/] and on Instagram at @shineskinacademy. [https://www.instagram.com/shineskinacademy?igsh=b2M0YzA3ajB0Nnpz] Connect with Chef Kimber Dean on LinkedIn here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chef-kimber-dean-5a335a185/] and on Instagram at @chefyoginikimberdean [https://www.instagram.com/chefyoginikimberdean?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==] and @happyfoodmeals. [https://www.instagram.com/happyfoodmeals?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==]
Explore the Clear Skin From Within [https://shine-skin-academy.getlearnworlds.com/course/clear-skin-from-within] program here [https://shine-skin-academy.getlearnworlds.com/course/clear-skin-from-within] and enjoy a complimentary gut-skin lesson here [https://shine-skin-academy.getlearnworlds.com/gut-skin-connection].
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Follow Skincarma on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/skincarma?igsh=d2JmemE3aXo0a3Fw&utm_source=qr] and on TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@skincarma?_t=ZT-8ubN2Gvz7xS&_r=1]. Catch product reviews of Carmine’s top picks of the best skincare on the Skincarma Blog. [http://www.skincarma.com] You can also connect with Carmine on Substack [https://skincarma.substack.com/podcast] and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/carminemontalto/] – and explore his extensive work in beauty on the Carmine Montalto INK website here [https://www.cminknyc.com].
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate and/or leave a review on Apple Podcasts, [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-skincarma-pod/id1793186495] Substack [https://skincarma.substack.com/podcast], or Spotify [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7bGZdDAmYChhO1-WsRyu26PVGe9WFToy&si=H9AqKo1fDbAiToeA] to help Carmine reach more curious listeners.
Explore more:
Clear Skin From Within 90-Day Program [https://shine-skin-academy.getlearnworlds.com/course/clear-skin-from-within]
Shine Skin Academy Homepage [https://shine-skin-academy.getlearnworlds.com/home]
Free Gut-Skin Lesson [https://shine-skin-academy.getlearnworlds.com/gut-skin-connection]
Chef Kimber’s Protein Brownie Bites [https://youtu.be/wEGJIo97sI4?is=aih2C2GLImCERMFp]
Chef Kimber’s ADHD Smoothie [https://youtu.be/kIx0cKZZWKg?is=uV84x1C0DfYPI-Jq]
Eating for Sun Protection [https://youtu.be/Ppe-sciUGTU?is=mGB-emKBGg5q8ylG]
Product reviews on the Skincarma Blog:
Explore the Best Sunscreens for Face here [https://www.skincarmanyc.com/best-sunscreens-for-face].
Explore the Best Retinol Face Creams and Serums here [https://www.skincarmanyc.com/best-retinol-face-creams-and-serums].
Explore the Best Vitamin C Serums here [https://www.skincarmanyc.com/best-vitamin-c-serums-for-face].
Explore the Best Niacinamide Serums here [https://www.skincarmanyc.com/best-brightening-serums-for-face-1].
Explore the Best Acne Treatments here [https://www.skincarmanyc.com/best-acne-treatments].
Explore the Best Anti-Aging Creams and Serums here [https://www.skincarmanyc.com/best-anti-aging-creams-and-serums].
Explore the Best Face Creams for Dry Skin here [https://www.skincarmanyc.com/best-face-creams-dry-skin].
Explore the Best Face Creams for Oily Skin here [https://www.skincarmanyc.com/best-face-creams-oily-skin].
The Skincarma® Pod is where indie beauty meets fearless curiosity. Hosted by Carmine, his podcast pulls back the curtain on the beauty industry with sharp insights, candid interviews, and a healthy dose of irreverence. From deep dives into ingredient science to raw conversations with dermatologists, brand founders, and industry insiders, each episode is a no-BS exploration of what really matters in skincare: how to attain and maintain healthy skin. If you’re obsessed with products, passionate about transparency, and love calling out hype, this is the place to learn, question, and glow smarter.
The Skincarma® Blog is written and curated by skinfluencer, skincare junkie and Brooklyn writer Carmine Montalto. With 25 years of expertise in beauty across every category, Carmine has helped build multiple consumer brands from the ground up. He’s named 100s of skincare, haircare & makeup products – some of which are probably in your bathroom cabinet right now! And, he’s tested 1,000s of products, the best of which can be found reviewed on his blog at skincarma.com. [https://www.skincarmanyc.com]
With the right skincare routine including sunscreen...You CAN change your skin’s destiny!™
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