Gut Instinct
Bone broth for anti-aging? Groundbreaking.
I can’t talk about bone broth without sharing the impetus behind why I became a convert. It’s vain, I’ll admit, but it’s also profoundly personal: acne.
Adult acne feels like betrayal. It’s worse when you understand every ingredient in your seven-step skincare routine, can explain the science behind every premium treatment, and have spent years building expertise in the beauty industry. In fact, I’m the one all my friends come to for skincare advice. So when my face began to quickly resemble that of my prepubescent years, it wasn’t merely that I was breaking out; it was breaking my carefully constructed identity as someone who knows skin.
I had access to everything. The most innovative formulations. Direct lines to industry experts. A mental catalogue of ingredients so thorough I could recite their benefits in my sleep. Yet every new pimple felt like a personal indictment of everything I thought I knew. But no serum, no cleanser, no spot treatment could fix what my body was trying to tell me: the root of the problem wasn’t on my face.
Our bodies keep receipts. Every round of antibiotics, every stress-induced cortisol spike, every hormonal swing gets logged and, eventually, those receipts are cashed in. In my case, it manifested as gut dysfunction, where compromised barriers let toxins and irritants slip into my bloodstream and wreak havoc. The result was inflammation that surfaced exactly where I didn’t want it, on my skin. And we're not just talking about breakouts… this is the kind of deep, systemic inflammation that triggers everything from redness to what dermatologists call inflammaging, a slow, persistent breakdown that keeps your body locked in permanent damage control. Think of it as fight or flight, but for your face.
Fixing my gut meant stripping things back and starting at the root. That’s where bone broth enters the chat. Not as a trend or a “hack,” but as a simple, functional solution.
When you simmer bones, you unlock collagen your body can actually use, not the kind that sits on the surface of your skin but the kind that works from the inside out, repairing the gut lining and calming the chain reaction of inflammation. Glycine, the star amino acid in bone broth, helps lower cortisol (aka the stress hormone) and repair tissue. Add in protein—something most of us don’t get enough of—and you’ve got a combination that does more than just nourish, it resets.
Side note: as we get older, our bodies need more protein. After 40, it’s recommended to consume 1.0-1.2 grams of protein per kg of body weight (or .45-.55 grams per pound) to support muscle mass, metabolism, and overall health. Not only does a morning mug of bone broth start your day with a solid dose of protein, but it also delivers essential nutrients that help nourish the gut and reduce inflammation.
The difference wasn’t instant, but it was clear. Once I made bone broth part of my routine, my skin began to calm down. My breakouts were less aggressive and even the hormonal chaos I’d been experiencing started to settle (albeit subtly). Bone broth didn’t replace my seven-step routine, it just made it more effective by addressing what all the serums in the world couldn’t fix.
It was like going from my iPhone back to a landline. It wasn’t flashy or revolutionary, but it worked. And after years of chasing the next big thing, it reminded me that sometimes the solutions we need aren’t new at all. I’m not saying bone broth is the cure-all, but for me, it kind of was. No matter what’s going on with your health, adding bone broth to your diet can only be beneficial.
When it comes to skin, fixing the outside starts from within. Cheesy? Yes. True? Also yes.
My Favorite Pre-Made Bone Broth
If your fridge is 80% serums and 20% actual food, same. This is the only pre-made bone broth I’ll drink—delicious and savory, not just beef-flavored water. It’s pricey but worth it. 30g of protein, 15g of collagen per bag. Chef’s kiss.
FYI: The boxed stuff contains protein but rarely actual collagen (the key to skin and joint health), so try to stick with fresh or frozen if given the option.
If you have an amazing bone broth recipe, drop it in the comments below for anyone brave enough to simmer their own (not it!).
I want to try but just have the generic options near me. Good idea to ask for recipes!
I feel someone responsible for introducing you to bone broth.