I'm Obsessed With Clearing My Acne, and This Surprising Product Totally Helped

I've always been a huge believer in the age-old saying "you are what you eat." Not, perhaps, in the literal sense of the phrase, but in the physical or more intrinsic sense. For as long as I can remember, my parents (who are both 73 but look like they're 50) have embodied an extremely active, balanced, and healthy way of life. Growing up, my brown sack lunch PB & Js were layered with organic flaxseed bread, homemade peanut butter, and fresh-cut banana, I was used to having vegetables at almost every meal, and dried pineapple rings were my idea of "dessert." Sure, this might seem weird or even a bit extreme, but in no way was it rigid or restrictive. My parents would let me have treats and at least once a week we would order in Chinese or a Pizza Hut pizza. It was a balanced, healthy approach to nutrition, and as a side effect, I learned from a very young age how much better I felt physically and mentally when I was eating clean, colorful, non-processed food on a regular basis. 

Of course, there were the inevitable shifts when I entered college and no longer had access to my parents' Erewhon-esque pantry, but though I definitely went through phases of far fewer vegetables and far more Bagel Bites and tequila shots, that initial whole food mindset has come full-circle. These days, I always feel my very best when I'm embodying those nutritional pillars I observed early on from my parents, which is probably why I relate to and love Sakara Life's nutrition philosophy so much and try to incorporate the brand into my daily life as often as possible. 

Last month, I explained that in recent years I've become a bit jaded concerning the wellness and supplement industry. After basically performing an exorcism in my pantry (which had been stuffed with more powders, capsules, and liquid elixirs than necessary), I was left with a tight yet effective grouping of wellness products I actually believed in and noticed true benefits from. Sakara Life—and a wide variety of products from its Clean Boutique—is probably the company behind most of them. So you can imagine my excitement when the brand launched a brand-new tasty snack, the Beauty Super Bar, earlier this year. 

Not only is it the most beautiful nutrition bar I've ever laid eyes on (it's the most glorious shade of hot pink) it's also the most delicious—slightly sweet and coconutty. What's more, it's had a legitimate, positive impact on the health and clarity of my skin. I've been snacking on the bar regularly for almost two months now and have actually noticed a slew of skin and health benefits, and I'm so not alone. Check out the reviews on the brand's website if you don't believe me.

Unlike pretty much every other protein or nutrition bar on the market (even the ones touted as "healthy"), this bar (and Sakara's other two delicious options) are actually different. The Beauty Super Bar features clean, organic ingredients teeming with plant-sourced antioxidants, which Sakara Life cites as more effective when ingested than applied topically. Alongside glow-getter additions like strawberry, coconut, and organic pea protein, the magical key ingredient is truly the brand's patent-pending Phyto Youth Blend, which is a luxe melding of French melon and grape seed extracts rich in polyphenols, superoxide dismutase, vitamin C and zinc—all of which the brand touts as clinically shown to reduce imperfections, even skin tone, boost hydration, and increase firmness.

The brand also explains on its website that during a clinical study performed under dermatological control, over 70% of participants experienced an increase in both skin luminosity and elasticity in addition to a noticeable decrease in pigmentation and skin imperfections. "Results were seen after eight weeks, compared to 12 weeks for topical retinol—and with no side effects like skin irritation or increased sun sensitivity," explains findings on the brand's website. 

Since I have a lot more to say about these bars, keep scrolling. Below, I'm listing the top five reasons I'm now obsessed with Sakara's new hot pink protein bars to feel (and look) like my best self. 

Honestly, when the brand told me that eating the beauty bar once per day for at least eight weeks would grant similar results as applying a topical retinol, I was skeptical. I'm all about eating clean, healthy ingredients for the benefits physically and mentally, but there have been very few products I've ingested that have reaped noticeable results on my acne-prone skin. Yet, lo and behold, after about one month my skin looked brighter, dewier, bouncier, and significantly less congested. I hadn't really changed anything else about my diet or skincare routine, so I'm 100% convinced those benefits were from my new daily Sakara bar habit. 

I'm the type of person who prefers three big(ish) meals per day with little to no snacking versus a day of grazing. That said, depending on my schedule, the window between breakfast and lunch or lunch and dinner can sometimes span, like, eight hours. Yikes. Since my hangry scale is definitely around a 10, (you do NOT want to be around me when my blood sugar dips), if I do need a snack, I need something that keeps me full, is easy to eat on the go (or sitting in L.A. traffic), and will soothe my inevitable sweet tooth. This bar checks off every box. It's chewy with a light, yummy sweetness, but thanks to the 12 grams of protein (from organic pea protein), 10 grams of healthy fat (from organic almond butter and coconut), and 13 grams of fiber (from chicory root), the marathon between meals becomes way more bearable. And I'm a heck of a lot less frenetic once I do land in my kitchen.

Sorry if this is TMI, but after I started snacking on a bar per day, I noticed that I was also way more regular, um, per day. The high fiber content keeps things moving along so I feel less bloated and uncomfortable from day-to-day digestive grievances. Again, each bar contains 13 grams of healthy fiber from chicory root, which equates to 46% of your daily value. Sure, there are plenty of nutrition or protein bars out there pumped with fiber, but said bars are rarely organic or plant-based. (The ones I've tried are filled with fake sugars, milk or whey protein, and other processed ingredients I try to stay away from.) 

I kid you not—I've tried pretty much every single protein bar (both clean and not-so clean) on the market, and Sakara's are by FAR my favorite. Not only are the ingredient lists short, readable, and filled with organic super-beauty foods, they also taste delicious. They're sweet, but not TOO sweet, and they actually reflect the delicious flavors of the unique, high-quality foods they're made of. The new pink Beauty Super Bars ($29) are my fave, followed by the turquoise Detox Super Bars ($29), and then the cocoa-infused Energy Super Bars ($29). I've been ordering this variety pack with all three flavors so that I'm always stocked up with whatever kind of beauty boost I need. 

Up next: I've Tried a Lot of Supplements for "Glowing Skin"—This Is the One That Worked