Non-Alcoholic Aloe Vera Margarita

& a short piece about my acne journey, before/after photos and skincare

cystic/hormonal acne has been my unwelcome sidekick for what feels like forever. when I glance back at old photographs (below), I'm transported back to the raw soreness that seemed to permeate every inch of my being. if you've experienced cystic acne, you understand this all-consuming sensation. it's that dreaded moment when you wake up to find a fiery red spot forming on your face. within hours, that innocuous blemish morphs into a pulsating entity, throbbing with a relentless ache that seems to echo throughout your entire existence.

sometimes I wonder if, in some subconscious effort to alleviate my skin woes, I distanced myself from drinking alcohol. and sure, cutting back helped a bit, but i’ve come to accept that my face will always present with bumps and pores the size of a small planet. but here’s what i’ve learned over the years: the real magic happens when you embrace the chaos and every imperfection — the redness, the zits, the scars — as part of your story.

all this being said, i'm not above a good skin-boosting drink. enter: the Non-Alcoholic Aloe Vera Margarita. it’s my go-to elixir for those days when my skin (and soul) need a little pick-me-up. it's got nettle leaf tea, which is like a magic eraser for inflammation, plus the antibacterial punch of aloe and the sweet antioxidants from honey and guava. think of it as a mini celebration in a glass, reminding you to take a step back, sip slowly, and love yourself in all your imperfect glory. below, you’ll find the recipe for this delicious drink!

behind the paywall, i’m sharing photos of my acne over the years (this was tough to relive) as well as some of the most helpful products i’ve used in the last year or so.

Non-Alcoholic Aloe Vera Margarita

ingredients (makes 2)

1oz honey syrup

2oz lime juice

6oz nettle leaf tea

4oz aloe vera juice (unsweetened)

ice

guava & passionfruit green tea (optional)

citrus salt + pineapple leaf, optional (for garnish)

ingredients//

start by brewing your nettle leaf tea. once brewed, chill in the fridge until cool. to a shaker add honey syrup (1:1 honey and hot water), lime juice, nettle leaf tea, aloe vera juice and ice. shake until chilled. garnish your rocks glass with citrus salt and add ice. pour your drink into your rocks glass 3/4 full and top off with drink of choice -i used unsweetened guava tea linked above, but you can use any unsweetened tea you like - it also works without the tea!

*to make citrus salt, add 1/3 cup salt to a bowl and zest 1 lime over it. mix with your hands until the moisture from the lime zest has been soaked up by the salt and both ingredients are incorporated. then, you can garnish your glass and save this salt to garnish at a later date or use on salmon, salads, etc.

*to make honey syrup, add about 1-2 large tablespoons of honey to 1-2 tablespoons of hot water. mix until fully incorporated. the reason for doing this instead of just using honey is that in a cold drink, honey will coagulate and stick to the bottom no matter how much you mix. this allows for the honey to be fully incorporated.

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my acne journey, a brief history

i started taking birth control (Nuva Ring) at 21 y/o (2013) and stopped at 27 y/o (2020). as mentioned, i’ve been dealing with acne since i was a teenager. once i reached college and young adulthood, my acne was wavering — sometimes a light peppering on my face, other times completely out of control. for me, it’s genetic. i have what estheticians like to call “sticky sebum”, meaning i am predisposed to acneic skin (thanks, genetics!). upon moving to Los Angeles (where, if you’re a 8 in any other city, you’re a 2 in LA! and they won’t let you forget it!) i decided to start taking spironolactone. spironolactone is a diuretic (makes you pee) and is traditionally used for high blood pressure but has been shown to provide benefits for those suffering from hormonal acne. this is the ozempic of acne drugs. because, unlike accutane, the side effects are minimal and you can stop at any time. the bad part?