Learn to love the skin you’re in, without having to change it.
When you google acne, a million and one websites appear selling treatments and products that promise to miraculously clear your skin. Drink four litres of water every day, sleep with silk pillowcases, shot apple cider vinegar every morning and spend thousands on chemical peels.
The information comes at you from every angle, and it can be extremely overwhelming. Not to mention that they’re usually based off no factual data or scientific evidence.
Having suffered with acne for the last six years of my life, I have felt the desperation that led me to try all these tips and tricks off random women on the internet. None of which worked.
Since I was 16, I have tried multiple medications, treatments, and home remedies and despite all of this I still have acne. At times it really improves. Then out of nowhere new spots appear, and my confidence plummets back down to below zero.
This cycle continues.
Now at 22, after the hard realisation that the acne isn’t going anywhere just yet, I had to change the way I viewed myself. For my mental health’s sake, I have done a lot of work on my inner-self, and I now spend less time trying and failing to ‘fix’ my skin.
Instead, I have learnt to love the skin I’m in, regardless of its appearance. As contrary to popular belief, we don’t have that much control over the appearance of our skin. But we can control our mindset.
Here are some simple steps to help change the way you view yourself and your skin.
Try and Go Makeup Free
I know the thought may seem daunting. I really struggle to leave the house without makeup, especially when my acne has flared up particularly badly. Makeup serves as a safety blanket, and concealer my best friend. When I’ve covered my face with a thick layer of paint, I can be blemish free, and I instantly feel more confident.
I know that feeling of insecurities creeping in all too well. It can make the thought of heading out the door bare faced seem almost impossible, even if you are just popping to Tesco. You worry that everyone will be looking at your skin, viewing you as unattractive or even dirty.
To unlearn that clear skin equals beautiful, I try to go make-up free some days, to find my confidence from within. One day this week, I challenge you to try it.
I’ll go first.
Do Not Avoid Socialising
Socialising can be really anxiety provoking when you have acne. I can remember quite a few times I have said no to seeing my friends because my skin was having a flare up. I was worried about what people might think of me.
One Saturday night a few years ago and I was getting ready to go out with my friends. I put concealer on, then foundation. Then powder. More powder. Nothing would cover my spots. I looked in the mirror and all I could see was my acne.
I was so exhausted and angry. I scrubbed at my face with a wipe, until the makeup was all off. I was about to start re-applying but with a heavier foundation this time when I caught my reflection in the mirror.
I gave up, and I didn’t go out. I was so worried that all people would look at was my acne. I missed out on a night of drinking, dancing, and making memories with my friends. I regret all the times I cancelled plans because I was insecure about my skin.
In reality no-one is even looking, let alone judging.
So, go out and have fun. Don’t let your skin get in the way of your life.
Filter Who You Follow
Social media can be a toxic place. Scrolling all day on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok is unsurprisingly bad for our mental health. But if you suffer with acne, it can be even worse.
The use of filters and airbrushing creates a false narrative that everyone, everywhere, has ‘perfect’ skin.
No spots. No skin texture. Just smooth, glowing, tanned blemish-free faces.
Social media is lying to us all.
Constantly seeing ‘perfect’ skin every time you open the app can be really difficult for people who suffer with skin problems. So, if Instagram is making you feel insecure, it might be useful to have a re-think of who you follow.
Go through the accounts on your feed and ask yourself, ‘Does this person make me feel good or bad about myself?’ If the answer is bad, you know what to do.
There are also lots of skin positive accounts on Instagram, where people share their journey with acne. Following these has really helped me find my confidence. It’s refreshing to see selfies with spots, scarring and skin texture. It reminds you that you are not alone, and that acne is much more common than you might think.
Positive Skin Affirmations
When my skin is bad, I sometimes find myself looking in the mirror and speaking so negatively about myself in my head.
‘Your acne is back.’ ‘You look disgusting.’ ‘You need to cover up your skin.’
I grasped what I was doing, and realised I needed to change this. Why am I putting myself down? If one of my friends had acne, would I say this to them? After asking myself these questions, I realised that I needed to start using positive affirmations instead.
Now, when I look I the mirror, particularly if I am having a bad skin day, I start my morning with some positive affirmations.
Don’t get me wrong, I know saying affirmations isn’t going to change my skin or confidence overnight. But, if you are consistent with them, it can have a hugely positive effect on your self-esteem and thinking pattern.
Positive affirmations are a way of actively swapping a negative mindset for a positive one. For example, if I’m feeling insecure about my acne I might say, ‘I feel happy in my skin.’
Here are some skin affirmations you can try:
My skin is beautiful.
My skin protects me.
My skin is healing.
I am becoming more comfortable with my imperfections.
My skin does not define me.