Navigating your skin and learning acceptance

No one's skin is perfect, and for most, it takes lots of trial and error to work out what's right. How did you learn to accept your skin as it was, and what steps did you take to work out your skin routine?

I've never had ‘perfect skin’, so the road to acceptance and self-love has certainly been a bumpy one. As someone who has suffered from acne for many years, I know all too well what it's like to want to hide away and slather myself in makeup, even though I know that at the end of it all, my acne is still there. With that feeling comes the difficulty of finding self-acceptance. Getting there is never a linear path and I am still trying to navigate my way to achieving that.

Having acne has undoubtedly affected my self-confidence and the way I value myself in regard to beauty standards. I find it difficult to look at myself in the mirror, once all of my makeup has been removed. I try to tell myself I am beautiful regardless of my spots and acne scars. But what does that say about me? I don’t think other people with acne are ugly, so why do I place that belief on myself?

An important thing that has helped me combat this is reminding myself we are all unique, with our own flares and flaws. In order to accept yourself just the way you are, you must learn to love all your flaws, even if it is difficult at first.

Whilst figuring out what is best for my skin, I have found it helpful to switch up the products I use after a certain amount of time, especially if I’m not seeing any improvements. I usually stick to the same order – cleanser/face wash, serum and then a moisturiser – but I like to change the brand I’m using.

I’ve found that repeating a skincare routine that isn’t helping can be damaging to the way I feel about my skin. I turn to blaming myself for the way it is, when it's actually more likely the product just doesn’t compliment my skin.

I’m sure, like you, I try to pick products that fit within my student budget. Here are a few I would recommend:

CeraVe - The most expensive of this list but can be bought in drugstores and online. Dermatologist approved.

Cetaphil - Much more affordable and lasts a long time. Dermatologist recommended.

Simple - Cruelty-free and dermatologically approved. If you have only just begun to experience breakouts this is a brand I would highly recommend. Extremely affordable and can be found in big supermarkets and drugstores.

I would love to build a community – a place of skin positivity and somewhere we can all share our struggles as well as our achievements on our journey to self-love and acceptance.

If you would like to get involved drop me an email – aeoates2@sheffield.ac.uk

Edited by Tia Xiourouppas