At the start of the pandemic in 2020 like a majority of people in the world, I lost a lot of things in my life that brought me passion, purpose and a sense of belonging.
(Top images taken 2/10/2021, bottom images 12/31/2021)
Because of this I not only developed severe depression and anxiety, I also developed severe acne that left me feeling even more isolated and alone.
I looked at my acne as my enemy, instead of a change my body was experiencing because of the stress it had gone through.
As it begins to clear, I'm realizing it taught me a lot of things about myself.
It taught me patience.
Like everything in life, change does not happen over night. I had to accept that it would take time and dedication to heal my skin from how it was responding to stress.
How rewarding it was to start to see it heal from the inside out.
It taught me acceptance.
For 10 months, my skin was red and inflamed to the eye, and hurt to the touch. My sense of esteem plummeted to where I couldn't even look at myself for too long...
Until one day a switch went off. We have to accept and honor ourselves where we are at, and take growth one day at a time.
How we talk to ourselves in our head will echo with how we look at ourselves in the mirror.
So be careful what energy you put out concerning yourself.
It taught me an addition to my career.
Because of my acne, it was the final piece of the puzzle that convinced me to become an esthetician. As a makeup artist, I knew how to generally care for the skin enough to prep it for a photoshoot... but now I understood the importance of understanding all skin types.
The skin is a living and breathing part of the body and so complex, being able to treat and understand it is very important.
Closing thoughts.
At the end of the day my acne hurt me emotionally and physically, but it enhanced my life more so than I could ever have known.
If you currently have acne or still have the scars from it, know that you are worth so much.
Do not let people project their own insecurities on you, or tell you that you cannot do something because of your skin.
You are capable.
You are accomplished.
You are beautiful.
You do not need to hide your skin.
Thank you for reading, as always...
Love, Natalie.
Products I used that were exactly what my skin needed.
(All products and procedures I used to treat my skin worked for me, but it may not work for you. So if your results are not what you are looking for, keep trying! Don't give up, keep searching for what makes your skin happy.)
Paula's Choice, 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide
This helped to penetrate deep into the hair follicle, bringing oxygen to the bacteria that was causing my acne to flare.
High Frequency Treatments
Increases oxygen to the skin to help fight bacteria, as well as increasing blood flow and cell turnover to get new and healthy skin cells surfacing.
Dear Klairs Cleansing Oil
Oil cleansing was the secret ingredient I didn't know I needed. Using an oil instead of a makeup remover not only cleanses the skin more effectively , but promotes blood flow, softening of dead skin cells so they can naturally slough off, and removes excess oil your skin does not need while removing impurities.
Well written! I loved reading this, thank you for sharing ❤