Three Ways I’ve Manifested Self Care through Skincare

[pullquote align=”right” style=”style2″ width=”381″ size=”14″ line_height=”18″ bg_color=”#ffffff” txt_color=”#222222″][blockquote custom_class=”” txt_color=”#222222″ size=”25″ line_height=”32″]I found beauty within myself through my skincare routine.[/blockquote][/pullquote]

[bigletter custom_class=””]As a woman of color, there has been countless times where I’ve felt as if my facial features weren’t enough. Whether it be my skin tone or my discoloration or the shape of my nose. Growing up in a society where you feel as if you can only be seen as beautiful if you look a certain way, I started to look at myself in a negative light.[/bigletter]

There would be times when I would remove the day’s makeup and didn’t like what I saw. I pinpointed every pore, scar, and freckle that covered my face. I saw what made me, me…and was ashamed of it. But over time, I began to appreciate the bare face I saw in the mirror.

Here are three ways I’ve learned to love myself through skincare:

[dropcap custom_class=”bl”] 1. Routine

Creating a routine forced me to take time out of the day to just focus on myself. After a while, it became my favorite part of the day. The task of cleansing my skin step by step was therapeutic. Those five to 10 minutes of pampering myself, it empowered to love myself. (Pro-tip: Find a routine that works for you, and stick to it! You have to be patient, good skin doesn’t appear overnight. It takes time, patience, and consistency). [/dropcap]

[dropcap custom_class=”bl”]2. Education

The more I fell in love with taking care of my skin, the more I wanted to learn about the ingredients I introduced my skin to. In today’s market, there are so many dangerous chemicals and ingredients that are found in skincare products. These harsh ingredients strip the skin of its natural oils and texture while stagnating the healing process.  I know there are some products that you actually live by, but taking a closer look at what you put on your skin can make a difference in the long run. Some of my favorite natural products that I use on the daily are almond oil, rose water and grape seed oil. I will admit, I didn’t notice an instant difference when I transitioned to natural ingredients. But overtime, my skin started to glow differently and I felt that it aligned with so much of self-care journey. My journey to self care was (and still is) long but I learned so much about myself thus far. (Pro-tip: Learn about your skin type and research what products work for you.)

[dropcap custom_class=”bl”]3. Self-Awareness

This may be my favorite part of skincare, it is unique and its meant for your individual needs. It took me a while to understand that self care may not mean the same thing for everyone, nor does my skincare routine have to be the same as the next person. Once I became aware of my needs and wants, I was able to personalize a routine that worked best for me. Through this, I learned about my skin type and what it needed compared to before when I would buy a product that everyone was using.[/dropcap]

[pullquote align=”left” style=”style3″ width=”381″ size=”16″ line_height=”18″ bg_color=”#000000″ txt_color=”#ffffff”][blockquote custom_class=”” txt_color=”#ffffff” size=”25″ line_height=”32″]Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself.[/blockquote][/pullquote]

I found solitude in taking care of myself when it came to my skin and that habit trickled into other parts of my life. Being aware of what I used on my skin encouraged me to take better care of what I put in my body. I started to change my diet and noticed that everything was connected. I get that it may seem crazy to compare your skincare routine to spiritual, mental, and physical journey, but I feel as if they’re so aligned and that’s what makes it powerful.

I look back at the times when I was ashamed of my bare skin and think of how much my skin surprisingly has taught me. It reminds me that no matter what you go through, you have yourself at the end of the day, bare faced and all, waiting to be loved.

I’d love to hear about your personal routine that you follow or about products that work for you and your skin type! Please comment below and share your skin-care journey with me! Let’s drop some gems for each other!

-xoxo

Tiggi