4 Reasons why we don't tolerate Skin Shaming

SKIN SHAMING?

In the cosmetics industry, we come across the terms "anti-pimples", "anti-blackheads" and "anti-impurities" all the time. All of them are anti. But why?

1. PIMPLES, SO WHAT?

If you haven't heard the bang in this business yet, you might hear it now: pimples, blackheads and co are completely normal skin phenomena. No matter what skin type or age, everyone has more or less of them. And that's perfectly okay. We have to stop letting these "anti" slogans mess with our self-esteem. Whether it's a single pimple or a face full of them, they have nothing to do with your personality and don't make you worse or less lovable!

2. SKIN SHAMING HAS NO PLACE WITH US.

At 16, pimples were my biggest enemy. Whether I had the confidence to be extroverted, talk to someone, give a lecture was determined by how my face looked on the day. And I know it wasn't just me. Back then, my friends and I met regularly to test new "anti-pimple" masks, gel rollers and creams, to find the best concealer or the ideal make-up. For us it was clear: pimples do not belong to us and should be hidden. So that we feel better. So that we feel beautiful.

If it wasn't suggested to us that pimples were disgusting and only caused by a lack of hygiene, we would all certainly have felt better during puberty. So much bullying, stupid sayings, exclusion, lack of self-confidence and sadness have resulted from the unwanted companions on our skin. And what is the reason for this? Because of a lack of education about what actually causes pimples (especially during puberty) and advertising that portrays them as a blemish.

It's no secret that social media distorts beauty ideals quite a bit. And luckily, there are positivity movements that are now making wide circles, especially in relation to body and mental health. But #skinpositivity is still in its infancy. There are so many strange beauty hacks and tips floating around on social media... that sometimes we in the team just shake our heads. Rubbing potato peels on your nose to get rid of blackheads? Face masks that pull all the dirt, but also all the sebum, out of your pores?

Sure, I understand wanting to get rid of pimples. And it's true that skin without pimples is simply healthier. But does that mean products and beauty hacks have to be so "anti"? Do pimples deserve to be enemy number 1 on our faces and product packaging? I don't think so. 

3. PIMPLE PRODUCTS? YES, BUT WITHOUT SHAME

Don't get me wrong. It's important that we pay attention to the little breakouts on our skin. After all, they are small injuries that need to be cared for sensibly so that the skin can reliably fulfil its natural functions again. But why do we have to be triggered with anti-pimple attitudes? I myself, for example, always have to deal with hormonal impurities at certain times of my cycle. And I am 100% not alone in this. These underlays grow slowly out of the skin, feel more like an insect bite and are painful to boot. It's like the pimple jackpot par excellence. But: even these pimples deserve not to get so much anti-attitude. Our skin wants to communicate with us. It tells us that something in our body is not going so well, and if we learned to understand it better, we would look at blemishes in a completely different way. Namely, as little messengers that appear symptomatically to tell us: "Hey, listen to yourself, observe yourself, because something is not quite right". 

We generally follow a holistic approach, especially when it comes to treating the skin. Because we know that there is simply more behind dryness, pimples and also most diseases and that more needs to be done than just finding the right care. For us, nutrition, psyche, lifestyle and the skin go hand in hand. And this also applies to pimples. That's why I would like to urge you: Don't curse your skin, but listen to it. Observe how it behaves, whether you discover a connection with your hormonal cycle, with certain foods, stress or other life circumstances. Also, look at the skincare you use, because pimply skin doesn't like harsh surfactants in cleansers any more than any other skin. If you want to know more about the causes, care and management of blemished skin, I've mentioned more posts below that might be of interest to you.

4. COME TIME, COME SERENITY

When it comes to my skin, I've become more and more relaxed since I started on this journey. So what, then I have a pimple or a fat underlay. Does that mean I can't put my foot outside the door anymore? Do I have to turn off my camera in online meetings? Do I have to be happy that the FFP2 mask covers the pimple? No.

It took a long time, but now I even save reaching for concealer to cover my blemishes. For me, make-up has taken on a completely different meaning than it did back in school, when I conquered the city's drugstores with my friends. Putting on make-up was a way to cover, conceal and hide everything I didn't like. Today, when I put on make-up, I use selected products to highlight exactly what I like about myself. And if a pimple laughs at me in the mirror, I let it laugh instead of tapping in concealer until it's barely visible.

 It should be important to heal the injured skin, i.e. to care for the pimple instead of trying to cover it up or treat it aggressively. That should be the priority. That's how it should be communicated in our industry. So that the focus is on the health of the skin and not the shame and discomfort. 

A pimple is an inflammation in the skin. And inflammation in the body always has a cause.

It is high time to acknowledge that there are X causes for blemishes: Hormones, stress, diet, wrong skincare products, our environment - just to list a few. Let's celebrate our skin for being so in touch with us and give it what it needs to heal. From the inside and from the outside. If you're now fed up with skin shaming too and want to get smart about the origin of your blemishes, I recommend you check out our Instagram post where we recommend possible causes, tips and skincare options. So you can take care of your body and your skin together.

And if you want to know more about how pimples form in the skin check out our newest post launching soon on this topic. 

Until then, take care of your skin, let your pimples be pimples and practice calmness. So there's only one thing left to say: skin shaming adé!