A love letter to my skin, by Ellie

When we talk about our skin, we sometimes tend to trivialize this organ to a superficial envelope. Especially when we try to improve it with a 10-step skin care routine, makeup, cosmetic medicine... However, this part of the body - the most extensive and visible - is also the body's first protective barrier. Protection: this is the key word and THE role of our skin which, at times, may have been forgotten and which I wanted to highlight.

Hormonal imbalance, stress, lack of sleep, pregnancy, bad eating habits, emotional upheaval... there are many reasons why the skin acts - or reacts - to show us its discontent. Finally, isn't its condition the physical manifestation of our own experiences, of our psychic and physical states, a kind of portal that allows us and others to glimpse our past and present?

Even with all this in mind, it can seem difficult to see things so philosophically. How can we stay positive when our reflection in the mirror is one of the first things we see when we wake up? Because somewhere along the way, it' s easy to think that something is wrong with us, to start believing that our body and face are the elements that define our value. And that to maximize our value, we need to look perfect.

When I arrived at Oh My Cream a few months ago, my skin started to act up. A combination of health concerns, hormonal imbalance and fatigue put my skin - and my self-confidence - to the test. For the first time in my life, acne was showing up and making my life miserable. I hated waking up in the morning and spending hours in front of the mirror looking for a solution. I was almost ashamed to go out with my friends or to say that I worked in beauty. In this downward spiral, this lack of confidence pushed me to "abuse" my skin. I was stressed, covering it up as much as possible, sleeping less and eating poorly.

And then one day, I finally decided to listen to my skin. Because I'm a big believer in "in and out" beauty, I swapped my bad eating habits for superfoods and cut out refined sugar - without depriving myself and creating frustration. I changed my skincare routine (a good double cleanse, serums - including the Oh My Cream Skincare Anti-Imperfection Serum - and a moisturizer adapted to my skin type and issues thanks to the expert advice). I started taking nutritional supplements (including Oskia's MSM Bio-Plus ). I was less stressed and more attentive to my skin, which I no longer had to fight against but rather consider as an ally. I resumed my yoga sessions and started to sleep better. And then, little by little, I got it back.

So sometimes, it's true, the little pimples and redness can reappear. But I've learned to accept it, by realizing that you have to learn to love yourself, even with your little flaws. In this beautiful movement of self-acceptance, this expression in the air of time which makes good beside "self love", "be good to yourself", I learned to let go of what I did not always control - an art that I must learn to handle - and to listen to what my skin was trying to tell me.

Today, I just wanted to take the time to say thank you. Thank you for showing me when I'm not doing so well, because it's thanks to her that I listen to myself a little more. Thank you for making me realize that it was not serious and that these imperfections were part of me, and that they finally made me beautiful. Thank you for teaching me to take the time to love myself and to take care of myself.

Ellie

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