Most people with acne, black heads, and textured skin have heard the usual comments about their skin like: “you should try using concealer on that,” “maybe drink more water,” or “you should wash your face more.” Unsolicited advice like this that although may be well-intentioned, doesn’t help us feel better. As much as we try to ignore these comments they can sometimes get to us, especially when all we see in beauty ads and Instagram feeds are images of seemingly perfect skin.
Harmful Beauty Standards
Although now there are more images on social media and by brands of what real skin looks like, there is still a long way to go. We still see tons of ads and photos on social media of models with perfect-looking skin that looks clear and smooth. But we now know that these images are usually highly edited or retouched, and it’s not what real skin looks like.
Constantly seeing these images of texture-free skin can be harmful to teens and adults that have acne and textured skin. Unrealistic standards can make people feel less than if their skin doesn’t look like the images they see all the time.
For this reason, people have taken to social media to post selfies of their skin without any kind of retouching, filters, or makeup to showcase their pores, texture, and acne.
Skin Positivity Movement
In efforts to break the stigma around acne, skinfluencers have made it a point to post candid photos of themselves to show what real skin looks like. Real skin has pimples, acne scars, hyperpigmentation, texture, and large pores. The point of the skin positive movement is to show that these things are all normal.
With everyone from skinfluencers to celebrities showcasing their breakouts, it helps to see that you are not the only one who breaks out, or has acne scarring. With how much acne can affect our self-esteem and mental health, being exposed to images of skin that looks like yours helps destigmatize pimples and textured skin.
Seeing people who have acne, texture, and spots helps show that these are very normal things our skin goes through. It's not something to be ashamed of or try to hide because you think others will judge you for it.
Skin positive also means moving away from words like “perfect skin,” “poreless,” and “flawless.” Not to mention that it's physically impossible to have poreless skin. Pores are vital to the functioning of our skin. They release sebum that keeps our skin moisturized and helps maintain the overall health of our skin. So don’t worry if your pores are visible, they are there for a very good reason.
Learning to Embrace Your Skin
You don’t have to absolutely love your acne to be skin positive. We understand that sometimes you feel annoyed at your pimples and wish they would go away. Just because you want to treat your acne doesn’t mean that you hate your skin. Some pimples can be pretty uncomfortable to deal with, like painful cystic acne and it's understandable to want to treat it. Learning to love your skin simply means that you are more understanding and don’t feel like your self-worth is tied to how many pimples or acne scars you have.
Having pimples, hyperpigmentation, and visible pores is normal, and they don’t mean that you have “bad” skin. These things just happen sometimes. But you can learn to accept and love your skin for what it does for you, like protecting against harmful toxins or UV rays (with the help of a good SPF of course).
The journey to self-acceptance when it comes to your skin can be difficult. It's a lot easier said than done to learn to love your skin and leave behind the insecurities over acne. The flood of images of “perfect” skin on social media can make us feel like we are the only ones with “imperfect” skin. But it helps to start by finding like-minded people especially on social media. There are plenty of influencers that are aiming to change the narrative and show what real skin looks like. If you’re interested we suggest checking out these skinfluencers: @rocioceja_, @oyintofe.o, and @asianacnegirl, just to name a few.
Healthy Skin NOT “Perfect” Skin
Trying to achieve clear, “perfect” skin can be pretty harmful especially if you try to use multiple active ingredients that you think will help you get clear skin. The best way to be skin positive is to give your skin what it needs to keep you healthy. Over-exfoliating or trying to spot treat a pimple out of existence might actually do more harm than good. Blitzing your skin with a ton of active ingredients, especially harsh ingredients, can compromise your skin and dry it out. The most important thing is to make sure you are giving your skin what it needs for it to do its job, like keeping it hydrated, and limiting the use of strong actives in your routine.
Hanhoo's Take on Skin Positivity
Hanhoo means a state of self-assurance that comes from feeling confident in one’s own skin. Hanhoo encourages everyone to feel confident in their own unique skin. We believe in helping you achieve healthy skin by keeping it clean, hydrated, and protected from external bacteria and toxins.
Real skin will always have breakouts, texture, visible pores, and hyperpigmentation. Whether you want to treat these things or not is up to you, but it's always important to make sure you have a routine that helps keep your skin healthy and protected.
