[Personal] Skincare isn't about having perfect skin, it's about having a good relationship with your skin.

Beauty Tips For Body Care
My skin has improved so much since I started lurking skincare subs a couple months ago. I found out I was being abusive to my skin, punishing it while trying to fix it. Previous routine was microbead salicylic acid cleanser in the morning, tons of Stridex, then no moisturizer or sunscreen, then even more Stridex at night and maybe some benzoyl peroxide. Combined with compulsive picking and genetically large pores and you get a person who avoids all photographs and mirrors out of self loathing. I looked like a junkie with scabs all over my face. You might know what it's like to have your self-esteem decimated, to feel sorry for the people that have to look you in the eye. It probably looked worse to me than it actually was, but the effect was the same. It was bad as a teen and got even worse as an adult.My skin is repairing, but it isn't perfect and never will be. I still get cysts, and I have scars that are well established. What's changed the most is the way I treat my skin. We're a team now. When I have a bad skin day, I don't pick and over-exfoliate. I just stick to the routine and remind myself that nobody has perfect skin, and you can be a good person no matter what face you present to the world. Now it's more "good try, skin! Tomorrow you'll look better!" Instead of "I wish I could take a vegetable peeler to my own skull." That's a significant change.I'm grateful to the skincare community for all their great advice, but also for making me realize that my skin deserves my respect and care. Self abuse can take many forms, and sometimes it stems from feeling like you don't deserve any better. I hope that everyone on this sub, no matter what their skin looks like, can get some peace from the fact that they're doing their best. Your skin deserves to be treated well and so do you!
Girls Blog 2015
Submitted by GarbieBirl