This week we sat down to chat with Bea, a vibrant 22 year old female, who is leading the charge when it comes to spreading skin positivity and normalising acne on social media.
I have been following Bea for quite a while now, and I have to say, she has one of the most inspirational and authentic accounts I have ever come across on Instagram.
Bea believes in “normalising the normal” and is openly sharing her day to day journey with her skin on her instagram page ‘@donthateyourskinn’… and seriously, we can’t get enough of it, which is why we wanted to go deeper and find out more about Bea and her personal experience with her skin over the years.
How long have you suffered with acne?
Acne has been with me ever since around 12 years old. It’s been on and off, coming back in different forms and locations each time.
When did you first start your acne page on instagram? Why did you decide to set up a page?
I had the idea to start a “blog” exactly a year ago but never committed to it because I didn’t feel like I had enough value to give to people. I started posting actively during the lockdown and soon realised the best value I could ever give to a fellow acne warrior is simply some positivity and sense of belonging.
How did it feel sharing an unfiltered image of yourself with your followers at the start?
Vulnerability is something I have always highly admired and appreciated about people thus posting raw photos of my bare skin actually felt empowering if anything! Being my true self made me feel more relaxed in social settings and other situations whenever my skin would come up as a subject.
If you could give your younger self any advice what would it be?
My younger self sometimes found it hard to connect the dots in order to see the bigger picture; I was always in a fight against myself when it came to acne. I would advise her to look deeper and understand what acne is trying to tell her.
How would you describe the emotional impact of your acne?
My emotions and acne go hand in hand. I have realised through the years that those two are best friends and they will stick by each other’s side haha - if I’m unhappy my skin will act up; and vice versa… my acne has also had an enormous impact on my emotional state in the past. I have definitely felt defeated due to acne before plenty of times..
How long did it take you to feel emotionally in control of your acne?
It took me a while to gain control over my mental state and I’m well aware that this is not something that can be viewed as black and white - emotions will always come and go, I’m just trying my best not to hold on to them which can manifest as acne. Sadly, I do believe peace naturally arrived as I got older, but there are definitely practices anyone can pick up that can have a major impact.
When you are having a bad day what do you do to try and distract yourself or make yourself feel better?
I definitely still get my low days but I’ve learned to just see them as rest days haha. I will listen to music, eat comfort food and do whatever my body asks for - be it sleeping the whole day or doing a massive 2 hour workout!
What is your advice to young people who are struggling with confidence issues?
Confidence is something you develop. It’s a skill. Don’t beat yourself up for the way your journey is unfolding. Good things take time. If you get 1% better at something every day, you’ll be 365% better at it in a year from now. Just remember to take those baby steps every day. Each of us will feel confident in entirely different settings and ways; for me it’s creative expression, socialising and good pamper sessions that make me feel like a queen haha. Pin point those moments you feel amazing and repeat the action. And again. And again!
What is your favourite tbh product?
My favourite tbh product is the acne hack cream! It’s super versatile - I put it on both day and night.
What do you like about the tbh products and brand?
Tbh caught my eye because they were trying something different. Their promise was entirely new to me and that in combination with THE BEST customer service I’ve ever experienced is just a solid 10/10 haha.
