How to: Talk Yourself Into Your Best Skin
In our blogs, we go on (and on) about products, ingredients, techniques, acne triggers, and all things skin! But there is one HUGE area that may need improvement to get you to your best skin yet -- your mindset. Although this should be the easiest part, it actually may end up being the final hurdle that keeps you from healthy skin.
Oftentimes we see things from a skewed perspective and keep our skin down in the dumps. These are called self-limiting beliefs. Self-limiting beliefs are thoughts ingrained into us from past experiences. They alter reality and can be hard to let go of because we usually don’t even know we have them! They can be defense mechanisms from past trauma (like thinking you still perpetually have breakouts when you are clear) or negative messages family and friends have drilled into you (like innocently making fun of your rosy skin or a birthmark).
No doubt, self-limiting beliefs affect every part of your life -- not just your skin issues. But while it’s true that we all do have our limits, don’t let your mindset be one of them. It will take time to reprogram, but here is a simple start!
Don’t think: My skin is my skin. I have no control over what it does.
Instead, think: Even though I am genetically prone to a certain skin type, I can seek help to work on my trouble areas.
Too often we hear clients say their acne is hormonal and nothing will change it. We also hear clients who have issues like melasma, rosacea, wrinkles, and sun damage think it’s too little or too late to improve. These conditions can be hormonal, genetic, semi-permanent, and in some cases extremely tricky to treat -- but that doesn’t mean that you should not try! Too often people beat themselves up for past skin mistakes or fall victim to thinking they have acne because something is seriously wrong with them internally. Focusing on that will only give you a self-fulfilling prophecy that keeps you unhappy with your skin. Your skin is part of YOUR body and you actually have a lot of control over it!
Take it from aestheticians who mostly joined skincare to treat their own tragic conditions they thought were hopeless, we know how sensitive skin insecurities can be. Book a virtual consultation to understand your skin better and learn how the right products and treatments can help you.
Don’t think: I’ll never have the time or budget for beautiful skin.
Instead, think: How can I make a skin plan work for me and my lifestyle.
Nine out of 10 times we do not see a correlation between the results someone gets with their skin program and their finances and/or free time. Instead, we see that people who are committed get results, period. While you may think you are restricted by time or budget you are probably restricted by how much you actually want to make serious changes in the skin.
When you factor in the occasional Starbucks, happy hour, new boots, blonde highlights, Botox, etc. -- are skin products and treatments the things getting left in the dust? On the other hand, we do understand that people have limits on how much they can spend and life is busy! We love an honest approach. When you tell us what works for you, we can give you realistic advice and put a plan for results in action.
At Skin MPLS, we’ve coined the affordable treatment -- our Focused Facial Treatment. This gets you in and out for a price most people can afford every 4-8 weeks. Also, we don’t bring in products to look expensive, we bring in what will actually change your skin. So tell us your budget and we’ll craft a routine to get you what you need.
Don’t think: I have tried everything.
Instead think: I have tried so much, but I’ve heard other success stories and I know something is out there for me.
Saying that you have tried everything when it comes to your skin (especially acne) is like saying you have solved every Sudoku puzzle ever created. It may feel like you have tried everything but there are endless treatments and products out there. We live in times of wanting things immediately, and unfortunately, product advertising and social media will often promise those results to come within days. Patience is really hard and those days seem like lifetimes when you are unhappy with your appearance.
Too often we try something for a couple of weeks and then move on, we try two or three different things at once, or we take one person’s too specific approach as our own. Oh, and the internet has made us all experts. Since we’ve been talking about how you see your skin in a skewed perspective though, you will be best off having an outside skincare professional giving you advice (yes, a skincare professional not a doctor, nutritionist, or social media influencer). Also, there is no appealing way to say it, but you have to give things time and a fair chance. Our self-limiting beliefs tell us to quit before we start so we don’t get discouraged down the road. Shut those out, and be a constant optimist and inspiration to yourself and others.