The average American spends about 3 hours a day on social media and checks their phone once every 10 minutes. Without ever making the conscious decision we’ve allowed apps like Instagram to bombard us with a constant stream of filtered photos showing a glimpse into people’s overly-edited lives. This has created a world where we don’t only compare ourselves to the people we know, but we’re directly comparing ourselves to supermodels like Emily Ratajkowski. This has a profound effect, especially in shaping our confidence and self-love.

There are hundreds, if not thousands of Instagram and Snapchat filters and almost as many editing apps that anyone can download right to their phone. Filtering the way we look, even if it’s just adding a few harmless freckles or a filter that gives you a dewy complexion or removes our imperfections, making it harder to feel confident in our own skin.

For many of us, skin concerns can leave lasting and damaging effects on our self-esteem and these beliefs run more than skin deep. A recent survey by the British Skin Foundation, found a compelling connection between mental health and skin problems, and how 90% of dermatologists agree that not enough importance is placed on the psychological effects of skin conditions. "Acne, for example, is associated with depression, low self-esteem, poor body image, bullying, shame, etc.". Even the plastic surgeons noticed an uptick in patients asking for cosmetic procedures so they could “look better on social media”. A report in the U.S medical journal suggests that these filtered images on social media are “blurring the line between reality and fantasy, causing people to chase the fantasy they see on their phones.”

The body positivity movement has empowered people all over the world who have felt underrepresented in the media for a very long time. This new era of authenticity has sparked a new movement that we, as a skincare brand, wholeheartedly believe in and stand for: the skin positivity movement.

Beyou is created around self-love and empowering self-identifying women to be themselves in this unforgiving world of perfection. We believe that real beauty means how confident you feel from deep within, and that living with imperfections is a part of ourselves that we shouldn’t feel the need to hide or cover up. Beyou believes in unleashing your inner glow by taking care of your skin and your mind.

Once you accept your imperfections and understand it’s normal to have blemishes, dark circles or dry spots, freckles, moles and scars, you can start unleashing your inner glow. It only takes showing your skin some love by nourishing it to start noticing your skin loving you back through a nourished, happy complexion.

Below are three commitments you can make to yourself and join us in the skin positivity movement.

1. Break the illusion of perfection

Every time you see a model or influencer post a selfie with seemingly perfect skin, remind yourself that everyone has good and bad days when it comes to their skin. Instead of thinking negatively about your own skin, try to reframe your thoughts into something positive and be happy for where you are on their skin journey. Even people with great skin will have periods of breakouts, dry spots or dark circles. Say it with us — imperfections are a normal part of life.

Another obvious one is to bring more awareness to the very common practice of photo-editing. Not everything you see on social media is real, and editing apps have gotten more advanced and easier to use, which alters our perception of reality. However, we want to be clear that we believe everyone has a right to edit their photos as much or as little as they want; no pointing fingers or shaming people, but do remind yourself that what you see on social media is usually an altered version of reality. So don’t let a distorted version of reality change the way you look at yourself in the mirror.

2. Be the change you want to see

If you’re tired of looking at edited or filtered images on social media, then start being the change you want to see. It can feel scary to share the real, unedited you, but once you let go of needing everything to look perfect, it feels empowering and liberating to just be completely happy with yourself.

The next time you go to post a selfie try to resist the urge to hide every little imperfection with makeup and filters, and remember that someone else is looking at your photos and comparing themselves to you. If they see that you’re comfortable in your own skin, this might empower them to do the same.To help spread the message behind the skin positivity movement, any time you post a selfie feeling confident in your real unedited skin, use the hashtag #BeYouBeReal and we’ll share it on our social channels.

3. Be kind to your skin!

We can’t truly love ourselves unless we show ourselves some kindness and gratitude. A good way to practice gratitude is to make it a daily practice through journaling. We love this five minute journal which helps you incorporate just a few minutes of gratitude into your day.

Another great way to be kind to your skin is to nourish it. We put our skin through a lot. Between exposing our skin to blue light from looking at screens all day to expressing ourselves with makeup, we owe it to our skin to show it some serious TLC.

If you’re new to skincare routines, we recommend starting with our Super Trio which is a perfect starter kit to help cleanse, tone and moisturize the skin. Every day our skin is exposed to environmental impurities and daily stresses that can lead to premature ageing and dark spots. By introducing key ingredients like Vitamin C, witch hazel and hyaluronic acid, you will start noticing a healthier, more radiant complexion. It’s up to you to take good care of your skin and mind.

Just remember that seeking “perfect” skin is never going to fulfill you or provide you with true happiness. True joy and confidence comes from loving yourself and accepting your skin—imperfections and all. Once you can learn to love yourself, you will unleash your inner glow.

xo beyou