The Ugly Side of Self Care

When someone talks to me about self care my mind immediately goes to bubble baths and face masks. Pamper routines, skin care routines, and hair care routines flood my youtube and Instagram feeds on a daily basis. Don't get me wrong, I love it. I want to know what moisturizer will make my skin dewey but not greasy and whether I should try a sheet mask or a clay one. But lately I've been thinking about the ugly side of self care.

I've been thinking about what goes on behind the scenes to keep girls feeling confident. I don't feel pretty every day. Some days I feel like a super cute glowing goddess but some days I feel like shit. And that's really...really normal.

No one feels 100% all the time, we just aren't wired that way. If you've ever felt down on yourself then you know that it takes a little more than a face mask to perk you back up. Sometimes it can take days to feel like yourself again, and that's okay.

You might need a long talk with your best friend or you might need to do some serious soul searching. Whatever it takes to feel beautiful again, there's no shame in your game.

I've seen so many twitter threads about over-coming depression or curing your acne that start with the phrase "Just drink water!!". Water isn't going to cure you and neither is a bubble bath with candles.

Depression is a serious mental condition and it's something that millions of people struggle with everyday. It usually requires a lot of self reflection and even some therapy to overcome this kind of struggle. And once again, there's no shame.

The most important part of self care isn't the products you use, it's the personalized plan you create for yourself. Everyone needs something different and everyone can use a little TLC.