Ah, acne. The uninvited guest that shows up at the worst times, overstays its welcome, and then has the audacity to leave scars as souvenirs. If you’ve ever struggled with breakouts, you know the emotional rollercoaster that comes with it. One day, your skin is sort of okay, and the next, it’s like your face has decided to turn into a constellation map.

For me, it all started around 14. My hormones went rogue, and my skin paid the price. Although I knew acne was normal, it didn’t feel that way when I looked in the mirror. I became hyper-aware of every blemish, convinced that it was the first thing people noticed about me. There were days when I wouldn’t leave the house without layers of makeup—scratch that, there were days I wouldn’t leave the house at all. I became obsessed, treating my skin like a battlefield where every pimple needed to be eliminated on sight (spoiler: this only made things worse).

At some point, I tried everything. And I mean everything. Fancy skincare appointments? Check. Coffee ground masks imported from the other side of the world? Oh yeah. Disgusting vinegar drinks that made my soul leave my body? Unfortunately, yes. Creams from my doctor? Been there. Even crushing up paracetamol (to my parents’ absolute horror) to make DIY face masks? I wish I was kidding. No matter how creative (or desperate) I got, my acne just wouldn’t budge. In fact, the more I fixated on it, the worse it seemed to get.

And I won’t sugarcoat it—on the really bad days, it felt like the worst thing ever. I hated my acne, but even more than that, I hated how it made me feel. I don’t remember the exact moment things shifted, but at some point, I read a devastating news story—something about war or famine—and it hit me. Wow. I’m over here, spiraling about my skin, while people in the world are struggling to survive. It put things into perspective in a way I desperately needed.

Then, I started noticing that even the most flawless people—celebrities, models, influencers—get pimples. Seeing people like Kendall Jenner and Taylor Hill with breakouts made me realize that, hey, this is human. It is completely normal to have pores, redness, uneven skin. The problem? Social media and TV rarely show us that reality. We’re constantly bombarded with airbrushed, poreless perfection, and when we don’t see our skin reflected in that, it can feel isolating. And honestly? It can make you feel ugly.

But if you’re out there struggling with breakouts, please hear me when I say this: you are so much more than your skin. I know it doesn’t always feel that way. I know how unfair it is when you’re hanging out with a friend whose skin is flawless and they’re complaining about one tiny zit. I know how frustrating it is to try every product under the sun and still wake up to a new breakout.

But acne does not define you. And I promise, no one is looking at you the way you look at yourself in the mirror. People see you—your smile, your laugh, your kindness. Your breakouts don’t make you any less beautiful, and they sure as hell don’t make you less worthy of confidence and self-love.

So to anyone struggling, just know: You’re not alone. You’re not broken. And you are absolutely beautiful—pimples and all. ❤️