Dealing with eczema has been a total nightmare – it's not just about the physical discomfort, but the toll it takes on my confidence and self-esteem.
I can still remember the sympathetic looks from friends and family as they noticed the red, flaky mess on my face. The constant itching was a distraction in class, and slathering on creams only made me feel more self-conscious. It felt like my skin was betraying me, and makeup was useless against those angry patches. And when it got really bad, makeup wasn't even an option.
But the worst part? Being stuck in the vicious cycle of relying on steroid creams. What started as a quick fix soon became a trap. Every time I tried to cut back, my skin revolted, leaving me feeling defeated and hopeless.
My mum could see how much I was struggling with my skin and wanted to help me find relief. We took matters into our own hands and began researching natural remedies to help heal my eczema.
Using me as a test subject, we spent the best part of a year trying different samples and blending different ingredients together until we found the perfect formula.
The ingredient choice was critical, we wanted non toxic, no unnecessary ingredients like parabens or sls's, even water! My mum researched each oil for it skin caring properties and she tested them first on herself and then on me. Checking each one individually and how my skin reacted to it and marked down the improvements.
It was a journey of trail and error, but one that ultimately led to the creation of a product that has changed my life for ever. My mum wanted to share product we made which we called Illuminate Face Oil in hope that we could share with others with the hopes of helping people who struggle with their skin as much as I did.
The gentle, botanical formula of Illuminate Face Oil was like magic on my sensitive skin. It calmed the inflammation and gave my skin the hydration it needed, without any nasty side effects. With each application, I felt like I was finally giving my skin the TLC it deserved.
But let's be real – it wasn't all rainbows and sunshine. As I tried to kick the steroid creams, I faced some seriously itchy withdrawal symptoms. It was tough, and there were moments when I wanted to cave and grab that familiar tube of relief. But with my mum’s support and Illuminate Face Oil and another product we developed to help me, Calm Butter by my side, I powered through.
Topical steroid withdrawal is a journey, our bodies don't heal overnight. My flare up cycles would last about 2-3 weeks, with each cycle going from red, inflamed, itchy to dry and flakey, I then started to get moments of clear skin within the cycles.
Understanding that achieving healthy skin doesn’t stop at finding skincare that doesn’t irritate and helps repair your skin; a holistic approach is important to identify the cause of the initial flare-up.
My realisation that things like diet, gut health, hormones and skincare routine all work together, helped me to see that fixing internal imbalances, as well as finding my skincare saviour, is essential for a quicker recovery to long-term skin health and feeling good overall.
And you know what? It paid off. Slowly but surely, my skin started to heal. The redness faded, the itching stopped, and I started to feel like myself again. It wasn't easy, but each small victory made me stronger. Seeing those patches of clear skin felt like I had achieved the impossible. And gave me strength to keep going, until those moments of clear skin become my new normal healthy skin.
Looking back, I've learned a lot about resilience and self-acceptance through this journey. I've come to embrace my skin, flaws and all, knowing that it's all part of what makes me, me.
To anyone else struggling with eczema or steroid withdrawal, hang in there. You're not alone, and there are solutions out there that actually work. Remember, your skin doesn't define your worth – you're beautiful just the way you are.
As for me, I'll keep rocking my skin journey with gratitude and optimism, thanks to my mums tenacity to find a natural solution to healing my skin, the game-changing Illuminate Face Oil.
