If there’s anything we want to emphasize about one’s ~skin journey~, it's that it’s the progress that’s important… not achieving perfection with one’s skin. In case you haven’t heard: Perfection! Does not! Exist! In light of this vital knowledge, we spoke with the lovely Raynalyn Apuya all about her trials, tribulations and conquests through the lens of both her skin, and her mental health. Without further ado… here is Raynalyn and her epic skin story.
Tell us about your acne journey up until right before you decided to take SKIN DISCIPLINE. Were there things you tried that didn't work?
My acne journey has been a wild and unpredictable one. I had cystic acne from my late teenage years to my early 20s. It ended up going away but came back full throttle during the pandemic at age 25. I tried everything from topical treatments and having a 12-step routine, to using the bare minimum: just a moisturizer and sunscreen. This breakout eventually became the worst breakout I have ever had. My skin was physically throbbing and this took a huge toll on my mental health. I then knew this was more than meets the eye.
Did you have any acne triggers or did you experience consistent breakouts
During the pandemic, I went through so many changes. At first, I thought my acne was getting triggered because my lifestyle changed. I was eating more at home and moving a lot less. But even when I began to make what I thought were beneficial changes for myself within these confinements, such as becoming a runner which is crazy because I hated running pre-pandemic, the breakouts were getting worse and worse. Because a lot of time was spent at home this past year, it started to uncover a lot of what I was hiding beneath the surface, mentally and emotionally, and manifested onto my skin. I felt like my skin was trying to keep up and adapt to the changes, but it just couldn’t. My skin ended up purging out all of my inner turmoil in the form of acne instead.
What was your experience with SKIN DISCIPLINE like in the first 6 weeks?
In the first 6 weeks, my skin started to finally calm down. The breakouts either weren't happening or flaring up as much. My acne became less cystic and started to hurt way less. Not only did my skin physically look and feel better, but I also began to feel a lot better mentally and emotionally. I started to create a morning routine for myself, since I took my SKIN DISCIPLINE first thing in the morning, and made sure to prioritize myself before anyone and anything else during the first few hours of the day.
Now that you've been taking it for 4 months, what are your overall thoughts on the supplement? Have you seen any changes unrelated to skincare?
I really stand by SKIN DISCIPLINE! I love how it is basically a multivitamin in one. Not only has it been great for my skin, but it also has been helping me regulate my bowel movements lol. I love how there are probiotics in this supplement because I feel it has definitely contributed to my immunity as well. Even more so, SKIN DISCIPLINE has played a vital role in me doing the physical act of prioritizing myself and committing to my own self-care. Because of this, I started to meditate, journal, and take the time to be present and sip my coffee in the morning, all having a domino effect on my personal well-being from the inside out. As John Wooden says, ‘It’s the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen,’ and because my physical vessel is being taken care of, my mind, heart, and soul are being taken care of too.
How do you think the combination of therapy + SKIN DISCIPLINE affected your skin?
After trying to combat my acne with a lot of topical creams and ointments and realizing that this was not working, I started to observe what was really going on internally. This pandemic not only made me start to reevaluate my relationship with food and my body but also with my heart and soul. Because of therapy, I started to check-in with myself more. I started to ask myself, ‘How are you [really] feeling?’ and I became more honest with myself. I began to trust and listen to my gut more, cut out the toxicity from my life, be in tune with what truly nourishes this vessel and spirit of mine, dance with and surrender to the ebb and flow of life rather than fight it, push and overcome the barriers that society, me, and others have placed on myself, and uncover who I truly am at my core.
Add SKIN DISCIPLINE to this, and you create a deadly [but lively] combo. SKIN DISCIPLINE has allowed me to accept myself in my own skin, which has been a stranger to me for many years. I began to heal myself from the inside out and go where most are afraid to go, connecting to the inner depths of my being. I started to recognize that I really am worthy just by existing. This is the most inner AND outer peace I've ever felt in my life. So thank you, ZitSticka, for being a part of that :)
Thank you, Raynalyn, for sharing your story with us! We are not worthy. Click here to find out what the first month of SKIN DISCIPLINE is really like.
