02/14/2026
The serious relationship I was in before Sean was super toxic. He would push me to get different treatments for my acne. He would offer to apply creams to my back acne (not in a helpful way but, in a way that made me feel self-conscious of it). He openly commented on my skin. He openly put pressure on me to clear it.
Once we broke up (hallelujah), I was dating in Toronto and my skin was at its worst (hello, stress). I was so scarred from my previous relationship that I was extremely self-conscious about my skin.
Sean and I started to get serious and I would go to bed in a full face of make up. I would set my alarm in the middle of the night while he was sleeping to do my skin care routine. I’d set another alarm earlier than his in the morning to get up and re-do my make-up before he woke up. It was f*cking exhausting.
Then I experienced some extreme health issues (1 month into us dating). I was unable to walk let alone put energy into my hair and make-up. I felt in my heart that early on he was the one so, I became vulnerable. I let him see me bare-faced, pj clad on the couch. I braced myself for his reaction but, his face didn’t change. He greeted me with the exact same smile he always did. He kissed me the exact same way he always did.
It threw me off SO much that I found myself apologizing for how I looked. He didn’t skip a beat in questioning what on earth I was talking about.
Acne does not define you. It does not make you unlovable or not sexy or desirable. I hope you think of this story next time you find yourself saying no to a date or letting yourself wrongly think acne has anything to do with someone loving you. 🤍
Happy Valentine’s Day babes!