Sofie: Dating & Relationships Q&A

How did your skin affect dating and how did it impact your confidence?

There were so many times where I would find an excuse not to go on a date. You can always decide the outcome of how that first date is going to go based on whether or not you feel comfortable about your skin. When you’ve been in a relationship for a long time with somebody, that’s really tough as well. Years into relationships, I would still feel like hiding myself and avoiding seeing that person.

In a long-term relationship, how has your skin influenced the way you feel about yourself and your confidence?

When you first meet someone new, you can hide away from it more. When you’ve been in a relationship for a long time with someone and you love each other and you trust each other, I think that’s for me the hardest part of having anxiety around skin.

It feels as though for the person that you’re with, that their love and their support is not enough to make you feel comfortable and confident in your own skin. And I think it’s a horrible feeling for the person that you’re with. And then for yourself,  you feel like you’re letting the person you love down. But the reality is that it’s only you who can really change your opinion and change your mind about it.

How does skin anxiety show up in the day-to-day moments of a relationship?

I used to wake up in the mornings before they would and I would sneak into the bathroom and I would put on a little bit of mascara and a little bit of lip gloss and just anything to even out my skin tone… to hope that when they woke up, it would seem as though that was the natural me.

Did you ever feel like your partner was aware of how self conscious you were about your skin?

In previous relationships, it became a point of frustration for the people I was with because it wasn’t important to them and yet it meant everything to me. It would turn into: “Why do you keep going on about your skin?” or “why do you keep talking about if your makeup looks a certain way? You always feel like you’re on show to an extent. And when you suffer with anxiety and you suffer with these things, then it’s not a positive way to be in relationships.

How has your confidence changed since meeting your partner?

I would love to say that it was as easy as having met the right person and then my confidence changed. But unfortunately, it’s just not the case. He is by far the most supportive, loving, patient person that I have had in my life. But the reality is that it’s only you who can really change your opinion and change your mind about it.

Since using 47 Skin, how do you feel now when getting ready for a date?

Now it feels like I look forward so much to getting ready. I look forward to putting makeup on because I know that I can sit there and spend time and enjoy the process. I go out with my partner and I’m not thinking about how my skin looks, how I look. I’m thinking about him and I’m thinking about what we’re doing. 

What advice would you give to someone struggling with their skin and dating? 

I know that there is nothing that people can say that will really make it better. I know that it comes from being able to feel confident in yourself. But the advice I would give is first of all there’s one product that I’ve tried that’s worked… and that’s 47 Skin.

If you feel comfortable in trying a new product, please do. The most important thing is that you can feel more confident in your skin, whether it gets better or whether it doesn’t get better.

What advice would you give to someone who’s partner is struggling with their skin? 

I know that there’s little that people could say to me that would make a difference. But I think that it is about just being there and offering empathy.