But what do you do with this skin A home in which you live It's insufficient

 

These pictures are all terrible pictures of me from what was an absolute black hole period of my life.  These are from circa 2006/7 to 2015. Actually, I think that 2015 to 2017 were quite possible some of the absolute worst, but these ones are also so bad. I look at pictures of this person and I don't even recognize them. I was so horrifyingly miserable. I was so sick. Especially from 2009 to 2012, I had a cyst that caused me to retain all of this water weight and I was so physically miserable. When the cyst popped in 2012, I've been the same size that I was then, probably even smaller. 

You also have to think about what the ~aesthetics~ were in the 2008-2011 era--the sunken eyes, the particularly grimey hipster style. I wore thrifted clothes and clothes from Ross, so I was obviously not able to buy the "hipster" "poor aesthetic" clothes, hahahaha. I was JUST poor. Forever 21 was a total out of budget splurge.

When I turned 25 (10 years ago), my mom (as sort of a mean joke) gave me some sunscreen face lotion from Trader Joe's telling me it was time for me to moisturize my skin. That kick-started my skin care routine. Now I am a skincare FIEND. I look younger than I ever did  in 2006 or even 2015. I am so much healthier (despite the way my body fails me a lot of the time). I never filter my photos, which is important for me,  and I have a high-quality phone camera, and I just see how taking care of myself has made me feel SO MUCH BETTER.

Even though right now I have an allergy-related BLACK EYE, which I DO struggle with accepting at times. I just so much more happier now. I feel freer now. 

Although I hate how much these new cameras wash me out, and I miss this hair style, I don't miss that era of my life. Freer, happier, lighter, healthier. 

Free.