No Makeup, No Problem
When I was younger, I refused to go anywhere unless I had applied a full face of makeup and selected a magazine-worthy outfit. I was so insecure about my appearance that I’d even sleep in my makeup at sleepovers to avoid having my friends see my blemishes or under eye circles. I also remember one truly ridiculous event where I forgot to put on mascara before I left my house, and I spent the entire first period of the school day hiding in the bathroom attempting to find someone to let me borrow their makeup. These stories seem so ridiculous in hindsight, but at the time I felt completely paralyzed by my insecurities. What if someone saw what I really looked like? What would they think then? I found my self- worth through compliments about my physical appearance, so I couldn’t handle the thought of someone seeing the true me. I couldn’t handle the risk that they’d think I was ugly.And then everything changed. Towards the end of my high school years, I started finding self-worth from myself instead of others. I started taking pride in my accomplishments instead of my appearance, and I put all of my energy into improving myself and my relationships with my family and friends. Little by little, I learned that my appearance wasn’t really important at all. Being a good person, a good friend, a good family member – that’s all that matters. It’s something that I’d always known inside, but it’s hard to listen to your intuition when you’re a teenager.
Nowadays, I have a completely different relationship with makeup. Instead of applying my makeup to hide my true appearance, I play with makeup for fun. It’s a fun and relaxing activity instead of a necessity. In fact, most days I go makeup-free, and I love it! Leaving your face bare allows your skin to breathe. When I don’t wear makeup for a few days, I’m amazed by how much my skin improves. As much as I enjoy my no-makeup days, I’m still a beauty lover at heart. Stephanie and Michelle both know there’s a 75% chance I’ll show up to their house without a speck of makeup, but they’ve both also seen me spend hours applying makeup just for fun. But I’m not the girl that I used to be. Instead of being obsessed with covering up all of my flaws, I focus on living in the moment and enjoying every second of life – with or without lipstick!
I challenge you to go without makeup a few days this week. It might be scary at first, but I promise you that you’ll slowly but surely gain confidence and a newfound appreciation for your natural beauty. If you need a little incentive, you can enter Galderma Laboratories, L.P.’s Break Up with Your Makeup campaign where you can vote on your favorite no-makeup selfie for a chance to win one of three $500 gift cards!
If you have a skin condition that makes you feel insecure, I recommend trying to treat the problem instead of covering it up with makeup. Concealer and foundation have their merits, but nothing beats healthy skin. While I haven’t tried Galderma’s products myself, I’ve heard wonderful things about their line of products from friends. You can ask your dermatologist about their products to see if it’s a good fit for you and your skin. Their products include:● Soolantra ® (ivermectin) Cream, 1% for the treatment of inflammatory lesions or bumps and pimples of rosacea
● Oracea ® (doxycycline, USP) 40mg* Capsules, for the treatment of only the bumps and pimples of rosacea
● Mirvaso ® (brimonidine) Gel, 0.33%** for the treatment of the persistent facial redness of rosacea
As always, be sure to consult your doctor before using any new product. You can find important safety information about these products below.
Important Safety Information – Soolantra ® Cream
Indication: SOOLANTRA® (ivermectin) Cream, 1% is indicated for the treatment of inflammatory lesions of rosacea. Not for oral, ophthalmic or intravaginal use. Adverse Events: In clinical trials with SOOLANTRA Cream, the most common adverse reactions (incidence ≤1 %) included skin burning sensation and skin irritation.
Full Prescribing Information
Important Safety Information – Oracea ® Capsules
Indication: ORACEA® (doxycycline, USP) 40 mg* Capsules are indicated for the treatment of only inflammatory lesions (papules and pustules) of rosacea in adult patients. ORACEA Capsules do not lessen the facial redness caused by rosacea. Adverse Events: In controlled clinical studies, the most commonly reported adverse events (>2%) in patients treated with ORACEA Capsules were nasopharyngitis, sinusitis, diarrhea, hypertension and aspartate aminotransferase increase. Warnings/Precautions: ORACEA Capsules should not be used to treat or prevent infections. ORACEA Capsules should not be taken by patients who have a known hypersensitivity to doxycycline or other tetracyclines. ORACEA Capsules should not be taken during pregnancy, by nursing mothers, or during tooth development (upto the age of 8 years). Although photosensitivity was not observed in clinical trials, ORACEA Capsules patients should minimize or avoid exposure to natural or artificial sunlight. The efficacy of ORACEA Capsules treatment beyond 16 weeks and safety beyond 9 months have not been established.
*30 mg immediate release & 10 mg delayed release beads
Full Prescribing Information
Important Safety Information – Mirvaso ® Gel
Indication: MIRVASO® (brimonidine) topical gel, 0.33%** is an alpha adrenergic agonist indicated for the topical treatment of persistent (nontransient) facial erythema of rosacea in adults 18 years of age or older. Adverse Events: In clinical trials, the most common adverse reactions (≥1%) included erythema,flushing, skin burning sensation and contact dermatitis. Warnings/Precautions: MIRVASO Gel should be used with caution in patients with depression, cerebral or coronary insufficiency, Raynaud's phenomenon, orthostatic hypotension, thromboangiitis obliterans, scleroderma, or Sjögren’s syndrome.Alpha-2 adrenergic agents can lower blood pressure. MIRVASO Gel should be used with caution in patients with severe or unstable or uncontrolled cardiovascular disease. Serious adverse reactions following accidental ingestion of MIRVASO Gel by children have been reported. Keep MIRVASO Gel out of reach of children. Not for oral, ophthalmic, or intravaginal use.
**Each gram of gel contains 5 mg of brimonidine tartrate, equivalent to 3.3 mg of brimonidine free base
Full Prescribing Information
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit WWW.FDA.GOV/MEDWATCH or call 1-800- FDA-1088.
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