TRANSFORMATION ‘I Wanted My Colleagues to See Me, Not My Skin’

Everyone’s skin has a story to tell—and we want to tell yours. Our True Transformation series brings a real customer’s skin journey to life, in their own words. To kick it off, Rachel describes how clearing breakouts boosted her confidence at a pivotal moment in her career.

A Beginner’s Bout with Breakouts

Growing up, I never really dealt with any skin issues. But then I got hit hard in my post-college years. Here I was, trying to make it big in my career in biotech—presenting to big teams and getting some really cool opportunities, and I thought: “Nobody’s going to take me seriously …because I look like I’m going through puberty.”

I was experiencing a couple different types of breakouts—there were normal, run-of-the mill whiteheads and blemishes, but the biggest challenge was hormonal breakouts. They were these red bumps that were very pronounced and were tough to even conceal with makeup. 

It was a huge blow to my confidence. I remember getting up in front of these senior execs and worrying that they would get distracted by the acne and not listen to the information I was trying to convey. I wanted my colleagues to see me, not my skin.

Because I’m fair-skinned and have a lot of freckles, I go to the dermatologist a few times a year for skin cancer checks. So, one time I asked for help with the hormonal acne. He gave me a prescription benzoyl peroxide treatment, and it worked at the beginning—but then it stopped working and the hormonal acne was as awful as ever. So, I turned to my sister, who has the most beautiful skin ever. She’s a licensed herbalist and is really into natural remedies, and she pointed me toward True Botanicals. 

Getting Back into Balance

I started with just the Clear Nourishing Cleanser and Clear Pure Radiance Oil. And I instantly started seeing results, which is why I then bought the rest of the Clear Collection—the Nutrient Toner and Repair Nightly Treatment. I’d say it took two months to see really significant changes. And by three months, I was going makeup-free, and I think that that was the biggest moment for me because I’m very low-maintenance. I’m active and love being outdoors, so I don’t want to spend a lot of the time in the bathroom. 

When I first started using the oil, I was a little worried because it seems counterintuitive, but I noticed that you can see and feel it sinking into skin. With creams, you’re just spreading it across your face; it’s just for the surface. I quickly realized: “Oh, this oil is so much more effective.” After putting on the Pure Radiance Oil, you instantly see your skin glow the way you’ve always wanted. 

From Skincare to to Skin-care

Once my acne was under control, I was able to branch out and start taking care of other aspects of my skin, like dryness and fine lines. I started alternating between the Renew and Clear Oil. Sometimes I’ll put the Clear Oil on in the morning, and then when I do my nighttime routine, I’ll use the Renew Oil. Or, I’ll use the Clear Oil morning and night, but at night I’ll use the Renew Serum. I’d never looked forward to my nightly skincare until now. I can’t wait to put on the Pure Radiance Oil and the Repair Serum, and sometimes the Moisture Lock Overnight Mask. It feels so good to come home every night and just take care of your face and your skin. 

Everyone gets pimples now and then—and that’s normal! Putting the painful breakouts behind me, though, has given me peace of mind and made me so much more comfortable in front of people and at work. Looking back, I know that no one was really looking at my skin (and even if they were, it didn’t impact my work). But no longer worrying about covering up my breakouts has been a huge confidence booster. And it’s made me feel overall healthier too. Your skin is your largest organ, so when that’s healthy, your whole body feels healthy. Sometimes people underestimate how important it is to take care of your skin. And when you do take care of it, how much better you can feel—inside and out. 

–As told to True Botanicals