Oneself

Hello wonderful guys and gals. This post is aimed at all ends of the social spectrum and is not in an way gender, race, religion or culture specific. Today's post is all about self-love, self-care and self-image, how I gained confidence, struggled with body image and way more.

Okay, to start off, I am not a professional, and all of these ''tips and tricks'' come from a normal teenage girl... That being said, I have had my fair share of struggles confidence and body image wise.
I never often thought of myself as beautiful and would often avoid topics talking about my self image and self worth. In classes like life orientation where body image, peer pressure and self-respect were topics that we had to talk about and learn about and in turn get marked on based on our answers in tests and exams, it was difficult for me to see myself fitting in and talking openly and honestly about these topics.
I always felt like the odd one out, because of the type of environment I was in. I went to a catholic school, I am muslim. I was raised in a very different way compared to my peers on the religion and culture front. Peers would often talk about church experiences or important events, and I was left talking about my experiences going on umrah, and no one really understood. I would be fasting for the holy month of Ramadan, and people wouldn't understand why I wasn't eating or drinking anything, and I would miss school for Eid, though I never really minded.
Because of good genetics, I was blessed with thick hair, but that also meant that I have a moustache, which I managed. It isn't anything intense, but it was definitely noticeable and I got made fun of for it.
And then one day I woke up and realized ''I am beautiful the way I am, and I shouldn't have to change anything about me for anyone but myself.''

That's how the journey began.

Skin
--------------
Thanks to genetics, I have relatively good, clear skin. But there is always something to be bettered.
 * I am not a dermatologist *
I use a face wash that is homemade because I prefer homemade products, but play around with different recipes and see what works and what doesn't.
 I have combination skin, so I use things that have benefits for both dry and oily skin. Things like honey, matcha green tea, cinnamon,sugar, coffee etc.
I did a face mask once to twice a week, depending on my skin and exfoliated with a microfoliant daily.
I prefer to lightly exfoliate daily, because it keeps the skin glowing, but it all comes down to personal preference.
And I moisturize with a thick moisturizer, Cetaphil Fragrance free moisturizer is my personal favourite.

Facial hair
-----------------
I waxed my stache for the first time when I was in grade 6, and I was extremely excited because I was tired of getting made fun of. So I took the opportunity with both hands. I have had my fair share of experiments with hair removal for my face. I tried threading, hair removal cream, waxing, Epilfree and then lastly, sugaring.
Sugaring is my method of choice because it's easy, less painful than regular waxing, easier to maintain, easy to make and affordable. And another plus is that you can manage it yourself and be comfortable with what you're doing. Sugar wax is made from water, lemon juice and sugar. It's heated on the stove or in the microwave and boils to form a wax-like consistency which is used to remove hair. Being able to manage when and how I remove the hair on my face really made me realize that this is my body and it got me more confident and comfortable in my own skin.

Facial hair, for girls and boys, can be a really sensitive topic, whether you can't get rid of it, can't grow it or struggle to be comfortable with how it looks on your face, it is normal and completely okay. Just as long as you are confident and happy :)

Body, weight and looking at your self
--------------------------------------------------
Here come the tips and tricks that I use to be comfortable and confident with the body that I have.


Tip 1: where showering is concerned.

• if you have a mirror in your bathroom, or even if you don't, shower with your shower curtain open. This helps you see more of yourself in intimate and pure moments.
• It can be very difficult at first, but day by day it gets easier to look at yourself and see how beautiful you are.

Tip 2: stand around and do something

• This is something else that can be done in the shower. Stand in the shower with your conditioner in your hair, ( turn the water off to prevent water wastage ) and do something nice. People often underestimate the power of showers. It's time you spend by yourself, daily. So you might as well treat yourself, because you deserve it. Things like full body exfoliation, shaving or straight up dancing around while you let your conditioner settle into your hair before you rinse it out. 
• This helps you feel more confident knowing that you are prioritizing your body and body's needs and it makes you feel special because no kind love is more important than self love 

Tip 3: chug it up

• Drink water. It is healthy, helps you clear your skin, regulate simple body functions and it helps lose weight and tone the body. 
• People often overlook drinking water and often don't see the importance that this simple beverage has in our lives. 
• this one is for those with a menstrual cycle: drinking water often and regularly makes your period lighter faster. 

I don't want to write too much per piece, so this will definitely become a series. Stay tuned <3

And thank you so much for your time 

xoxo Aaishah

p.s. if you have any suggestions, feel free to dm me on Instagram @oneselfblog or simply leave a comment <3