October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. 💜 There’s a part of my skincare story I don’t talk about very often. Microneedling started for me when I was still in an abusive relationship. I was completely broken down. I had no confidence. I felt worthless. Useless. Disgusting. Every second of every day was survival mode. I was walking on eggshells constantly. And I was ashamed. I blamed myself for getting into the relationship. I blamed myself for staying. I blamed myself because I couldn’t figure out how to get out. I asked for help. I begged for help. And when I realized nobody was coming to save me, something inside me changed. I knew I had to save myself. And I had to save my babies. But before I could get out, I had to somehow start putting me back together. And strangely enough… one of the things that gave me a tiny little glimmer of hope was microneedling. I picked up a dermaroller because I thought: Maybe if I can look in the mirror and feel even a little better about the person looking back at me, I’ll find some of the strength I need. It sounds like such a small thing. But when someone has spent so long making you feel ugly, worthless and like you are nothing… looking in the mirror and starting to recognize yourself again doesn’t feel small. It was never really about wrinkles. It wasn’t about vanity. It was one tiny way I started taking care of me again. And eventually, that tiny glimmer of hope became something bigger. I made a plan. I got my babies out. And I started rebuilding our lives. So when you see me talking about microneedling, skincare, self-care and glow-ups all these years later… there’s a much bigger story behind it. My glow-up was never just about looking better. It was about looking in the mirror and no longer seeing the person I had been convinced I was. It was about finding me again. And if you’re living in that darkness right now, or you’re trying to put yourself back together after getting out… I see you. There IS life on the other side. 💜 And sometimes rebuilding yourself starts with the tiniest little glimmer of hope. #domesticabuseawareness #domesticviolencesurvivor #dvsurvivor #domesticviolence #domesticviolenceawareness — TikTok de @skincarebeautydiy