Learning to Love the Skin You're In.

The only constant in life is change, and that goes double for our skin. Whether we’re dealing with teenage breakouts or the first appearance of wrinkles, we’re all looking for a way to care for our skin and love what we see in the mirror. The past four decades living in my skin have been quite the journey. The most important thing I’ve learned? The process of healing and loving your skin starts from within. 

It all began in my mid-twenties when I developed severe cystic acne as a result of having endometriosis and ovarian cysts. The work of trying to heal my skin led me to a career as a holistic esthetician, where I discovered a passion for helping others through their skin journeys.

I learned that our skin is not only affected by what we put on our bodies, but also by what is going on with our health, diet, genetics and environment. Treating hundreds of beautiful faces and hearing countless skin stories taught me more than any book, class or license did. I took all of those lessons to heart, and as I applied my knowledge to my own life, my skin slowly started to heal. (Learn more about the steps I took to heal my acne here!)

In my late 20s, I founded Leahlani Skincare to bring the products I created for clients in the treatment room to people around the world. It took off so quickly that I left my esthetician career behind to focus on Leahlani full-time. As I entered my thirties, I was on a career high and the worst of my acne scars were fading — but my health issues had returned. The same underlying health issues that wreaked havoc on my skin also affected my fertility. My husband and I spent a decade trying to conceive both naturally and through IVF. Living in my skin through that was beyond uncomfortable — the medications I took for IVF made my body hurt, feel bloated, and break out all over again. After a failed IVF cycle, three surgeries, and years of being poked and prodded, I woke up at 39 and just let go.

Now that I am in my 40s, I have found a different sort of comfort living in my skin. Acne is no longer my main concern, but decades of living in the Hawaiian sun are starting to show. I am noticing more pigmentation and wrinkles, but I am leaning on grace and acceptance. I've accepted that my future will probably look very different from how I always envisioned it, but maybe it will be just as beautiful and full of wonder. I never dreamed I would start my own company, but Leahlani Skincare now means more to me than I could ever put into words. Through my journey with Leahlani Skincare, I've healed both my skin and my heartbreak with my fertility journey.

If I am being completely honest, I am not sure if there will ever be a time where I am completely comfortable and at peace living in my skin — I think that all comes with being human. But I am finding beauty and wisdom that comes with each decade and a whole lot of gratitude for this body that carries me through the world.