Wellness news: Kerb your comparison anxiety

The study of over 2,000 respondents was carried out for FOREO’s Boost Your Glow campaign to celebrate the launch of the latest skincare gadget, the LUNA Mini 3, which promises to give you glowing skin is as little as 30 seconds. The brand quizzed the nation on their social media habits to discover the impact it has on our lives, and is now calling out for women to champion themselves and others in a bid to glow with confidence both inside and out. Key insights of the survey revealed:

• 61 per cent of women admit to ‘compare and despair’ syndrome (they regularly compare their appearance to others on social media) 
• 50 per of people wish they could apply a filter to themselves in real life
• One third of women admitted to feeling down about their appearance after scrolling through social media
• 96 per cent of UK women admit to using filters in order to improve the appearance of their skin. Despite this, 73 per cent of women don’t like to see filters or airbrushing, preferring instead to see real skin

 
Working with the world’s first and only ‘comparison coach’, Lucy Sheridan, FOREO is campaigning for women to champion not only other women, but themselves too. Lucy has helped thousands of people through her private practice and workshops to ditch the ‘compare and despair’ mentality and go #comparisonfree, breaking the cycle of looking at others in order to build a happier and healthier relationship with themselves and with social media. For too long now, women have felt uncomfortable accepting a compliment or singing their own praise. It’s time for women everywhere to not only prioritise self care, but self love. 

Commenting on FOREO’s survey and campaign, Lucy says: “I think it’s important as it shows a deeper understanding of what people experience on the day to day and demonstrates care for consumers beyond the surface appearance. It shows an acknowledgement that what is happening on the inside will have an effect on what shows on the outside.”

So how do we boost our confidence both inside and out? “Confidence is an inner power that is unique to each of us as individuals and like any muscle, the more we work it the stronger it gets,” says Lucy.

Kerbing comparison anxiety – here are Lucy’s top tips for exercising your inner confidence muscle:

• Redefine what confidence looks like. “Define what confidence means to you and then work towards it e.g. speaking in a work meeting, contacting that blogger you admire... it’s for you to arrive at.”
• Change your approach to social media. “Be part of this shift happening where instead of judging and dismissing people feeling themselves, we celebrate and applaud it. It’s your feed so take control - show up and show the world who you are. Show your life, your skin, your style and whatever else makes you feel fully expressed.”
• Say yes to compliments. “Receiving attention for ‘just being us’ makes many of us uncomfortable. And yet a simple ‘thank you’ and nothing else can help us get better at taking compliments and improve our perceptions of ourselves.”
• Curate and define a positive social media space. “It’s not just a case of muting and unfollowing what makes you feel not so good, but boosting your feed with what lifts you up too. There is inspiration to be found, friendships to be made and fun to be had on social media but we need to go and find it based on our own needs and wants.”
• Don’t confuse confidence with arrogance. “Confidence is a fuel for our pursuits and the more fuel we have the higher we can fly.”

The new LUNA mini 3 is available from Harrods, Selfridges and Cult Beauty, RRP £139

The online survey was conducted by Atomik Research in September 2019, with 2,003 respondents.