Each year, on March 8th, people rally across the world to celebrate women for International Women’s Day. This year, we’re standing alongside those we know and admire, empowering women to be their best, most confident selves.

Confidence is important in any aspect of life at any stage. It can empower you to drive yourself further, to have a greater sense of self-worth and can even prevent anxiety or fear.

We recognize that building self-confidence can be a challenge, and beauty and skin care products are not a fix. However, developing healthy habits and caring for your appearance can certainly help.

This year, for International Women’s Day, we’re taking it a step further and celebrating the fact that all women, at any age or in any situation, have the power to be beautiful—all it takes is a little encouragement.

A Skin Condition Doesn’t Define You.

Our appearances are our first impressions. They make up part of who we are—the parts of us that we want to share with the world. While our appearances don’t make up our entire identity, they play a huge role in how we’re interpreted—by ourselves and by others.

At LovelySkin, we are in the business of beauty. However, we don’t think you need products to be beautiful. Our goal is to empower you to embrace your differences, or provide options for you to work on parts of yourself that you may not feel the most confident about.

When it comes to confidence, skin can play a major role. After all, it is the largest organ on the body, and it’s something others see constantly, like the clothes you’re wearing.

When it comes to skin conditions, whether it be acne, psoriasis, rosacea or anything in-between, we can’t always keep them to ourselves—which can feel like a burden you shoulder all on your own. However, we promise that you’re not alone!

We talked with Dr. Joel Schlessinger, board-certified dermatologist and LovelySkin CEO, about the synergy between confidence and skin care:

“I see patients every day that have skin conditions they may find cumbersome or embarrassing, and I understand the emotional toll that can have on their confidence. Whether you are a teenager with acne or a middle-aged person with wrinkles that are bothering you, a dermatologist can be a starting point to a better emotional and physical being. Many people think of dermatologists as either 'cosmetic' or 'medical' and divide them by whether they do BOTOX or treat psoriasis or acne. I haven't ever felt this was a true division-point, as dermatology should be an all-encompassing improvement visit. My goal has always been to support the natural beauty of my patients by providing them with the best skin care, beauty products and advice to enhance or improve what they’re feeling self-conscious about. You’d be amazed at the difference you can see in someone, all the way down to their body language, when something about their appearance changes in a way they favor. This is what makes my 'job', if you can even call it that, a life-calling rather than a job.”

This year, in honor of International Women’s Day, we’ve put together a list of ways you can work on your confidence through the power of beauty.

LovelySkin’s Top 5 Tips for Building Self-Confidence

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and good self-esteem won’t be, either. It will take time, patience and dedication to establish your confidence.

In the meantime, give yourself a reason to feel good. Here are a few of our favorite tips:

• Develop healthy habits. Wash your face every day, apply (and reapply!) sunscreen, and set up yearly appointments with your dermatologist for a skin check.

• Listen to how you speak to yourself. Instead of, “I didn’t make it to the gym today, I’m so lazy,” try, “I went to the gym three times this week, I’m proud of myself!”

• Treat others the way that you’d like to be treated. This seems obvious, but, when you are kind to others, it’s easier to be kind to yourself.

• If you’re tackling a stubborn skin condition, try to focus on the results you see instead of the results you’d like to see. Take before and after photos to track your progress and compare them to see how far you’ve come!

• Practice self-care. Self-care is an investment in yourself. Whether it’s your favorite spa treatment or the lip color you choose, do a little something for yourself every day.

All women are beautiful and deserve to be celebrated. Not just for International Women’s Day, but all year round. Find time today to remind the women you admire why they’re special—including you.

How are you celebrating International Women’s Day this year? Leave a comment below or tag us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or Pinterest using @LovelySkin or #LovelySkin!