“The more comfortable I feel, the more confident I feel.”
That quote was pulled from my recent feature in Boots Health & Beauty magazine—and it honestly sums up so much of my journey with eczema.
The past few weeks have been a strange, emotional mix. On one hand, I’ve been dealing with a lot behind the scenes. Personally, life has felt heavy. On the other hand, I’ve had these beautiful moments of visibility and advocacy go out into the world—like my Boots feature, and The Daily Mail. I feel like I’m living in the in-between—between celebration and burnout, between self-compassion and self-doubt. It’s a lot to hold. But it’s also exactly why I keep showing up.
Eczema doesn’t clock off. It doesn’t take a break when life gets overwhelming. And if you’ve ever lived with a chronic skin condition, you’ll know just how much it can impact your confidence, your routine, your mood—even your identity. I spent years trying to hide or “fix” my skin. But I’ve come to realise that visibility is powerful. When you see someone with eczema in a beauty campaign, in a health feature, in your feed—it tells you you’re not alone.
Small moments, big impact
In my Boots Health & Beauty summer feature, I talk about the connection between comfort and confidence. That might sound small, but for someone with eczema, it’s huge. Finding clothes that don’t irritate. Skincare that doesn’t sting. Being able to step outside without feeling hyper-aware of every flake or flare. These aren’t superficial things—they’re lifelines.
And in my Daily Mail piece, I share some of the practical things that have helped me manage my eczema day-to-day: like switching up my home environment, using air purifiers, and learning to say no when my skin—and my body—needs rest.
What ties both features together is the message that you don’t have to be perfect to be visible. Your skin doesn’t have to be clear for your voice to matter. And you’re allowed to care about how you feel in your own skin—not just how it looks.
Awareness isn’t just for others—it’s for us too
Being part of these features has reminded me that awareness isn’t just about educating others. It’s about reminding ourselves that our experiences are valid. That it’s okay to be proud of how far we’ve come, even if we’re still figuring things out.
So if you’re living in the messy middle—between flares and healing, between visibility and vulnerability—I see you. And I’m right there with you.
Thanks for reading,
Katie x
Itch N Bitch 