Majority of Irish have a ‘love/hate’ relationship with their skin
Almost a quarter of Irish women never let their partner see them without make-up
· Majority of Irish (61%) feel less attractive than people from other countries, because of our skin tone
· Majority (65%) of Irish admit that they have a ‘love / hate’ relationship with their own skin, with more than 1 in 10 (15%) disliking their skin entirely
· Over a third of Irish women avail of the ‘odd sunbed or ten’ and 1-in-10 say then can’t live without their make-up, sunbeds and tanning lotions. In fact, over half of women (52%) admit they wait for two weeks before letting a new partner see their make-up free skin and almost one quarter (24%) wait two months. The same proportion (24%) of women say they will never let their partner see them without make-up at all.
· 2-in-5 (39%) Irish feel much more self-conscious of their skin in a bikini or trunks, while 15% of Irish feel like a ‘beacon’ on the beach
According to new research from the Thérapie Clinic #LoveIrishSkin campaign, the majority of Irish (61%) feel far less attractive than people from other countries, because of our skin tone.
Half of Irish people describe their own skin as pale and the majority (70%) believe they also have a ‘pink twinge’ to their skin. Over a fifth (22%) of us believe people with a tan or darker skin tones look so much better and we can’t compete
The majority (65%) of Irish admit that they have a ‘love / hate’ relationship with their own skin, with more than 1 in 10 (15%) disliking their skin entirely.
Over a third (34%) of Irish, of varying ages, cited wrinkles as the biggest issue they have with their skin. 1-in- 5 cited environmentally stressed skin as an issue, almost 1-in-5 worry about red veins and brown spots, and over 1-in-10 have issues with acne scarring and high colouring. Half of Irish are also concerned about their ‘fair’ skin ageing badly.
Attitudes to skin also vary dramatically between the sexes. While almost all (82%) Irish men embrace their natural skin, just over half (54%) of Irish women take the same approach. A solid third (36%) of Irish women avail of the ‘odd sunbed or ten’ and 1-in-10 say then can’t live without their make-up, sunbeds and tanning lotions.
In fact, over half of women (52%) admit they wait for two weeks before letting a new partner see their make-up free skin and almost one quarter (24%) wait two months. The same proportion (24%) of women say they will never let their partner see them without make-up at all.
More worryingly, almost a quarter (23%) of Irish have either experienced a skin health scare from using too many sunbeds, or know someone else who has experienced one.
Our skin insecurities are exacerbated when we go abroad. While the majority of Irish (85%) feel fairly confident on holidays, this dips when it’s time to take off our clothes. 2-in-5 (39%) Irish feel much more self-conscious of their skin in a bikini or trunks, while 15% of Irish feel like a ‘beacon’ on the beach. A fifth (20%) of us do like the fact that we can find each-other on the beach due to our skin however!
So are our insecurities well-founded? Three-fifths of us (59%) have never received negative comments from others about our skin, so it seems the majority of our issues come from within. However over a third (34%) have received one or two comments growing up, but didn’t view this as a major issue. Only 7% of Irish have received comments about their skin, particularly on holidays, where people would stop in the street to comment on their pale skin and freckles.
Despite our insecurities, there are aspects of our skin we do appreciate. Almost half of Irish (49%) cite ‘a nice sprinkle of freckles’ as an attractive aspect of Irish skin and an overwhelming majority (88%) of us are happy with our own freckles. Sadly however, there are still 1-in-10 of us who hate our freckles and try to cover them up.
Over two-fifths (42%) of us also believe that when our skin is hydrated it can look really luminous, while almost a third (29%) of us like the fact that Irish skin is quite unique looking.
Commenting on the research results, Thérapie Clinic Ambassador and actress, Vivienne Connolly said: ““This research shows that, across the country, we are experiencing, and perhaps perpetuating, negative perceptions about our skin. Imagine the difference a nationwide confidence boost could make. Thérapie Clinic has been helping Irish people to stop masking and start enhancing their natural skin for 14 years, and have experience of boosting confidence every day. Now they’re on a mission to challenge negative perceptions about Irish skin and encourage everyone to embrace what they love about their skin.”
Thérapie Clinic Ambassador and top-model, Roz Purcell, says: “Earlier in my career, I used to care so much what people thought of my appearance and was occasionally guilty of masking my natural skin. However the older and wiser I get, the more I realise I would rather be true to myself and my own appearance, than be someone I’m not. Now, when the camera stops rolling, I embrace my natural beauty.”
