Young mother who became a recluse due to acne finds ‘life-changing’ cure
Esme Jenkinson, 27, a healthcare assistant from Southampton, was too self-conscious to even go swimming with her children
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A mother-of-two who became a recluse after acne triggered during her first pregnancy spread across her face has said she now feels “free” from her five-year battle after finding a “life-changing” cure.
Esme Jenkinson, 27, a healthcare assistant from Southampton, was too self-conscious to even go swimming with her children and would not leave the house without wearing makeup during a flare-up.
Esme, who lives with her husband Stephen, 28, who works in the Army, and their two children, Elsie, four, and Tilly, one, said: “I was so embarrassed by my face to the point where I didn’t want anyone to see it.”
Esme said she had always had clear skin until falling pregnant with her first child in 2017.
She said: “At first, I thought it was pregnancy hormones and tried not to worry about it but, after giving birth, my skin was just as bad. I tried every product on the high street in a bid to clear it up, but nothing worked.”
Visiting her GP, Esme was prescribed antibiotics which she took for two years, to no avail. Meanwhile, the red blotches on her face were affecting her confidence.
“I got to a point where I couldn’t leave the house without makeup on because I just felt like everyone would stare at me,” she said. “Even with makeup, you could see the bumps on my face and the redness would start coming through towards the end of the day. I just felt hideous.”
Searching for a natural solution, Esme says she spotted Bedew Skin on Instagram and noticed that people she knew were following the account.
She said: “I had nothing to lose at this point, I was willing to try anything. I told my mum about it and she bought me the essentials kit bundle for my birthday in March 2021, costing £85, and my husband bought me the pink clay glow up mask for £8.99.
“Within the first two weeks, my skin was a lot softer and smoother, it was the first sign that the products were working and my skin was healing,” she said. “Within two months, the redness had started to die down and my spots were smaller.
“After about four or five months, I had completely clear skin, it was like a miracle cure.”
Esme’s friends and family have also noticed the difference.
She said: “It’s not just about how much better my skin is, but also about how much happier I am. My husband has noticed that I’m a lot more confident and was even shocked when I first started leaving the house without makeup.”
She added: “Before, I would go through a bottle of foundation in a few weeks because I was using it to cover up my spots and red cheeks.
“It’s been completely life-changing for me and has enabled me to be a fun mum again.”