Skincare for Transgender Community (+Hari Nef)

We stan Hari Nef for more than just her winning smile, amazing style, and hilarious Instagram. We love her because she is a true leader.

Despite icons like Hari doing their best to help the world understand the transgender struggle, there is still little awareness regarding the toll transitioning can take on the skin. 

And you know how we feel about skin!

So, here’s a peek at Hari Nef’s position in the public eye and a breakdown of how you can start incorporating the right skincare if you’re transitioning.

More Than a Pretty Face  

In 2015, Nef became the first transgender model signed with IMG Worldwide—a global modeling powerhouse that has represented the likes of Gisele Bundchen, Lily Aldridge, and Gigi Hadid.

But while Nef could settle for being the pretty it-girl, that’s not going to cut it for her. “I’m not trying to self-aggrandize, but it’s more than a job to me,” she told Vogue in 2015. “It is political. It’s not enough to be cute in a magazine. You have to talk.”

And talk Nef has. Since her rise to superstardom, she has become a passionate advocate for the LGBTQ community and gender nonconformity.

Labels Are So Last Season

In almost every interview or profile, Nef is described as a "trans actress." And she’s not here for it.

Nef urges people to see gender not as a binary classification or a list of possible identities, but rather as part of the whole person. “Being a woman is an option, being trans is an option, and they’re options that appeal to me,” she told Vogue. “We need to listen to people, not labels, not semantics.”

While we all want to stand up for representation, calling attention to someone’s gender identity every time you mention their name is not the move.

Paving the Way for a Better Future

While Nef struggles to shift the media focus away from her trans identity and toward her artistic work, she hopes that she’s contributing to a future where other trans artists don’t have to have their gender identity take center stage.

As she told Teen Vogue,

“What keeps me going on those days is an idea that the work that I’m doing right now...not just me, but so many trans women are setting right now – Laverne Cox, Janet Mock...maybe we can pave the way for the next generation to be able to do this, and just do it, to not have it be such a big deal, and not have anything in the way.”

What we love most about Hari is that she reminds us how to stand for representation while checking our own privilege.

The best way to be a good ally is sometimes just to listen more and lift up other voices.

OK, Let’s Talk Skincare

When we think about how we can help stand up for representation, it all comes back to skincare.

Which is why we think it’s important to surface some information about how to care for your skin when transitioning.

If you’re undergoing hormone replacement therapy (HRT), your skin might freak out for a little bit. It’s totally normal.

If you’re taking testosterone, you might suddenly be facing down some serious breakouts.

Retinol is a great ingredient that can help clear up hormonal acne. It works by increasing your cell turnover so that dead cells don’t have the chance to hang out in your pores. Salicylic acid can also help by dissolving excess sebum.

What you can use:

RETINOL NIGHT CREAM
PURIFYING FACIAL TONER

If you’re taking estrogen, your skin might actually clear up if you had breakouts before.

Estrogen tends to decrease oil production in the skin, which might leave your face feeling dry and irritated.

Keep her supple and moisturized with a super skin-quencher packed with moisturizing hyaluronic acid like our DAY + NIGHT HYALURONIC CREAM.

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