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Posted on Feb 28, 2018
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Body Art and Self-Love

What does body art have to do with self-love? For many people, self-expression of any kind if an empowering act of loving themselves. Whether it’s permanent or semi-permanent, tattoos of any kind can be a way to embrace and reclaim your body. We reached out to our inkbox fam for stories on their self-love journeys.

What does self-love mean? It’s a term that’s been popping up more and more lately, making its way into Instagram hashtags and discussions about our well-being. The thing with self-love is that it’s different for everyone, hence the key word “self”. Basically, it’s making the time and effort to do things that make you happy. No matter how big or small the act, it makes you feel like the best version of yourself.

So what does body art have to do with self-love? For many people, self-expression of any kind if an empowering act of loving themselves. Tattoo of any kind, whether they're permanent or semi-permanent, can be a way to embrace and reclaim your body. We reached out to our inkbox fam for stories on their self-love journeys.


Emily, 19, from Australia

When asked why she uses inkbox, Emily said that she loves having the ability to share her love of art on her own skin and on others. She says that being a walking, breathing canvas feels incredible and has been a surprising boost of confidence. “I’ve struggled throughout my entire adolescence with health problems and it’s something that will stay with me for most of my life... it’s something that has taken its toll on me. But I have learnt that it does not define me.”

For her, every bottle means endless possibilities of fun, creativity, and new beginnings, “With hard work both physically and mentally and with the help of amazing opportunities that the Freehand Ink gives, I’ve built a well-deserved self-love for myself. I’ve gotten to a point where I no longer have a hate for what my body is and now possess a love for what it can be and what it shows.”


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inkbox user, Requested to remain anonymous

This member of the inkbox fam shared with us that they’ve been struggling with insecurities since they were 11 years old. This only worsened when they started struggling with depression and anxiety. For them, tattoos are an expression of who they are, who they want to become, and a reminder of their goals.

”When I got better I knew I wanted to be reminded every day of how priceless I am and that I’m worthy every single day. I still haven’t gotten that tattoo, but I’m sure I’ll first try it with inkbox to be sure it’s the right one.” What are they thinking of getting? “Either a little heart on my left side, or a saturn, which for me means that I have no limits and I can go wherever I want if I want to.”




Ellie, 17, from Israel

Ellie considers herself to have a healthy body weight, but that doesn’t stop her from feeling self doubt and dissatisfaction. In recent years, she says she’s been appreciating the skin that she’s in less and less. One of her goals for the year of 2018, Ellie is determined to love her body and be happy with who she is. Ellie was looking for a way to boost her body image confidence without dieting or other methods defined by society’s standard of beauty. “Inkbox helps me express myself and appreciate my body since I find it more special that way.” She found that decorating herself with inkbox fulfilled this for her, since it combined her love of art with her own body. “I see the beautiful tattoo and it makes me think that my body is special and I love it since I can do whatever I want with it, and I decided to make it beautiful while doing something I love.”

 

Nicole, 24, from the United States

Nicole hasn't always embraced being thicker. Throughout high school and college she experienced bullying because of her weight. She didn't let the haters stop her, and she went on to find a killer career. While she's now in digital marketing, she's worked as a makeup artist in the fashion industry (check out her Instagram account for some serious inspo). With multiple NYFW shows under her belt, along with Miss World America, she’s been on the front lines of society's rigid beauty standards. She thinks that this is the year we'll break free from the unrealistic norms, “It’s okay to not fit the mold and embrace our differences. That’s what matters to me.”

Nicole feels that tattoos make people even more of individuals, and compares it to seeing a piece of their brain or ideas directly on their bodies. Even though she doesn't have any tattoos herself, she likes experimenting with different types of body art and inkbox, “Personally, I don’t have any tattoos (I do have my brows micro-bladed though so technically that’s a tattoo haha) because I change my style quite often. That’s actually why I love inkbox. If she were to get a tattoo, she says it'd be in honour of her parents because, "They’re the ones who have encouraged me to chase my dreams and become the confident boss lady that I am today.”

 

How do you practice self-love? Does body art or tattoos make you feel like your best self? DM us on Instagram and let us know! ????