{"id":49264,"date":"2026-07-21T11:01:28","date_gmt":"2026-07-21T09:01:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/getitmagazine.co.za\/highway-berea\/?p=49264"},"modified":"2026-07-21T11:01:28","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T09:01:28","slug":"permission-to-put-yourself-first","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/getitmagazine.co.za\/highway-berea\/blog\/2026\/07\/21\/permission-to-put-yourself-first\/","title":{"rendered":"Permission to put yourself first"},"content":{"rendered":"

When was the last time you did something just for you? After more than 20 years helping women feel comfortable in their own skin, one Durban businesswoman believes self-care isn\u2019t about vanity – it\u2019s about giving yourself permission to matter too.<\/p>\n

Between careers, children, ageing parents and the endless demands of everyday life, women have a habit of putting themselves last. It\u2019s something Marinda Steyn, owner of Durban Laser Clinic, sees almost every day. \u201cWomen are incredibly resilient, but we so often forget ourselves,\u201d she says. \u201cWhen a woman invests in herself, not out of vanity but out of self-care, everyone around her benefits. She feels stronger, more confident and shows up differently for her family, her career and her relationships.\u201d<\/p>\n

After more than two decades in the skincare industry, Marinda has learnt that confidence has very little to do with perfection. \u201cEvery woman has something she\u2019s self-conscious about. The most beautiful women I meet aren\u2019t necessarily the ones with flawless skin. They\u2019re the women who are comfortable being themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

In an age of filters, edited images and social media comparisons, she believes women have become far too critical of themselves. \u201cWe\u2019re constantly comparing ourselves to a version of beauty that isn\u2019t even real. I\u2019ve treated women in their twenties right through to their seventies, and so many focus on tiny imperfections that nobody else even notices.\u201d For Marinda, the real reward isn\u2019t transforming skin – it\u2019s watching confidence quietly return.<\/p>\n

\u201cI see it in the little things. A client stops hiding behind heavy make-up, starts making eye contact again or smiles more freely. Those moments remind me that our work goes far beyond skincare.\u201d One client, who had battled severe pigmentation for years, still stays with her.\u00a0 \u201cWhen she finished her treatment, she became emotional and simply said, \u2018I feel like myself again.\u2019 That\u2019s why I still love what I do. It\u2019s about restoring hope and helping people feel comfortable in their own skin.\u201d<\/p>\n

Owning her own business has also taught Marinda an important lesson. \u201cSuccess isn\u2019t measured only by the growth of your business. It\u2019s measured by the positive impact you have on your team, your clients and your community.\u201d<\/p>\n

And if she could leave every woman with one message?<\/p>\n

\u201cKnow that you are enough, exactly as you are. Healthy, glowing skin is wonderful, but if a woman walks out standing a little taller, smiling a little wider and feeling more like herself again, then we\u2019ve done our job.\u201d<\/p>\n

Marinda\u2019s 5 tips to show your skin some love<\/strong><\/p>\n