David Rooney - May 2022
How skincare that talks started with a conversation.
We’re on a mission to encourage conversations about mental health. This is the foundation of what we are, what we stand for, and why we donate a quarter of profits to mental health charities.
It started with a walk in the park. Before Boring Without You was even an idea, Jordan and I would take part in the number one physically distanced activity during the peak of Australian lockdown.
Walk and talk.
While walking (and talking) around stunning Melbourne parks, we would chat about life, friendships, business, the state of the world. And, of course, our mental health.
Looking back, I realised these conversations saved us. But at the time, it was a sweet combination of friendship and escape.
The worst my mental health has ever been.
It was Covid, we were all lonely. I know I was. I craved any social interaction, and these walks provided an opportunity to itch the social bug and forget about the woes of the world.
Maybe now’s the time to mention that I had also experienced four horrible months of bullying in the workplace.
If you've ever experienced bullying, you know the feeling of isolation. The feeling of helplessness. And although working from home gave me physical distance, the anxiety remained in full force.
The once bully-free zone, my home, became a place I feared. I would sit on my computer every morning, ridden with anxiety, scared to log in.
It was the worst my mental health has ever been and the lowest point of my life. My anxiety was at an all-time high, and I wanted out.
Coffee and a chat
Jordan's smile was always a source of familiarity and comfort. That and the long blacks he would bring me – something I still owe him for.
We chatted about our mental state, how we were feeling, and what we wanted from life. We set goals, reset, reimagined, and reinvented.
I learned by 2030, mental health will be the biggest health concern in developed countries.
And it was here that I realised how common mental health struggles are amongst Aussies and Kiwis. People my age, my close friends.
Every bullying experience is unique in some way. But my feelings of anxiety and sadness were all too common – a stark reality, yet one we can change.
The birth of Boring Without You
We walked, talked, and realised we wanted to create a business with mental health at the foundation. We wanted to do more than sell a product.
We wanted to build a mental health campaign and business model to help encourage lifesaving conversations.Our walks turned from self-pity to resilience and change. A desire to do better.
You might think why skincare? As a cosmetic science student, it’s a passion. But did you know,
People with a serious skin concern are three times as likely to suffer from a mental health condition.
Beauty brands often have a major role to play in this by perpetuating an unrealistic standard of beauty.
We wanted to change the conversation around acne. It’s normal. Everyone gets it. We want to reduce the shame people feel, showcase models with bumps, spots, and marks, and get rid of a desire to be perfect.
We want people to know that all skin is good skin.
Boring Without You was born with 'skincare that talks' playing a vital role in its development.
We discovered youth-focused charities doing amazing things in this space. Whether creating initiatives and services or educational platforms, each charity is actively working to improve the mental wellbeing of young people.
So inspired by these charities, we pledged to donate to them.
You are prompted to choose one of five Australian youth-focused mental health charities when you purchase from us. At the end of the financial year, a quarter of the profit we make is divided amongst these charities – based on the number of votes they each receive.
Like many businesses, we probably won't make a profit in the first or second year, but we have big plans beyond that.
We want to do more than sell skincare. We want to make an impact.
And we want to encourage more conversations about mental health.
It might be challenging. By no means a walk in the park. But worth every bit.