Is skin care mostly a con?
How many women spend tons of money on elaborate skin care regimens of serums, toners, masks, cleansers, moisturizers and acids. And then there is the spa! Is it all a scam? For most of us perfect skin seems unattainable. Does it even exist? Is the idea that we should have it and want it just a waste of our time and money?
I don’t think so and I’m a guy. And more so, a guy that has reached mature age after sending a lifetime in the sun and the outdoors. Suddenly I find myself looking “older” and more weather beaten, and not liking it very much. I think that women are even more sensitive.
There are those that argue that skin care makes women happy and is therefore anything but a con and is no-one else's business anyway.
When we talk about skin care, what are we really talking about? If we are honest it’s not just how our skin looks. But how we feel about ourselves. About how we think people see and perceive us. Do we look good? Are we attractive? Do we feel confident and in control? Or do we feel anxiety and hide behind our zits, dark spots and imperfections and feel less than we should? I know all about that. I own a skin care company and write blogs about taking care of our skin and I am way less than perfect. And when I watch my own videos talking about our products, I cringe! I ask myself the same questions you do.
But I don’t give up! I have discovered that taking care of my skin and my appearance is good for me. I am not perfect, but I feel better about myself when I care for myself. Caring for your self is not self-indulgence. It is not selfish to take the time to take care of oneself. It is in fact important for one’s feeling of well-being. In my humble opinion anyway.
Caring for yourself is a way of recognizing that you are a beautiful human being of infinite worth. Every single one of us. Zits, warts and all!
Skin care is one way of paying attention and caring for your body. Caressing it with oils and smoothing it with creams and lotions. It feels good and people notice. Your skincare routine should be something you enjoy. And taking the time to focus on yourself reaps huge benefits.
I don’t think there is any difference at all between skin-care and self-care. Self-care includes exercise and what we take into our body as well. Like good food and avoiding substances we know are bad for us. It’s all self-care and it’s all tied to a healthy body, a healthy mind and feeling good about oneself.
I don’t remember where from, but I read a quote recently that said “An effective and efficient skin care routine is a therapeutic process that will help you feel your best. … We believe in the power of skin care as a self-care ritual and want to enable you to dedicate downtime to focus solely on yourself.”
We should not forget that skin care is also about fixing problems. Some suffer from acne, rosacea, psoriasis, dry skin and other skin “conditions. They can be both physically and emotionally painful. And sometimes difficult to treat.
Unfortunately, our culture worships the perfectly beautiful person. I say “person” because it’s not just women, but guys too! But know that she/he is mostly a myth. The perfect woman on the front cover of that international magazine was probably made perfect by a skilled graphic designer using Photoshop in his back-office studio.
What does this all mean? Is the pursuit of “beauty” worth it? I think “yes”. But only if it’s for your benefit. Everyone is beautiful in their own way. Period! And if skin care and self-care makes you happy, confident and lifts you up, then I say “go for it”.
I only discovered skin care myself a few years ago after losing my wife to cancer. That’s why I started Australiana Botanicals. But that’s another story for another time. I find myself now taking some time after my shave to prep my skin for the day. I use the Lemon Aspen Citrus Wash in the shower, and then alternate one of our serums topped off by our signature face cream, the Kakadu Plum & Wild Fragonia. It makes me feel good! I wish I had known about this earlier.
Bye for now.
David Malpas
Founder – Australiana Botanicals