The Secrets To Perfect Skin
The secret to perfect skin? Healthy skin. The caveat is that this means and looks like something different for each of us. Pssst.There’s also no such a thing as perfect skin. We shouldn’t be aiming for unrealistic goals.
It's clear that the media and our social feeds contribute to this delusion. If you haven't watched The Social Dilemma on Netflix, I highly recommend it. They touch on many of the problems we're encountering with technology, including how increased use of social media is correlated with mental health issues and decreased life satisfaction. They also glance over the effect on our self-esteem and how detrimental it can be to our perception of beauty.
This has been widely discussed and reported by many. Even I've talked about the unrealistic expectations of beauty that we've placed on women previously. Photoshop and other enhancement tools have been at the center of distorting images to the point of unrealistic beauty. Yet the focus is mostly on beauty regarding our body or physical appearance in general: slimmer bodies and altered facial features. There's an entire group of people turning to plastic surgeons to change physical appearance.
Normalize REAL skin
But more and more you see a similar trend with dermatologists and estheticians. Womxn (although not only) seeking professionals that will eliminate all signs of texture or pores from their skin. But the idea that skin doesn't have pores or texture is simply wrong. And this has been fed to us by altered and photoshopped images that are not real.
It's easy to believe this to be the case, given that we see altered images all over. Even from brands that claim to give you a natural look. And don't get me wrong. I think there's no better "filter" than healthy skin. But healthy skin doesn't mean no pores, no wrinkles, no dark spots, no texture.
One of the biggest complaints I hear from my clients is how much their pores bother them. I've also felt this way and still do. Especially when I'm looking at myself in the mirror for too long I catch myself thinking this.
First advice: put down the magnifying mirror! I've said this before, and will repeat it as much as possible.
Strengthen the skin positivity movement:
Like body positivity, this movement is all about accepting different types of skin. And I'm all for it. By understanding that skin comes in different types and that the concerns vary, we can accept that how skin looks also varies. And this is part of working hard on accepting yourself and building our self-esteem. Basically going against mainstream media and society. Not an easy task, I’m sorry.
Now, I think this is the way to go, but I'm also realistic. I can work all I want on accepting the size of my pores, but if everyone around me is concerned about theirs (or worse, comments on mine), theres a limit to how much progress I can make. Similarly for those who struggle with more pervasive conditions, such as acne, psoriasis, eczema, etc, if they continuously receive negative messages regarding this, it can be very difficult to accept. People judging you based on how your skin looks is real, I don’t want to downplay this.
So I understand it takes more than just working on ourselves.
If you have people in your life dealing with a skin issue, make sure to help them feel validated. Unless they ask for support, don't offer unsolicited advice. Remember that what has worked for you, may not work for the next person. And remember that even something that may seem small for you, can cause a lot of pain for someone else. Don't ever assume anything about another person!
There's a long way to go before we can change this perception and re-focus how society thinks about beauty and our skin. But you can play a positive role rather than be part of the problem.
Strengthen self-love: what Aïam is all about
What scares me the most is that we've been conditioned to value ourselves as we compare to these unattainable goals. I'm sure we've all been victims of thinking that "if I was more beautiful, then I would be [loved] [married] [listened to] [valued]." And breaking this thought pattern is what motivated me to start Aïam Skin. Because we have the same thoughts about our skin: "if only I could erase my pores, then I would look better." Or even worst, "if I didn't have wrinkles, then I would be more respected," or “I wouldn’t be afraid to apply to that job.”
I'm not against procedures that target aging or pigmentation (or even plastic surgery). If something really bothers you and there's a solution that you can afford (both economically and time wise), why not? However, insecurities about yourself will not go away with your erased dark spots or frozen forehead. Get these procedures, but also focus on cultivating self-love. Buy the face serum, but also connect with yourself.
Of course, we can work on ourselves and find a skincare routine that will target your concerns.
Additional ways to get healthy skin:
Keep your skin barrier intact
Nail down your basics: make sure you're moisturizing properly, washing with a good facial cleanser, and protecting with SPF (using products that are appropriate for your skin)
Incorporate 1 or 2 additional products that address your skin concerns
Regular facials can help maintain the health of your skin and be a compliment to your home care products
Find rejuvenating and non-invasive treatments, such as LED and microcurrent
Consult a cosmetic dermatologist for deeper procedures that align with your goals
P.S. Listen to your skin
Perfection doesn't exist. Let’s normalize the real appearance of our skin and stop believing unrealistic claims
Cultivating self-love is more important since no surgery, procedure, treatment, or cream will ever give you the miracle you're looking for
Healthy skin is achieved by keeping your skin barrier intact, preventing and protecting with SPF, and being consistent with the skincare routine that works for you
Depending on your goals there are non-invasive procedures that can help you achieve healthy skin