Healing Beauty

I have looked at my skin in a purely aesthetic way. I think of it as an accessory or a decoration rather than a significant part of my body. I have always been frustrated about the condition of my skin and its appearance but I haven't really thought about why my skin is reacting this way. As I've said in my previous post, I have scrubbed, washed and slathered my skin with different creams but still nothing seems to work.

And I am starting to think that maybe this is the problem. It is overwhelming. Maybe my skin does not need all that much and this is its way of protesting against all these chemicals I apply on my skin.

I will change my perspective towards skin care. I will look at my skin in its function and importance. Rather than thinking that my skin should look clear because I need to face people, I will look at my skin's needs and comfort. Rather than making it clear and pretty, I will aim in making it calm and healthy.

Since my skin is dehydrated, dry, irritated and damaged and very sensitive because of what I did too it for the last five years, I really need to listen to my skin now. Here is my mantra: Gentle, Simple, Heal.

Gentle: I will use only the gentlest products that don't aggravate my skin, products aimed for sensitive skin. The less ingredients the better. After two years of switching from one product to another, I have realized that the classic products,which are also the cheap ones, are actually the ones that don't irritate my sensitive skin. I think instead of being particular with the complex and very scientific skin care cult products that beauty gurus present, I need to just settle with those products that just don't destroy the natural barrier of my skin.

Simple: I will only stick to a three steps, three products regimen for now until my skin bounces back. In the morning, I will just wash my face with gentle cleanser, and then moisturize it. I haven't really found a good sunscreen but when I do find one, I will incorporate it to my regimen. For now, I will rely on my BB cream for sun protection. For night time, I will use a cleansing oil to remove my make-up, then cleanse with my gentle cleanser, then again moisturize with an occlusive. After my skin gets better, maybe after two weeks, I will incorporate a humectant and an exfoliant.

Heal: Again, this goes back to my new perspective of skin care. I will heal my skin in the sense that I will not irritate it. I will give it time and not judge it or complain about it. I will treat it like a baby by being gentle. I will treat it like a friend that I will be honest about my needs and accept my skin for what it is. Healthy and calm skin is the best skin.

I don't remember feeling so positive about my skin. Yes, it has been two years of battling moderate to severe acne. Yes I still have doubts about my current regimen, what if it will not work, right? But what if it does work? I have been trying and trying and this is one way of trying. Yes, it is scary but it has always been scary. I just want my skin to have life. I want skin that is low maintenance. Maybe, just maybe, this is actually what I mean by low maintenance. I will not listen to beauty gurus anymore such a load of baloney. Less is more.