How Far Do We Go To Have Beautiful Flawless Looking Skin?

I watched this video recently by a popular Korean beauty youtuber which has about 1 million views and it set me thinking if it's necessary for us to go to through the trouble to have perfect and flawless looking skin. Is it a must? What happens if we don't have such extensive beauty regime?

Most of us want to look good and then we have so many beauty products and services to cater to our different beauty needs. For me, I love make up but for me to give in most times and keep buying and accumulating, it’s honestly quite a waste of money knowing how precious money is to me. But I still like make up, haha. But recently, I’ve cut down even further in buying  make up and put more emphasis towards skin care. 

My skin isn’t as youthful as back then in my twenties which honestly, I didn’t really take care of either around that age too, haha. I seemed to hold this thought that since I am not going to be in a relationship, isn’t that pretty anyway, why go through all the trouble of dolling myself up and taking good care of my skin. Also, we are all going to be old one day too. So in short, no point for me to go all the trouble.

But that was the thing. I should not have thought of it that way. Even if there is nobody for me to impress, I should be taking care of myself for me. That means, my health, both physical and mental and my outer appearance. I have come a long way from that phase and even if I still lack sorely behind women my age and even much younger, who takes great pride in their skin care routine so they will look flawless, at least I got a bit more than the basics covered.Recently, I have been quite fascinated by the K Beauty. Actually, many people are too because their skin looked amazing, whether they are celebrities or just regular people on the streets, the Koreans seemed to be top notch when it comes to their beauty routines.  Upon finding out more about what they do to achieve such “glass like” skin, my goodness, I don’t think I can reach even a quarter of their daily morning and night routine, haha. It’s so comprehensive! And ahem, some are like totally redundant? But who am I to say because I am no beauty expert either.

I do think, however, some are totally adoptable. So my beauty routine has expanded a bit recently, thanks to their influence. I know I cannot have totally flawless looking skin like them but to achieve a brighter and more youthful looking skin, I think it’s somewhat achievable. My practice now includes micellar water and toner to cleanse and wipe off the dirt and impurities after my face gets exposed to the harsh weather elements. To see how much make up is on the cotton pad even though I don’t really use heavy make up to work, and cleaning my face, it is amazing how these products work. After prepping my skin, I then moisturise it. So while I used to only have one moisturiser for day use, now I have it for night time too. I stopped some time back but I decided that I cannot slack anymore so I started using one before I go to sleep.

The night time is the best time to prep your skin such as the above, and to also include using a facial mask once every few days, because this is the time our skin rejuvenates and renews itself. t’s also free from any make up traces, if you have actually done the first step of removing it completely first prior to prepping, so it’s just pure rejuvenation.So that is it, in regards to taking care of my own beauty. I know many others who go for facials at some beauty spa or by beauticians and I just cannot bring myself to do that, haha. I know it goes further than just the regular cleansing and toning. You go more skin deep. I’m fine with  my current regime, thank you.

My colleague, however, has gone for such facial treatment sessions and one of them is skin peeling, which means, removing the first layer of skin or epidermis, to reveal the newer skin below. It takes several treatment to do that and that is why such sessions do not come cheap. If they are cheap, well, if you are willing to take the risk, then you just pray hard that no harm comes your way such as a breakout. But even then, if our skin is too sensitive, even the more expensive treatments, might turn out to be harmful.

For her, while others have been heaping praise on how much fairer she looks, according to her, so I think those treatments might just be working even if she didn’t pay much for it. I don’t really see much difference because it’s just me, I don’t really look at people much when talking, haha. But when I did see her face, even before she passed such remarks to my other colleagues, I see her skin as looking rather patchy like there are a lot dry flaky spots. Brighter looking but patchy? No thanks, haha.

The point is, how far are we willing to go for the sake of beauty, for people to heap compliments on us, or for us to feel good about ourselves? I really do not think it’s wrong if people want to subject themselves to these sometimes painful process, to get better and younger looking skin. But it shouldn’t be to a point we need people’s validations to make ourselves feel better, you know? Like for me, I don’t care if I’m average looking or my skin isn’t as bright as other women, but if to me, this is how I roll with my looks, so be it. 

I still feel a little vulnerable but I don’t let it get to my head too long because I’m stuck with this look, you know? haha..and even if I have a choice to go for plastic surgery, to reduce the size of my nose, have cheekbones, I still wouldn’t want to do that. So the next best thing to do is to make myself look and feel pretty, with good quality make up to enhance my looks and to take good care of my skin too so I still look pleasant as my age increases.

So I think we shouldn’t feel lesser of ourselves just because we don’t go for facial treatments, have 10 step beauty skin care and wears very little or no make up unlike others. When you feel more confident from the inside, and less critical of ourselves, in addition to having a warm personality that is well liked by others, I’m sure we will do just fine. True beauty comes from within too :)