Are Skin Care Products a Waste of Money?
Are skin care products a waste of money? What I have now is just a fraction of all the creams, lotions, massage tools, and serums that I've bought in the past 15 years.
I thought I had simplified my skin care products to just a handful, but when I went through them today, I kept finding more and more from the hidden corners of my bathroom.
I couldn’t help but wonder if all this stuff was a waste of money.
I dealt with pretty bad acne growing up. While that's been under control for some time now, it left me with deep scars on my cheeks. I started looking into solutions as soon as I could afford to. And some things really did help.
When my acne journey came to an end, I became the prime target for the anti-aging market. I became bombarded with ads for lasers, fillers, expensive masks, and massage tools.
No matter what age we are, or the state of our skin's condition, it seems like there is a new problem we have to worry about, and the skincare industry always has a pricey solution.
When we apply these products to our skin, what does it really change? Is it the porcelain, plastic-like skin that we see on social media? Or is it the younger version of ourselves, with more plump and vibrant skin?
We're all trying to achieve something better than the skin that we're in. The skincare industry has profited off of our insecurities for years.
If you're also feeling overwhelmed by the chase, I think it's worth examining the real question: What will it take for us to feel good in our own skin?
I'm realizing my acne scars were not the problem. My real insecurity was not fitting into society's beauty standard. I was scared to be judged by others for my skin.
I don't know if these were my own thoughts or messages from the mainstream media that I've adopted over the years. But I knew that no amount of expensive treatments and products could fix this. I had to first change my own narrative by turning inwards.
In my 20s, I used to follow so many beauty channels on social media. While I've gotten so much value from them, it started to feel a little bit overwhelming. There would be a new product, a new favorite, almost every week. And even before I could finish the bottle, I was tempted to buy another one with a little more hope than the last.
I felt like every time I opened the app, I was constantly getting nudged that there was something better out there. I knew this was not good for my mental health. Something had to change.
I unfollowed a lot of those accounts and shifted my focus to other women who were doing cool things. Women who were confident, creative, and most importantly, who embraced their age and more of their natural beauty.
In a culture that constantly praises older women for looking young for their age or never aging, it was so refreshing to see this. This was more of an accurate depiction of the real women in my life as well.
Slowly, I changed my relationship with skincare, beauty, and aging too. I did a massive declutter of all the beauty products and makeup and it felt liberating to physically get rid of those reminders and not be weighed down by any expectations.
Our environment, the people we engage with, and the information that we absorb, all shape our worldviews and our decisions.
Just as it's hard to eat healthy if our kitchen is full of junk food, it's hard not to buy into all of this when we're surrounded by ads and beautiful images of people with perfect skin.
Try it for yourself. Redesign your digital space, declutter your physical space, and see how things change for you.
At one point, I realized that I was spending too much time at night going through my 10-plus-step skincare routine.
I started thinking, is this going to make a difference in the long run? Maybe I'm going to be in my 70s with pristine skin.
If so, so what? At that age, I hope that I will love the skin that I'm in, no matter what condition it's in.
I want to look back at my life, knowing that I spent the majority of it doing the things I love instead. Things that make me feel alive like playing in the sun, swimming in the ocean, and hiking beautiful trails. These things require some wear and tear on my skin.
I'm not saying that taking care of our skin is not necessary. It might even be your hobby. I know first-hand how powerful it can be to look our best, and even change the things we don't like about ourselves.
On the other hand, I don't think it's good for us to buy into these insecurities made up by the skincare industry. It doesn’t benefit us to spend so much of our time, money, and energy into achieving that impossible skin.
Where do we draw the line? As a 32-year-old, it's all about being gentle with my skin and with myself. I have found my tried and true skincare products. Once in a while, I'll enjoy the spa and go to the dermatologist if I have to. Sweating, eating better, and being happy, continue to do wonders for my skin.
Are skin care products a waste of money?
The biggest change of all is the self-narrative when I look at myself in the mirror. I still have acne scars, sunspots appearing on my nose, and big pores on my cheeks.
In the future, I'm sure I will have saggy skin, wrinkles, and smile lines. But it's really powerful to say; this is me. And no matter what changes my skin, my face, and my body go through, I'm thankful to be in this skin.
Do you agree? Comment down below.
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