Today, let’s talk Beauty. I believe everyone should at some point in time, learn how to overcome their physical insecurities and just accept what was given to them by the Creator. Learn to see the beauty in themselves. Yes, we are all beautiful in more ways than one! And no, it’s not about the level of self- confidence that I have that made me say that and believe it. Although I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you I am not confident about myself (haha).
I’ve been a victim of cyber bullying because of my looks (or in the haters’ physical critics’ words, lack thereof) too. I’ve been made fun of because of my chiclet- sized buck teeth
and because of my onion bulb- large nose– these words coming from people I know, and from online trolls who hide behind fictitious names and fake accounts.
Oh yes, I was never immune to those. If I had let those criticisms about my appearance bother me, I’d probably be a hermit now, living under a rock. Instead, I embraced it. After all, those very critics may not have my nose or my teeth, but they probably lack in certain physical departments themselves (ok I am saying that to make me feel better haha). But seriously, I think they’d be so full of themselves if they wake up each morning thinking how physically perfect they are (maybe in their eyes, but there will always be people from the outside who would refute them and perhaps even bully them about it too, so maybe their being critical of other people is their way of umm.. “paying it forward” haha. So not cool). But ok even so, if these people are so “perfect” as they secretly think they are, it does not in any way give them any right to criticize other people’s looks. We are unique in our own ways. And we should all respect that about each other. Yes tolerance. That’s what this society has so grossly lacked. TOLERANCE!
Those very “flaws” as these critics would call it, are the very same physical characteristics that make you and I who we are. So if I were to be affected by it (and truthfully it would affect me at times still, especially if I’m staring at photos of supermodels. Umm… like super hot babe Miranda Kerr.
But hello, that’s what supermodels are there for, to highlight our own physical insecurities– but bear in mind these supermodels have their own insecurities as well– though those are not exactly always written up about), I’d be throwing indirect punches at my parents for giving birth to me– and that would be disrespectful to the very people who gave me my life. That would be the actions of an ingrate, right?
We should be celebrating life, and true there will always be someone prettier and someone better looking than ourselves whom we will inevitably compare ourselves to and pit ourselves against, but there is no reason for us to learn how to live with ourselves and our appearances. And well, if you have the moolah and can overcome the fear of going under the knife, you can always go for surgical enhancements which could more or less boost your confidence (although that is also not always the case).
I’m still afraid to have any surgical enhancement– of any kind. The most I’ve done to my skin is to undergo 2 treatments of IPL (intense pulsed light). And then I stopped– because of time constraints. I’ve been asked about why I refuse to have a nose job shortly after I got bullied online about it (is it really that bothersome to look at my beloved facial onion bulb? LOL).
One of my friends had even teased me that a nose job will be my birthday present one day (I know it’s a joke, but hello that’s an insult, no? Haha). It’s simple– because my grandmother always reminded me that altering my nose would alter my fortune (whaaat? No more money?? Nooooo!! LOL)
Ok, that was a joke– although my grandmother firmly stands by that haha. Honestly, I don’t like the pain, and I don’t want to tamper with my nose since I have allergic rhinitis and sinusitis. I was told there might be medical complications.
So what else can I do about my face? Botox is not yet an option (and I heard it hurts biiig time because of the thick serum that has to go through the thin needle and into your skin’s ultra thin veins).
And then there are laser treatments which I am currently researching about (to get rid of the annoying broken capillaries and spider veins). And then of course, the beauty products to hide the flaws, minimize pores/ dark circles, and soften the skin to make it better- looking.
So I’ll start from there 🙂 I’ve been fortunate to have been given a lot of beauty products over the years to try. And I notice one thing about them– there will never be that ONE product that’s compatible for your skin. It will always be a cocktail of products and brands that will work hand in hand to give you better- looking skin. I’ve always been plagued by acne (remember the time I wrote about Fabio, that big pimple that just wouldn’t leave my nose? hahaha). And I have acne scars on my chin to prove it. I once walked into my dermatologist’s clinic to tell her to make my skin look like a certain actress’s and she pointed to the door hahaha. Needless to say, you can’t really achieve a flawless, porcelain/ alabaster white skin if you were never born with good skin to begin with. Which I was not.
But, there are acne products to ease nasty breakouts– not prevent, but ease. I figured if them zits wanted to pop out, they will pop out. Over the years of finding the best cleansing wash for my face, I finally found this one solution that may have lessened breakouts on my skin– I started using makeup wipes instead of soaps and facial washes on a daily basis. Washing your face with water (especially if you travel a lot and have to use different “kinds” of faucet water) might actually dry up your skin– and I think to an extent that happened with me. I started using Aveeno makeup wipes
and that has seemed to work for me. I alternate makeup wipes with Avene’s cleansing water to clean up my ahem, “war paint”.
As for facial moisturizers which I use at night, La Mer seems to work wonders in that dry patch department– although I use this sparingly because haha, it’s not exactly cheap!
These other products have seemed to work wonders for my skin– the fine lines that develop on the forehead (ouch, a sign of aging) are counter- attacked with a small dose of Kiehl’s Powerful Strength Line- Reducing Concentrate.
I swear by this concentrate– it is potent!!!
And for the rest of the tired, dull skin, Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate also has done wonders in rejuvenating it.
And then there are these pore minimizers from The Body Shop, made from Tea Tree Oil (good for acne- prone skin) which I would also put on my nose on occasion.
As for the dark circles and wrinkles around the eyes and under them, I’ve tried a lot of eye creams in the past, and am still trying more (this will be a never- ending process and search for “the one”), but so far I’ve been able to see results from this potent little tube of Nivea Visage Q10 Anti- Wrinkle Eye Cream.
I have a lot of dark colored pigmentation on my cheek area of late, and no amount of pigment lightening creams have done their work to actually lessen and hasten the spread of pigmentation. It is apparently hereditary (my maternal grandmother and mother have it, so I will too). And my dermatologist recommended a form of laser treatment for it, though there are also no guarantees that those spots will be permanently removed– yes, they can come back.
There are so many more products I am currently using (like Lancome Genefique
which has made my skin so much softer), and there is also La Prairie’s Cellular Power Serum which I am about to try next week.
So far I’ve highlighted the products I use at night. LOL yes, I spend a lot of time on nighttime beauty hahaha. After all, this is the time your skin is actually able to rest, and if there’s a way for us to feed the skin with certain vitamins, why not 🙂
Tomorrow (hopefully I have the time), I will let you peeps in on the beauty products I use during the day– you know, those concealers and war paint that I use to hide what I want to hide, to hide what photo shop can’t hide (because you have to face people, “face to face” :D).
Hope you are all having a wonderful Monday so far!!
Photo Credits: All from Google Images
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TheBagHag