They say comparison is the thief of joy, but in the age of photoshop and filters, comparison can also destroy your concept of reality. The so-called “healthy” skin we are shown online is all too often a façade. So, the next time you’re scrolling, stop and remember that healthy skin is achievable, but perfect skin is not. Life is way too short to obsess over perfection.
In this era of social media, we are constantly shown super creamy, edited skin with zero pores or blemishes. From someone who used to smooth her skin with filters, I’m just as guilty as the next person, but what I didn’t understand was just how damaging that was to other people. What we see day to day on Instagram isn’t real life, and it’s so important to understand that. Most of those photos are photoshopped, even photos of people with actual healthy skin. I think this creates a sense of misinformation about what healthy skin is. Healthy skin is not glassy, blemish-free skin. It doesn’t look powder smooth. Healthy skin isn’t free of texture and flushing, although we tend to strive for this sort of perfection. In reality, perfect skin doesn’t exist. Even the healthiest skin has pores, texture, changes in tone, and blemishes!
I think for someone to grasp this exact concept, we must first discuss what healthy skin is. Healthy skin is hydrated, clean, protected skin. Skin is your body’s first line of defense, so keeping your barrier intact is extremely important. It’s also your body’s largest organ, and the organs themselves are ever-changing. They don’t have to be perfect to be healthy, and they can go through periods of adversity! We can’t be so hard on ourselves or create goals of perfection we can never achieve due to false advertisements by influencers or celebrities.
As an esthetician, most of the time, I’m expected to have fantastic skin when in reality, I deal with breakouts quite regularly, and I have redness/uneven skin tone. It can be tempting to throw on a ton of makeup to cover it up or smooth out my skin when editing my photos, but I have to remind myself that this is who I am. My imperfections make me, me! And as long as my skin is healthy, I’m not too worried about the rest.
They say comparison is the thief of joy, but in the age of photoshop and filters, comparison can also destroy your concept of reality. The so-called “healthy” skin we are shown online is all too often a facade. So, the next time you’re scrolling, stop and remember that healthy skin is achievable, but perfect skin is not. Life is way too short to obsess over perfection.
If you have any questions and would like to speak to one of our friendly Master Aestheticians in your area, please email support@glymedplusaustralia.com.au