We’ve all been there: the feeling when you wake up, go in front of the mirror, and suddenly this feeling of dread overwhelms you. As teenagers who live in a society with impossible beauty standards, an escape can feel like the end of the world. Here are some tips to feel beautiful, even with “imperfections”.
Perspective
for example, this girl who turns her acne into art
While I often scrutinize and panic at every little spot (and the scar resulting from my anxious picking), one day when I felt completely embarrassed about the texture of my skin, my godmother told me that my skin was beautiful, and it made my day. It also made me realize that I admire other people’s features and find acne beautiful, almost like an accessory that accentuates their beauty.
So think of it this way – don’t let your skin keep you from doing things you normally would. Don’t let this affect your confidence because believe me no one else is looking at you and seeing your pimples or scars, they are looking at you and seeing how gorgeous you really are.
Your skin shouldn’t define who you are, and it should never define how you feel about yourself, although that’s easier said than done. You will always be your harshest critic, so take it easy and change your perspective. Following acne-positive influencers, reciting self-affirmations, or hearing from another person that you are loved and enough are just a few ways to begin your journey of self-acceptance.
Loving your “flaws”
image source and acne article as beautiful
Acne is not a defect, society is. But you know what, today you can screw up society. No one can define what is a “flaw” or what isn’t, and no one should be able to label your skin as something to be ashamed of. Every time you open Tiktok, Instagram, Youtube, or any form of social media, you’re likely to browse a page just for you filled with gorgeous girls with fair and smooth skin. Social media and trends going around, like the “glass skin”, the “clean look”, and models or TV show characters with gorgeous bodies and flawless skin. As a society, women are learning to pit themselves against each other. We are brought up to view imperfections as flaws, when they only enhance our beauty. So today, don’t let society get to you – embrace those lovely acne scars or an uncovered whitehead. Give yourself a break and love the skin you have <3
Demystifying beauty standards
gorgeous model showing off their skin
Beauty is painful. Pain is beauty. It won’t hurt so bad once you look like these girls, once you get to that level. You know girls, in fact, from another girl’s perspective, you might even be one of them. Those with skin so silky you could float on it, the effortless glow and the texture-free surface. But here’s something you might not know: These girls aren’t real. They exist in your head, constructed from society’s twisted standards of beauty. Often these girls are lonely, insecure and sensitive to the pressure of having to conform to today’s standards.
Social media has perpetuated unrealistic ideals of beauty, which can be seen through teenagers on television, played by older actors, always having flawless skin, which is simply not realistic for real teenagers or anybody. When you see these characters on TV or on social platforms, it can be hard not to envy the exciting lives they lead, and the privileges they get to look pretty by possessing the perfect skin. Editing the texture of your skin through innovations like filters has led to the idealization of fair skin. These constant comparisons of beauty are proven to have detrimental effects on mental health, especially for young audiences.
Your skin may not look like a celebrity, but it’s still beautiful. Let’s normalize loving ourselves and flaunting our acne because it’s part of who we are. Your skin holds the crescent of your eyes, the arch of your lips, and your body has been with you so much. So, don’t consider your escape as bad or unattractive because it only accentuates your amazing features much more.
You are beautiful because of your skin, and more importantly, what’s underneath.
