This was interesting to read. I’ve never been able to tolerate many skin products because they make me break out, and I’ve only found a sunscreen I can wear in the past year. And yes, my skin is getting wrinkled as I age. I sometimes wonder if I’d used products if it would look better now, but the thing with beauty products is that you can’t really tell if they’re working or not. Like would my skin have aged slower if I did use them for years? I can’t know. And if I use them now how will I tell if they’ve actually slowed aging or I’d look just the same without them. These are the existential questions I ask myself in my 50’s 😂. BUT, I also notice that the attractiveness of my friends who are my age and older hinges much more on how they carry themselves, how fit they are, and how they dress rather than their skin. I see many women where I live in California with “done” faces and terrible posture and unfit bodies. And I know I’m going to sound like stereotypical an old person here, but if there’s one thing I would give all young people (and my former self) it’s to enjoy how beautiful they are, to enjoy their youth because it’s so fleeting and from my perspective they all look wonderful.
The timing! I just read an article about skin dysmorphia. I believe I've struggled with this for years, searching for the perfect product that will give me glass skin. The funny thing is I feel like I have a real glow going on and I'm 8 months postpartum, lack of sleep, rollercoaster hormones and lots of stress but also lots of joy and love I guess have contributed to me feeling a bit better with my skin. I also tend to look at it a lot less these days!
Wow, I didn’t realize how much I needed to read this! I’ve struggled with acne and hyperpigmentation my entire life and always assumed that when I was an adult, it would magically go away. Imagine my surprise to find myself well into my 30s and still breaking out! It’s such a good reminder that actually, perfection doesn’t need to be the goal (what is perfect skin, anyway!). I’ve honestly been happier with my skin since switching to Cerave everything plus a light exfoliant (Slurp’s Decalt) basically nightly.
Yesss. I'd love nice skin, but I love sleep more. I can sleep longer if it means skipping a skincare routine? Say no more. Aveeno face wash and a tinted moisturizer with SPF is all I need.
Loved reading this this so much. I have a skin condition that means I'm best off keeping skincare simple. On top of that I don't earn much so I don't spend much on products. It's really interesting to read your experience coming from a different perspective! Your skin looks radiant and I hope you enjoy the extra cash too!
This may be the best thing I’ve read on Substack. As a child of the 90s and the whole tight-and-stinging equals clean skin thing we all did back then, I am now a 40y/o who stopped wearing makeup in 2020 and figured “fuck it.” This is my skin. I take care of it the best way(s) I know how. I rarely even think about my skin or how my face may look to others anymore. This mindset shift has been totally transforming. “Good enough” is perfect for me.
Two round Accutane survivor here. I've done the lasers and the needles and all the things to try to improve my scarring and now, at 50, I feel so sad watching my face start to droop. Wrinkles, I can handle, but the droop is bringing me down - see what I did there? Anyway, thank you for this inspiring piece. I do very much want to be okay with my skin!
This original article is how I discovered your writing! Earlier this year I had a horrific bout of perioral dermatitis that took over 3 months and 3 visits to the dermatologist to sort out. Along the way, I stripped my skincare back to the basics and there it remains. I don’t know how I came across this article in all my frantic googling about how to fix my face but I found it so reassuring then and really enjoyed re-reading it now.
This was such a relatable post! I struggled with acne as a teenager and finally decided to try Accutane in my mid-twenties. My skin has cleared up completely but I still get some hormonal acne and every time I do, I freak out—just one can really tip me over! It's easy to forget that perfection is unrealistic and it's okay to embrace those little imperfections. Thanks for sharing this! One thing I still splurge on is SPF hahaha most likely a habit post accutane that will never go away.
I’ve been in a “good enough” mindset for my skin for awhile. Fortunately, my “bad skin days” are like 2 acnes, so there’s not really room to complain. But even then as an early 30s mom I wonder every so often if I should do “something”. So every so often I pick up something but never really use it because it doesn’t seem to help or do anything.
This was interesting to read. I’ve never been able to tolerate many skin products because they make me break out, and I’ve only found a sunscreen I can wear in the past year. And yes, my skin is getting wrinkled as I age. I sometimes wonder if I’d used products if it would look better now, but the thing with beauty products is that you can’t really tell if they’re working or not. Like would my skin have aged slower if I did use them for years? I can’t know. And if I use them now how will I tell if they’ve actually slowed aging or I’d look just the same without them. These are the existential questions I ask myself in my 50’s 😂. BUT, I also notice that the attractiveness of my friends who are my age and older hinges much more on how they carry themselves, how fit they are, and how they dress rather than their skin. I see many women where I live in California with “done” faces and terrible posture and unfit bodies. And I know I’m going to sound like stereotypical an old person here, but if there’s one thing I would give all young people (and my former self) it’s to enjoy how beautiful they are, to enjoy their youth because it’s so fleeting and from my perspective they all look wonderful.
i love this POV!
And I’m learning to mostly stay away from from the magnifying mirror. Who looks at me that closely
TRULY
The timing! I just read an article about skin dysmorphia. I believe I've struggled with this for years, searching for the perfect product that will give me glass skin. The funny thing is I feel like I have a real glow going on and I'm 8 months postpartum, lack of sleep, rollercoaster hormones and lots of stress but also lots of joy and love I guess have contributed to me feeling a bit better with my skin. I also tend to look at it a lot less these days!
Sooo real
Wow, I didn’t realize how much I needed to read this! I’ve struggled with acne and hyperpigmentation my entire life and always assumed that when I was an adult, it would magically go away. Imagine my surprise to find myself well into my 30s and still breaking out! It’s such a good reminder that actually, perfection doesn’t need to be the goal (what is perfect skin, anyway!). I’ve honestly been happier with my skin since switching to Cerave everything plus a light exfoliant (Slurp’s Decalt) basically nightly.
yes!!! turns out, my skin loves cerave, too!
🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
our spiritual leader
Yesss. I'd love nice skin, but I love sleep more. I can sleep longer if it means skipping a skincare routine? Say no more. Aveeno face wash and a tinted moisturizer with SPF is all I need.
Yuuuuuup
More of this -- also more admitting to scaly legs too.
❤️❤️❤️
Loved reading this this so much. I have a skin condition that means I'm best off keeping skincare simple. On top of that I don't earn much so I don't spend much on products. It's really interesting to read your experience coming from a different perspective! Your skin looks radiant and I hope you enjoy the extra cash too!
Your skin looks gorgeous in all these pics!
This may be the best thing I’ve read on Substack. As a child of the 90s and the whole tight-and-stinging equals clean skin thing we all did back then, I am now a 40y/o who stopped wearing makeup in 2020 and figured “fuck it.” This is my skin. I take care of it the best way(s) I know how. I rarely even think about my skin or how my face may look to others anymore. This mindset shift has been totally transforming. “Good enough” is perfect for me.
<3
Two round Accutane survivor here. I've done the lasers and the needles and all the things to try to improve my scarring and now, at 50, I feel so sad watching my face start to droop. Wrinkles, I can handle, but the droop is bringing me down - see what I did there? Anyway, thank you for this inspiring piece. I do very much want to be okay with my skin!
❤️❤️
This original article is how I discovered your writing! Earlier this year I had a horrific bout of perioral dermatitis that took over 3 months and 3 visits to the dermatologist to sort out. Along the way, I stripped my skincare back to the basics and there it remains. I don’t know how I came across this article in all my frantic googling about how to fix my face but I found it so reassuring then and really enjoyed re-reading it now.
❤️
This was such a relatable post! I struggled with acne as a teenager and finally decided to try Accutane in my mid-twenties. My skin has cleared up completely but I still get some hormonal acne and every time I do, I freak out—just one can really tip me over! It's easy to forget that perfection is unrealistic and it's okay to embrace those little imperfections. Thanks for sharing this! One thing I still splurge on is SPF hahaha most likely a habit post accutane that will never go away.
YES one thing about accutane is that it WILL put the fear of god into you re: the sun
In this house, we do NOT stan P50.
We just don’t!!!
I’ve been in a “good enough” mindset for my skin for awhile. Fortunately, my “bad skin days” are like 2 acnes, so there’s not really room to complain. But even then as an early 30s mom I wonder every so often if I should do “something”. So every so often I pick up something but never really use it because it doesn’t seem to help or do anything.
I'm so flattered that you've enjoyed the Hot Girl Hamster Wheel episode so much. I basically quote Jessica once a week, lmao.
At this point, same