About as barefaced as you get 😛
Here’s a point to ponder, Ladies (and any Gents lurking) 🙂
Do your skin flaws bother you?
Someone pointed out to me recently that I have pigmentation and freckles on my cheeks. Its pretty obvious and something I don’t try to pretend I don’t have but to me, it isn’t the most serious problem to have. You can also tell from some photos and its visible in this before/after picture in the most recent BB Cream review. I also have pits from old acne scars as a teen (when I and Mom didn’t know any better) and some redness/puffy under eye circles when I don’t have enough rest or my eyes get tired. I do use concealer and foundation to even out my skintone and to diffuse the freckles/pigmentation. But I don’t aim for a perfect canvas every time.
I don’t know. Perhaps its just me, but I just find it too much work to cover up every flaw on my skin (which would take me hours!) and so I just do what I can and live with what I can’t. As I often say, it adds character 😛
Over time, and with a bit of diligence, my pitted acne scars have started to flatten out. My pigmentation/freckles aren’t getting worse and I don’t do very much with them either. I use a whitening product when I remember and I use sunscreen all the time to ensure it doesn’t get worse. So far, so good *touch wood*
I guess I’m not too bothered by the flaws on my skin. I don’t bother with primer to smoothen the skin surface; and I do walk around barefaced although on work days, I do make the extra effort to look a little bit more polished. Usually a touch of sheer foundation and a good concealer does the trick for me to even out my base. Enough to blur the imperfections but I’m not obsessive about ensuring that they are fully covered and concealed to look flawless. I just conceal enough to make me feel just a touch more confident about facing people without them playing “join-the-dots” in their head.
Your say: Do your skin flaws bother you? Are you diligent about making your face look as flawless as possible?
Paris B
electronicfly says
It depends, hahahaha. I’m usually out of the house without makeup, so I guess you can say I don’t mind my acne scarring and pores. But, if I’m heading out to a party/ major dinner etc and I doll up, I’ll probably whip out my concealer..
ParisB says
Oh yes! I wouldn’t go to work barefaced I don’t think my office people would recognise me LOL! 😉
Hanny says
Hmmmm, well, I’m not really insecure about my skin. I have a small bit of acne scarring and noticeable pores. I just wear makeup because I WANT to, not because I feel like a have to, and usually, it’s for Uni/Malls/Nice dining places, heh heh heh.
ParisB says
That’s true – most of us do wear makeup coz we love looking prettier 😉 But would you make the extra effort to ensure everything’s flawless though? 😉
Hanny says
Hmmm… that depends on the occasion, but not really. What I would do is to make everything STAY ON more. So, it’s usually primer for me and tadah!
Amex says
I have freckles which I don’t like and am trying to reduce with serums. I am diligent with my sunscreen as well to avoid more popping up. Apart from that I also have enlarged pores around my cheek area. I don’t think they’re major flaws and have no issues walking around bare faced but I enjoy slapping a lil bit colour on my face otherwise I look too pale.Ultimately, it’s about being comfortable in literally, your own skin though there’s nothing wrong in wanting to improve your appearance.Can’t say I love my flaws, but I can highlight the positives and downplay the negatives.
ParisB says
None of us love our flaws even if we accept them and I love that we at least have makeup to help us eh? Imagine the guys who don’t and who feel insecure yet can’t be seen wearing makeup? 😉
sundrenched says
I have pretty bad skin, scars, current acne, tons of comedones, huge open pores, etc.
My conclusion? Unless it’s really red and covers a large area, no one really notices/talk about it unless you mention it, like how the 2 sides of my face are uneven 😀 heard on the radio that people spend too much time looking at themselves to look at other people, and I agree! I put on makeup when I go out of the house partly to use it up as I’m a makeup buying junkie, and partly to soothe my own aesthetic levels. Don’t want to get a shock when I wash my hands in the toilet!
In a side-note: I notice that I tend to criticize other people’s dress style if they are unusual (scarfs and boots in this weather?!) but my personal taste is actually pretty out there too (I love Japanese fashion, elaborate high heels, very dressy looks). So I conclude I only criticize other people’s outfit because I’m bored and it serves to fill a conversation gap D; in truth I don’t really care what they wear, it’s just different from the norm and easy to make a comment about. Just wanted to share some disturbing that I discovered about myself over the weekend D: and if you keep yourself busy, you tend to notice less flaws/differences from the conventional, which in this case, is the ideal of a flawless face, in yourself and others I guess 😉
ParisB says
That’s true you know. If you don’t draw attention to it, most of the time people don’t notice a lot of things. Unless they are people at beauty salons or beauty counters. Those people see things that aren’t even there! >.<
Jess says
Depends on my mood of the day, sometimes i go bare face on working day, too much too bother and care about all this scars and pigmentation ! haha I need to work & live a life . As much as concerned about all this , I try my very best to put on products and conceal if I could (if I have the mood) and I am living fine with it 😀 Well this is me , just me 😀
p/s: There are times I forgot my moisturizer and slept after my shower.. well… life still goes on and on..
ParisB says
I think the only place I don’t go barefaced to is to work 🙂 Its a little quirk of mine that I have to look a little pulled together for the work place 😉
Cas says
Let’s see, I have bad acne scars thanks to very bad acne growing up, but that really doesnt bother me. But it does bother me that people have nothing else to do but to point out someone else’s flaw. Makes you wanna carry a mirror along and show them the mirror when they point out such things eh?
ParisB says
Haha and being women, we would have a mirror lying about some place won’t we? 😉 Yes I don’t like it when people state the obvious either like “Your pigmentation is very bad isn’t it?” to which my reply is “What pigmentation?” and that stuns them 😛
Sarah says
Interesting topic, Paris.
I find as I get older, I have accepted that I will never have flawless skin. As long as my skin is well-hydrated, and I keep up with exfoliation and clay masks, it’s ok. Not perfect, just ok. 🙂
ParisB says
Would you use makeup to create the flawless skin look though? Its possible you know… to a degree 😉
ksuan says
Growing up, I had pretty awful skin until Ro-Accutane came along. As a result, I have a fair bit of scarring – and one very definitive (almost characteristic) crater-like chicken pox scar between my eyes. In my teenage days this bothered me a lot more than it does now, but these days I’ve learned to accept and embrace them. In the end, the people who love us don’t care about these physical flaws that we nitpick at 🙂
alene says
i had awful, septic sensitive skin too, before roaccutane! now im left with lots of discoloured acne scars, not raised or pitted, but discoloured enuf to LOOK like pimples when they arent!!
ParisB says
The thing about roaccutane is that I never had the chance to try it – good and bad I suppose 😛 Still yes, accepting our flaws is a good way forward – beauty is after all only skin deep – but would you use makeup to create the flawless look? Or just use makeup as an enhancer/diffuser? 😉
Monstro says
If I’m wearing glasses, my dark circles don’t bother me, but with contacts, they stand out like crazy! Freckles don’t bother me so much, but acne scars do. It all depends on the occasion too! Thank goodness for makeup–that’s all I can say!
ParisB says
Yes! 😀 A dab of makeup even if freckles show through, does lift the spirits 😀
alene says
wel i have always loved ur freckles, and i wish i had some myself, so no, i DONT think u shud spend time covering it up. for me, i have really bad acne marks, not pitted or raised, just discolourations all over my lower cheeks and jawline area. other than that, my skin is perfect, no wrinkles, so eyebags, no dark circles, no freckles, no redness, no uneveness. so i guess im lucky.
so, like some commenter said above, unless it’s a big pimple, i dont mind my flaws so much, i cover some major ones, but not all, with concealer. i dont use foundie or powder or anythingelse. but i HATE big pimples and i wont go out if i have em. =P
ParisB says
No you don’t want freckles you know – unless its genetic – its the first sign of sun damage 😛 And you are lucky to have excellent skin – genes play such an important role that people tend to forget that when they see some ad endorsement. No one ever chose a celebrity with bad skin – they always have great skin before they are chosen as endorsers 😛
alene says
yes but my skin still breaks out due to stress and wrong produts, and then the scars remain FOREVAH!!!!
Applegal says
I have freckles, dark spots, dark eye circles, and an acne scar on my nose that bothers me a LOT.
My motto has always been concealer is my best friend, because when I don’t wear concealer/make up on work days, I look like a mess!
Am also contemplating laser treatment to zap all of the above off!
ParisB says
Some days when I have a good skin day, I wonder why I even bother with makeup… and on other days, when nothing seems to look right, I thank heavens for makeup! 😀 Still haven’t considered laser – I’m too scared of that one!
Applegal says
But you know what I’m most thankful for? I’m just thankful that my imperfections can be covered up by make up, and can’t really be seen from afar. There are people I’ve seen with moles or facial imperfections like dark growths around their eyes, which cannot be covered up by make up, and I pity how they have to live with the stares and teasing because of that.
LeGeeque says
I’m with you there. I don’t go for a perfect look all the time. I’ve got dark circles that I conceal. And, there was once, I managed to achieve a photoshopped look with the skunk brush with foundation. It looked so good that it looked fake. I HAD to have some flaws showing, you know what I mean?
ParisB says
Yes I know exactly what you mean! I sometimes feel that way too when everything looks so flawless, it just isn’t me
Issa says
no, I am not bothered that much by my flaws but I cannot go to work without makeup. It doesn’t mean that I want to hide something in my face but maybe, I’m just used to it and I just love putting on makeup! besides, why should i be bothered when everyone has their own flaws. 🙂
ParisB says
I like just blurring imperfections because we might as well put our best faces forward at work yes? If nothing at least we look confident 😉
pinkcloud says
LOL at playing join the dots game! Mine is dark circles! I have serious dark circles due to allergies, seems to be there forever even when I had enough sleep. But it does get better with enough sleep. I need to have some concealer on even if i m no wearing other makeup, if not then i would wear specs to cover them up. I can’t seems to cover them up completely due to the puffiness, so i would just make sure it looks less obvious. 😀
ParisB says
Isn’t it great how specs can double up as concealer? 😉 When I was wearing specs, I didn’t quite notice my dark circles or puffy eyes unless they were very obvious. Once I took off my glasses though, it just looks so much more obvious! that was also when i started using concealer 🙂
Shan says
Funny, I just had this convo with a gf on Sunday 🙂
I’m not terribly fussed with imperfections because let’s face it, we’re probably the only ones to see this “imperfections”. I’ve had zits come, pop and go, and my guy colleagues can still tell me I have great skin lol. I wear makeup coz I find it just plain fun, and yes, I like to look pulled together at work. Other than that, I will only bother with eyeliner and lip gloss and let my skin breathe instead.
Great post Paris 🙂
ParisB says
This must be a “great minds think alike” situation 😉 I usually have some powder on on weekends but not always concealer, if I’m going out. And you’re right. Most of the times, we are the ones seeing the imperfections that no one else notices! Well, unless it is fairly obvious.
Iza says
My big strawberry coloured birthmark on my cheeks. I use foundation to cover it (just sheer coverage) so that it don’t look too red (sometimes blue when its really cold). Other than that not really, in fact i just use foundation mostly on my birthmark and not other areas on my face.
ParisB says
Its great to know that despite the birthmark, you aren’t terribly scarred by it to totally eradicate it altogether 🙂 I don’t see anything wrong in trying to even out the redness. Heaven knows. most of us with no birthmarks do it too! 🙂 And your foundation must last ages! 😉
Iza says
sorry not cheeks, I mean my right cheek
gio says
My dark circles used to bother me a lot but not anymore. These days I just apply foundation and concealer to hide them and I’m good to go. It still bothers me when I get a pimple but luckily that doesn’t happen often.
ParisB says
Isn’t it great how much more accepting we are of our perceived flaws as we get older? Pimples do bother me too – but the good thing is, they go away! 🙂
mrsdjones says
Paris,
I do notice your freckles but I think it is lovely on you!
I only use foundation and sometimes BB cream to even out my complexion. I have dark circles too when I am tired or lacking sleep but I am okay with it. I tried concealer but I often fail to blend it in properly so I only use it when I have a lot of time to spend on makeup. I use to have “volcanoes holes” on my cheek due to pimples but now it evens out better. I am pretty much at peace with my skin. Don’t mind going out without makeup too :p
ParisB says
Thank you sweetie! 🙂 It means I’m human eh? 😉 Your skin sounds a lot like mine actually – age (and good skincare) is truly the best healer!