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
Rae // theNotice says
July 5, 2011 at 8:40 amFRECKLES!!! 😀
(Translation: nah, my skin flaws don’t bother me too terribly much. I mean, I’m not thrilled about acne scarring and dark circles, but on the flipside, I love love love things like freckles ^.^ I guess I’m kinda like you; I like to even things out a bit but past that, I’ll let pigmentation slide.)
ParisB says
July 5, 2011 at 1:08 pmLOL! I’m actually glad mine are freckles and not hyperpigmentation. There’s still something to be thankful for eh? And you have great skin Rae!
Juan says
July 5, 2011 at 8:47 amI don’t use concealer cos I never get to master a perfect finish… It’d either look cakey or it’ll crack on my face after a few hours.
I have undereye circles but never bother to hide it. Pakai je foundation and good enough. Of course my recent find to a wonderful primer that worked perfectly on my skin became my essential not because I want to smoothen my skin but only because I love that make up stays longer on my very oily complexion.
So no, flaws don’t bother me, not even using any techniques to make my chubby face slimmer. Cukup using make up to brighten up my look.
ParisB says
July 5, 2011 at 1:09 pmI don’t know how to slim my face either and the few times people tried it on me, I looked so weird! There were these patches of brown on the sides of my face and I hated it. I’d rather have a round chubby face than a round chubby face with brown patches on them to make them look slim.
Natalie says
July 5, 2011 at 8:57 amI am more bothered by how someone pointed out you have pigmentation and freckles on your cheeks! Grrr!! I did have pigmentation on my cheeks too and they were too large/dark to be concealed. My MUA friends said I should embrace them, but they were bothering me way too much! I decided to laser them out a few months ago and now I feel more confident that my skin looks fab. It never ends though.. Now I wish I could do something about my large pores! 😀
ParisB says
July 5, 2011 at 1:11 pmActually Natalie, I was bothered too. I wanted to say “Is it any business of yours?” But then I realized that it was just an inelegant way of asking how to deal with pigmentation. Still, it hit a raw nerve at the time. I never thought of laser because I dont’ think mine so serious. I rely on my trusty Make Up For Ever Full Cover concealer on days that I want to fake a flawless look 😉
Natalie says
July 5, 2011 at 9:02 pmI don’t blame you Paris! Just because you put your picture up for everyone to see, it doesn’t mean that people should point out what flaws you have! The nerve of some people! Anyhow 😉 I was probably more bothered about my pigmentation, because I watch Korean dramas everyday! :s LOL Those Korean actresses don’t have a skin flaw! 😀
ParisB says
July 6, 2011 at 1:47 pmLOL! Yeah maybe I should wear a paperbag next time – its flawless 😉 And you’re right. Girls in Korean dramas have not a flaw to be seen. Its amazing – but then in Korea they actually look like that too! I was probably the only one around with pigmentation – how demoralizing
Hasegawa Ayane says
July 5, 2011 at 8:59 amNope, my skin flaws don’t bother me much. I’m fine with going out with friends or family members completely bare-faced. I have freckles on my cheeks and volcanic pimple discolourations on my nose but I’m not too fussed. I like how make up makes me look better so I’ll make myself sit down and be sure to slap some on on days that require me to look better.
I’ve also recently come to terms with my slightly yellow-ish and tan skin although being a Chinese. I am loving it and even think that tan skin is sorta sexy! 😉
ParisB says
July 5, 2011 at 1:12 pmI think tan skin looks awesome on some people. Sadly I can’t tan – I look awful and sickly. I guess people with pink undertones aren’t meant to tan 😛
Reena says
July 5, 2011 at 9:06 amIf there’s big huge gigantic pimples, then my answer is yes. But if dark circles, nahhh i don’t care. I realized that i look weird/scarier if i put concelaer to conceal the dark circle.
ParisB says
July 5, 2011 at 1:13 pmI have found that an illuminator does the trick better than concealer to hide/reduce the appearance of dark circles 🙂 The reflection of light helps you look more awake too!
Lisa says
July 5, 2011 at 7:18 pmI can’t be bothered by my eye bags and dark circles too but am so put off by red, flared up skin or pimples. Used to use illuminator. But nowadays im too lazy to put on contact lens and just use my glasses. Found that with glasses, eye bags and dark eye circles are somewhat more blurred or camouflaged. So don’t even bother to put on illuminator now.
Sandra says
July 5, 2011 at 9:15 amI love freckles too! (Maybe I can happily declare that because I don’t have freckles.)
I have acne scars, visible pores, oily skin, redness (happens when I experimenting a new product)… I only use sunscreen & foundation, so sometimes those flaws are still visible.
I’m accepting my skin although I still feel slightly hurt if a stranger/not-so-close acquaintance comments on my skin, but not if my close, close friend/sister screaming at me: “woi, kenapa banyak jerawat besar ni?” Heehee!!!
ParisB says
July 5, 2011 at 1:14 pmHaha freckles is one of those things. Those who have them hate them and those who don’t think them cute 😀 I do think a stranger rude if I don’t know them and they comment on my skin. Hence I take umbrage at SAs at the counter who think that’s one way to sell me products. Its the first way to send me away!
Sandra says
July 5, 2011 at 2:18 pmOn SA. I prefer if they ask about my skin concern (and history!) rather than act I-know-it-all and point me to the product. (grrrrr!!!! They don’t even know what skin they’re dealing with!)
I have good experience with SK-II & Clinique counters – they asked about my regime, eating habit, the type of environment I always expose to & stuff.
Whereas I feel like the SAs in drugstores just want to hit their sell target by suggesting different product (I always do research on the stuff that I intend to buy so I roughly know what I’m looking; either I buy that particular product or I buy nothing at all).
Sorry about the long off topic comment.
ParisB says
July 6, 2011 at 1:26 pmKnow what? I don’t pay much heed to what SA at pharmacies say. I much prefer shopping at the pharmacy only when I don’t see any SA around! At the counters, I do appreciate some help but the minute they start making unwarranted comments, I’m outta there!
rinnah says
July 5, 2011 at 9:20 amI guess generally the only thing that bugs me about my skin is my eczema. 🙁
Other than that, I am perfectly happy to live with everything else that makes me, well, me! 😀
ParisB says
July 5, 2011 at 1:14 pmOh dear is your eczema working up again?
Malika says
July 5, 2011 at 9:22 amAs of lately it actually does. It never did before. I’m 32 and starting to get fixated on skincare. I wanna get that flawless look that skincare and makeup counter ladies usually have. I’ve been reading ur blog and learnt that u used to have a few problems with ur skin and u dealt with them and now happy with ur skin, which makes me hopefull. I find ur blog very informative and usefull. Thank u.
ParisB says
July 5, 2011 at 1:16 pmActually it might be worth bearing in mind that people who work at the counters are chosen because of their good skin 😉 Or sometimes, they have good makeup skills or exposure to high quality products that they work for. It may be a myth but some high quality products do work much better than regular ones 🙂 I do still have problems with my skin but learning about the problems and then figuring out how to deal with it is the first step. I’m glad you’ve found the info useful thus far 🙂
stephy says
July 5, 2011 at 9:25 amMost of the time I do not wear any makeup at all! The reason is I am lazy..Oopss.. I guess we shall be contented with what we have =)
Our heart is the most important part to be polished. 🙂
ParisB says
July 5, 2011 at 1:17 pmhaha yes yes! Attitude is one thing too 😉
sesame says
July 5, 2011 at 9:32 amSometimes it does but I think when we look at a person, it’s the entire package. So even though I have those flaws like you, I still look younger than my age and so I’m thankful for that. I’ve seen some with good complexion, without pigmention or scars but their age is telling.
ParisB says
July 5, 2011 at 1:17 pmYou’re right Sesame! Despite the pigmentation and scars (or maybe because of the teen scars :P) I’m always mistaken for being a lot younger than I actually am and that makes me pleased 😛 Shallow I know 😛
Mei Ping says
July 5, 2011 at 9:34 amI have really dark undereye circles and I did attempt to conceal them but the effect was cakey and the lines look even more prominent. So, I’m done with covering them and I’m ok with going barefaced. Even for work, I just put on my skincare and sunblock with a lipstick and I’m good to go.
A bit out of topic, I tried many types of skincare which addresses uneven skintone, anti-aging, fine lines, dryness and so forth but none of them seems to work. Spent a bomb trying out so many types of skincare. But like you when I went back to the basics, ie hydration type, my skin seems to be showing some improvement. My question is, do I continue or do I still search for the elusive one that will address my anti-aging concern.
ParisB says
July 5, 2011 at 1:20 pmThe trick with dark undereye circles, I’ve found, is not to go with a thick concealer but a thin one and an illuminator or highlight. You’d be surprised at how little you need and how much more awake you look thereafter 🙂 As for the skincare thing, I honestly have no idea because my hydration tip was based on my trial and error ways. But what I am doing now is incorporating in some anti-aging serums or creams in the evening. In the day, I keep to hydration. But I guess a lot depends on your primary concerns 🙂
Alexandra says
July 5, 2011 at 9:40 amI didn’t really bother with my under eye circles or pigmentation until recently, my pigmentations seemed more and darker. Since then, bought some serums to address the issue and even started to be serious about facescreen. I am not so irritated by my flaws but am happy that I did something about it.
ParisB says
July 5, 2011 at 1:21 pmGood call! Recognizing the problem and dealing with it is the first step. That’s what I did too. Realized I had a problem i.e. pigmentation and deal with it, i.e. find a way to lighten them. They aren’t gone but its easier to be comfortable when they aren’t a drastic problem either. 🙂 Living with our flaws doesn’t mean not caring 😉
Lee says
July 5, 2011 at 9:40 amIs my nose considered as a skin flaw? :p
Otherwise, I’m not too bothered. I am the kind of person who would rather get more sleep than waking up at the dressing table for a make over. I’m comfortable walking around with bare skin.
I have enlarged pores but I learnt to understand that you can do nothing about the skin structure, so voila, I am that person as natural as you could get 😀
ParisB says
July 5, 2011 at 1:22 pmWhat’s wrong with your nose? 😛 And from what I can see, you do have good skin so everything’s good 🙂
eliza says
July 5, 2011 at 9:48 amyes~! absolutely 99.99%~!
the scars really bothers me. I can’t put on makeup unless its necessary for special occasion or job interviews, and people will stare at me when I go to the supermarket with mom or when I go to school.
The SA for those facial companies, SA in Watson, SA in Guardian all keep trying to sell their product with their usual line “We only want to help you”. I have keep on lying to them “sorry, I am using the doctor’s prescription” or “sorry I am in the rush”.
While I did seek dermatologist advice, I didn’t buy or use her products; she said my skin was tooooo sensitive, pH levels of too low and would react to anything. So its best to lay it off for 6 months.
It really hurts my “beauty” pride but over the time, I became more thick skin hahahha~!
ParisB says
July 5, 2011 at 1:24 pmI find scars the hardest to deal with. If you have pitted scars like I do, they are practically impossible to fill to create a smooth canvas. Believe me, I’ve tried. I’m glad you’ve developed a thick hide over time. You will also find that scars do also flatten out over time too 🙂
Jenn says
July 5, 2011 at 9:48 amI don’t like my freckles and used to be terribly self conscious about them… but i think i’ve since grew out of that. I still don’t like them, but am less bothered with them already – though im still paranoid about them multiplying in number! Haha! 😛
ParisB says
July 5, 2011 at 1:24 pmHaha same as me then. I’m not fussed about what I have but I am fussed about ensuring they don’t have babies!
Wynnce says
July 5, 2011 at 9:51 amI’m so far quite happy with my freckles~hahahaha~~but a big no no for blemishes!
ParisB says
July 5, 2011 at 1:25 pmGlad to hear that! Blemishes are a pain eh? Lucky for me, I’m outgrowing that too – finally!
xin says
July 5, 2011 at 9:52 ami am not too bothered about the pigmentation on the side of my face..BUT i hate it when some ppl (relatives) come to me and try to ‘erase’ it when their hand thinking that it is a dirt. absolutely hate!
ParisB says
July 5, 2011 at 1:26 pmOhh I used to have a really nasty uncle who when I was a teen, in full pimply glory would look at me and say “Why is your skin so bad?” I’d only just about stop myself from punching him in the face. I should really see him now and say “why are you so wrinkly?” eh? 😛
Cynthia says
July 5, 2011 at 10:17 amThe only things that bothers me a bit is my dark eyes circles. Okay, not that I really care if it’s around undereyes area but my dark eyes circles covers my upper eyelid..or shall I say the whole eyelid? I always look as if I had this natural eyeshadow on me even when I am 100% bare-faced. It does bothers me when it comes to makeup because every light color eyeshadow just wouldn’t show up properly despite using concealer or even UDPP. So in the end, I gave up and conceal my undereyes, draw an eyeliner off i go. That looks more like I have an eyeshadow on – a dark brown one..haha…
ParisB says
July 5, 2011 at 1:27 pmHaha well that shaves off good time off your makeup! 😉 But I do know what you mean about not being able to wear light shadows. On days when I don’t sleep well a while (like when I’m ill) I do have that problem too so I counter act it by going dark and using a light sparkly shade – does the job well 🙂
elle says
July 5, 2011 at 10:45 amI’m very bothered by my large pores and so insecure about it that I had to put make up on just to cover them. otherwise i would have been pretty OK with my bare skin. not to mention the dark circles. some days i look like I’ve been punched /sad
ParisB says
July 5, 2011 at 1:29 pmAww… have you tried using an illuminator around your dark circles? I prefer using an illuminating/concealing pen like Dior Skinflash or L’Oreal Touche Magique than a concealer per se which tends to be too thick. So long as you aren’t caking on the makeup there’s no harm in hiding skin flaws – makeup should make us feel better after all 🙂
cat says
July 5, 2011 at 10:49 amYes, if there’s bug pimple and i will try my best to conceal it. But other than that my dark circles, oily skin and acne marks dont bother me.
ParisB says
July 5, 2011 at 1:29 pmYou know what? I hate dealing with pimples! I always feel that no matter how well I conceal them, it just draws attention to it >.<
cat says
July 6, 2011 at 9:37 amTrue. But if i just leave it i will feel that everyone only zoom in on the pimple when they are talking to me 🙂
ParisB says
July 6, 2011 at 1:54 pmHaha… not to worry. I tend to feel the same way if I suddenly sprout a big zit >.<