Perfecting Imperfections

Imagine one day you will wake up with a smile on your face as you look into the mirror because the traces of your nightmares are gone. Those tiny cute friends of yours who never left your side are finally away. The haggard face that you had before was eventually transformed into an astonishing and flawless one. You have finally achieved the “Korean glass skin” that you have prayed for almost every day. You have now built confidence. All the worries of not having a girlfriend are all vanishing…But all these fantasies were torn into pieces as I remind you to read the first word of this paragraph again.

Almost every person has experienced having acne in their life. It is part of growing up and is natural. Most of the time, these mini companions of yours even last longer than most of your past relationships. It is kind of frustrating and yet, sometimes we can’t do anything about it. You might have already tried almost every product that your friends recommended to you, the skincare routine followed by your favorite vlogger, and even consulted a dermatologist. But no miracles happened.

At worst, some may have undergone being bullied because they can’t fit the standard of having clear skin set by society. Others lose their esteem and some doubt their self-worth.

Stop acne shaming.

Stop skin shaming. 

It is okay to have pimples. 

As someone who is also experiencing this nightmare that no one wants to have, I can say that it is quite difficult. I used to be called “makinis” or smooth, which contradicts the texture of my skin. Of course, it was a joke and I did not take it personally for I know that my friends don’t mean to attack me under the belt. There were times that I felt disappointed and anxious about having this “curse”. I got tired of waking up each morning noticing that my acne was getting worse. I used to save my allowance just to buy expensive skincare sets, but it just made my face more terrible.

Finally, I gave up buying such things and let my lifestyle improve. I can now see some small improvements and I am happy with it. Surely, it will leave some scars of my nightmare not worth remembering, but I have learned to love and accept my flaws. I believe putting attention to such trivial matters is such a waste of time and energy. Once you have accepted your flaws, no one can or will use them against you. Get comfortable with your contradictions.

Is there anyone in this world who doesn’t have flaws? Are you all sure that these “perfect” people with ideal skin and body visuals on social media don’t have even one? So never compare yourself to what you see online. The state of your skin doesn’t measure your worth or beauty. Reminder: acne does not make you ugly, but having a hateful heart does. No one is perfect in this world because imperfection is also a kind of beauty. Anyone who can think that way, I think they are perfect.

ACNE IS OKAY! SCARS ARE OKAY! SO NEVER BE ASHAMED OF IT!

Indeed, perfection is found in accepting your imperfections.

LAYOUT BY: Chester P. Cortez