Embracing Imperfections

Since turning 28 a few months back, I feel as though a lightbulb went off in my head. For years, I’ve been putting off really taking care of myself — even after being diagnosed with thyroid cancer. I’ve gone through phases where this notion of self-preservation has come upon me and I’d take an interest in cooking, grocery shopping and so on. But those times were few and far between and certainly didn’t last.

These past months I’ve given some thought to what it means to be healthy and how I can reach my goals. Aside from my sugar detox (Day #15 already! Can you believe it?), I’ve realized that I’ve been ignoring my skin. I’ve always had sensitive skin (if you’ve been following along you know that Stila’s products have been a game-changer for me!), but I’ve spent little time trying to improve my skin from the inside out. For years I bought every available product to cover and conceal my blemishes, scarring and uneven skin tone, but never gave a thought to the root of the problem.

Only in the past couple of years have I felt comfortable going makeup-free at home — let alone out to run errands! But as I get older the excitement that comes with being made-up has faded. Don’t get me wrong, I like to look my best when I am out and about or at work, but there is something very freeing about going au-naturel when you get the chance. For starters, I have noticed a big improvement in the texture of my skin by skipping makeup. It feels smoother, less irritated and prone to fewer breakouts. Next, reducing my sugar intake has done wonders for my skin. My once dull complexion has been replaced by a glow.

Embracing your imperfections is tough. My skin has always been something that I was self-conscious about. But slowly I’ve learned that small improvements to my diet or my stress level have benefited my overall well-being and skin. It has come along way from where it was five years ago, and so have I. I’m proud to embrace my not-so-flawless skin and keep working to improve it rather than smother it.