lystn

---Transcript---Yesterday, I had another talk with someone who is obsessed way too much with skin and skincare products. And it’s one too many of these talks at this point. So I wanted to address this obsession.I see a lot of people who are just hyper aware of their skin. They notice things about it that they’d never noticed before they “got into skincare”. They see some minor redness on their face, and they think it rosacea!And this hyper awareness, this obsession with “issues” you see with your skin is damaging your mental health and self-esteem. And it’s keeping you unhappyI get it. It's easy to get sucked into the “skincare thing”. We live in a visual world. Your grandma had a portrait taken at her wedding, and then another one 10 years later. Today, if you don’t post on Instagram daily, your friends call you asking if you’re OK.Information about skincare is everywhere. People spend a ton of time a money to make that content super engaging and addictive. So you keep consuming it. You’re subscribed to a bunch of youtube channels, and follow people on social media.Products are marketed and made to look very fancy and pampering. The packaging is fun. And they feel soooo nice on your skin. Even though most don’t do absolutely anything for your skin.And for a good number of the people, all this is completely fine.But some people just take it way too far.I see the sunscreen obsession. This person yesterday told me she can't even enjoy being outside anymore and feeling the sun on her skin without thinking SPF! SPF! SPF!.. She’s said she’s completely over obsessing that her skin will NEVER be perfect.. I was - Isn’t this exhausting? This was a bunch of us talking at a table, and someone else said - One they had to go outside for something. There was no time to put on sunscreen. And she felt panic. In her brain, she was feeling the skin cells shriveling… Obviously it was only in her brain, but that’s bad enough. But the feeling of dread is very real. This is too muchAnd then someone else piled on - I literally don’t sit in the sun on my deck for 10 minutes because I’m scared I’ll get a sunburn....The worst I’ve seen, a while back someone sent me a note that they wear gloves when they drive.....Can you imagine that??I see the mirror obsession.... I hear so many people spend a bunch of time with the magnifying mirror. I know people who look at their skin in a magnifying mirror and take close up photos so they can zoom in. Just to see what they’d find.I mean at that point.. Get a microscope. Who looks at you that way? No one else is looking at your skin from 1/100th of an inch away.I see the product obsession… People buy the latest and greatest advertised miracle… I’m talking every other week, a new products end up in front of your mirror. The latest horse placenta lotion - I’m not joking it’s real. You have to buy everything and try everything, and put it on your faceI see the regimen obsession… People use 10+ step regimens. Every day!! And throw in a few extra steps on the weekend because they have more time.I see the info obsession… You are in a bunch of facebook groups and forums about skincare and check the updates multiple times a day the way most people check their Instagram or FacebookI see the age obsession… when people talk about being in their ‘20s and '30s' like it is 'mature' skin that needs hard core anti aging products, it’is ridiculous.People are obsessed with problems they think they see. Someone once told me she had some redness on the cheeks and I became obsessed with curing it. She literally bought horse medication to use on her face because she read somewhere it would help rosaceaWhen in reality, most people who are obsessed with skincare have perfectly fine skin, maybe with a few lines or pimples every once in a while. So many people are getting duped these days thinking their skin needs to look like airbrushed Instagram pictures with no pores, no texture, no color variation, just pure porcelain  Here’s some news for you. You are never going to get there. And you don’t have to. Because it isn't real. You are a human being. Not a photoshopped picture of some celebrity that may have already had fillers, plastic surgery, botox, etc. Yes, Skin has pores. Skin ages.So just be honest with how you feel. When looking at your face, are you anxious? Do start to worry about things you “see”? If the answer is yes, check yourself. Keep doing what you’re doing, but zoom out. Literally step back from the mirror. And start seeing the bigger picture. I’m sure you’ve noticed when you get some sun, your skin generally looks better. And it’s not just the tan. Acne will subside. The skin starts glowing. That’s because UV light is antibacterial and antimicrobial. Studies actually show that sun exposure can kill germs and bacteria both outside and inside the body. It was discovered over 100 years ago that UV light kills anthrax, plague, strep, and a bunch others. UV therapy also kills the flu virus outside the body. So don’t be afraid of the sun. There are lots of good things about it.Obsessing too much over skin is a mental health challenge. When you go too far, it can be like anorexia. More people should recognize that. Eating healthy is obviously a good thing, but eating disorder is not So just start living. And don't look too much at your skin. You’ll notice it tends to be a whole lot better than when when you’re constantly obsessing over it... Just be healthy and happy.We live in an era where many things we go crazy about… have such insignificant impact on our livesYou see someone at Starbucks pissed at the barista - you put soy milk instead of almond milk in my latte?!?Go volunteer with one of the non-profits that dig water wells in Africa. No seriously. It is the best experience to put your life here in the US in perspective. When you see people walking 3 miles to bring a bucket of fresh water every day back their house to cook and drink… you look at things differentlyAging is a natural process. You can’t feel ashamed of your wrinkles and dark spotsI see these people, who to me look absolutely normal and beautiful. But are feeling ashamed of their skin AND seeking validation to that shameThere is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to change for the better, but pretending that things like wrinkles and pores are not a normal part of the face is just bringing you down. It’s a load you’re putting on yourself. That then you have to carryI am happy every day I wake up and the 12 people I care super deeply about are alive. I just amI see a bunch of people now who cut down drastically on their skincare routines. Some even went bare bones minimalist. And they are all super happy. Most people have a relatively easy skin. You don’t need a ton of products. You certainly don’t need expensive stuff, unless it’s prescriptions. And for people obsessed with sunscreen and UV exposure… Have you tried wearing a hat?The bottom line is we are all human, our skin is not made to look like baby skin forever. We grow, we age, and we go through life. And life paints a picture on our canvas. So wear your scars and marks like a badge of honor. Now you have a story to tell because of themAnd life is so much better when you keep things simpler and in perspective!Thank you for listening. If you have friends who need to hear this, please share it. See you next time.