Women tend to be natural caregivers. It is not unusual to fill your own plate last at the dinner table or to be the last person in bed at night after the dishes are clean and the house is straightened. It may be answering that after hours message from your boss or staying late at work to finish a project. Whatever the case may be, it is so easy to take care of the other people in your life and look after yourself last.
Even when you give yourself permission for some “self-care” there are limits. It is easy to justify eating well and meditating. It may be fine to take a yoga class or sign up for a new training course, but taking care of your outward appearance is something entirely different. It is misconstrued as vain or conceited when in fact it is anything, but.
If you were to paint your house, manicure the lawn or put some beautiful potted plants on your porch would your neighbors consider you vain? Of course not! It is routine maintenance that preserves the value of your home. This same idea correlates to the outside of your body.
Your skin is your largest organ and subject to all of the environmental toxins and pollutants that the exterior of your house is. Taking care of your skin does not change your character. Taking care of your outside does not change what is on the inside of you. It is routine maintenance that is good for you physically and mentally.
Physically your skin protects your insides, but it is also the avenue through which toxins leave your body. Having healthy skin with clean pores facilitates this process. Keeping the outside of your body (your skin) healthy leads to healthier insides.
Your skin also affects your emotional well-being. When you look good on the outside, you feel better about yourself. You exude more confidence. This alone has a positive impact on your daily life and relationships. You will feel empowered to ask for that raise or go for the promotion at work. Maybe you will think about accepting the date with that guy at the coffee shop. Perhaps you will rekindle the romance with your significant other.
Self-care is not vain. It is an important part of taking care of our overall well-being. Give yourself permission to spend the time and money to take care of one of your most valuable assets. You cannot pour from an empty cup. Take care of yourself so that you can continue to take care of the others in your life who need you. Healthy, glowing skin is just one part of that process.
