Pinay Beauty Insecurities, Solved!
By Maui V. Reyes for Yahoo! Southeast Asia
Ask any woman what her biggest beauty insecurity is, and many will give you a list: too many freckles, super dry skin, too much cellulite. And Pinays are no exception! While we may not complain about the same things our Western sisters do, we do have our own slew of beauty problems.
So, what's your biggest beauty insecurity? We asked some Pinays what theirs are, and offer some solutions.
"I have big, noticeable pores on my nose and cheeks!"—Audrey, 32, entrepreneur
Pores. You can't live with them, but you can't live without them—literally. Serving as the opening of hair follicles, pores also help secrete sebum, oil which help keep our skin hydrated (without them, we'd be hairless and have cracking skin). But why do they have to be oh-so-noticeable?
One culprit can be poor grooming and hygiene. Without a proper cleansing and exfoliating habit, you leave dirt and dead skin cells on your face, which can pool around the pore, making it look even larger. Having "dirty" skin can result in clogged pores, which can then turn into blackheads. Now, just because your pore is clogged doesn't mean your sebum production goes down. In fact, it keeps chugging along, causing oil build-up underneath the plug. And with nowhere else to go, oil, dirt, and other debris "expands" the pore, making them look even bigger than it normally was. Prevent this from happening by using a cleanser before heading to bed, and exfoliate twice a week. And just because you have oily skin doesn't mean you should skip on the moisturizer. There are moisturizers formulated for oily skin, too.
Another factor to consider is sun damage. Constant exposure to the sun makes our skin age faster. And aging skin means less elasticity and firmness. Arm yourself with a day cream that contains SPF.
Then again, if you swear your skincare regimen is spotless, and you constantly apply SPF before heading out, you have no one to blame but your parents. Pore size can also be hereditary, and those with oily skin are more prone to having "larger" pores, thanks to its excess oil production!
"My dark circles under my eyes. It makes me look tired all the time!"—Paige, 29, copywriter
When the bags under your eyes are too big to fit the overhead compartment, the first thing you think of is that you need to sleep some more. While this may be true, there are other factors that contribute to those black and blue bags. Dark under-eye circles can also be caused by allergies, fluid retention, sun damage, and our favorite culprit: aging.
So what's a girl to do when she can't afford lugging around bags big enough to check-in? First, make sure to apply sunscreen with a minimum of SPF 30 under the eyes to prevent further weakening of the skin from sun exposure. Make sure you get at least eight hours of sleep at night. For a quick fix, apply chilled tea bags over your eyes for 15 minutes—the cool temperature and antioxidants can help in reducing the swelling. Applying a collagen-boosting cream can also help!
Lastly, avoid salty foods and drink lots of water. Water helps flush out toxins in the body, as well as the water being retained under your eyes.
"My dark armpits are my biggest insecurity. I don't wear sleeveless shirts, not even during summer!"—Lani, 26, freelance events producer
Not a nice problem to have, especially since our summers are notorious for being unforgiving in the scorch-o-meter. Dark armpits are often brought about by shaving. Shaving only "cuts" the hair, leaving some—as well as the root—behind. The hair left under the skin is what usually causes the dark armpit appearance. This problem can often be solved by waxing, since waxing removes hair from the root, and makes it grow back thinner and finer. Don't even try using depilatory creams, as these not only remove hair just from the skin-up, but the chemicals in it can irritate your skin.
If you're already waxing and still have dark 'pits, you might need to do some extra exfoliating. Dark armpits can be brought about by a build-up of dead skin cells that get trapped in between the skin's small "folds". Using a gentle exfoliator (one that preferably contains lactic acid) should do the trick.
Another factor worth considering is your antiperspirant or deodorant. Some formulations may contain chemicals that irritate your skin. Consider switching brands just to see if there's a difference in skin color.
Editor's Note: Do you get insecure over the same things? What beauty concerns do you have? Let us know in the comments section below!
