Toward the end of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1922 novel, The Beautiful and the Damned, a poignant line captures a central theme:
“Each night when she prepared for bed she smeared her face with some new unguent which she hoped illogically would give back the glow and freshness to her vanishing beauty.”
This line describes Gloria, one of the main characters, and her desperate attempts to recapture her fading youth, reflecting the novel’s themes of vanity, the relentless passage of time, and the futility of resisting ageing. Throughout the novel, Fitzgerald returns to this motif, later referring to Gloria’s “tragic unguents1.”
In striking contrast, today, the beauty industry heavily promotes the idea that youth and beauty can (and should) be preserved or restored through the use of products and treatments. Advertisements and marketing campaigns suggest that with the right regimen, creams, and serums, one can maintain a youthful appearance indefinitely. This contemporary narrative stands in opposition to Fitzgerald’s portrayal of the inevitable decline of beauty, highlighting a cultural shift towards a more optimistic (yet unrealistic) view of ageing and beauty maintenance.
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In addition, in today’s society, the use of skincare products is not seen as tragic or futile, but rather, a proactive way of taking care of oneself, often associated with personal well-being, self-esteem, and even status. The ability to invest in the best skincare products and treatments is frequently viewed as a sign of wealth and privilege, further reinforcing the positive connotations of maintaining one’s appearance. This modern perspective transforms what Fitzgerald depicted as a futile struggle into a socially accepted, and even celebrated, practice.
Before removing petrolatum-based products from my routine, I’d heard Aquaphor could work as an eye cream. Having run out of my usual cream, I decided to test this claim. Based on my experience, I can report it doesn’t live up to the hype. A few weeks after beginning this experiment, I felt an itchy and irritating bump that had appeared suddenly, just below the outer corner of my right eye. A bit of google investigation revealed that it was a milium2 Milia is a common skin condition that causes small white bumps (cysts) under the surface of the skin, usually on the face. They form when skin flakes or small amounts of keratin become trapped.
Aquaphor3, an occlusive4 product due to its petrolatum content, was likely the cause of the milium. (It was also the only thing I had changed in my routine, so that was already my guess.) My milium persisted for weeks, causing itchiness and irritation. Research taught me that milia require patience to resolve and that self-removal attempts risk scarring or infection. Looking into solutions, I found recommendations for gentle cleansing and regular retinoid exfoliation. I chose a mild, paraben-free cleanser effective at removing makeup, and started applying a retinol treatment nightly. For eye care, I used my favourite Multiuse Balm, rich in plant oils and regenerative botanical extracts, to help heal the affected area.
The retinol treatment proved effective, clearing the milium within a week—much to my relief. The retinol likely exfoliated the skin, naturally releasing the trapped keratin. However, the 1% concentration caused persistent dry patches on my nose and left eyelid, prompting me to discontinue use. I continued applying the Multiuse Balm to hydrate these areas, and soon my skin returned to normal.
But that’s not the end of this skincare saga. Before my milium misadventure and abandoning TikTok trends, I tried the viral 3-ingredient face oil. This mixture, supposedly able to shave years off one’s appearance, combines 10ml castor oil, 10ml black seed oil, and 30ml rosehip oil. I knew castor and rosehip oils, but black seed oil was new to me.
The homemade blend didn’t suit my skin, causing angry red patches on my cheeks. I suspected the black seed oil was the culprit. Derived from Nigella sativa seeds, black seed oil contains compounds like thymoquinone that can trigger reactions. My research showed responses can range from mild irritation to severe symptoms. While I only experienced localised redness, I learned that in rare cases, it could cause more serious issues like breathing difficulties or even anaphylaxis5!
These experiences were eye-opening. I realised I’d been using my skin—my face, no less—as a testing ground for countless unvetted products, blindly following marketers’ promises and TikTok trends. Our skin, our largest organ, deserves far more consideration. A product’s beautiful packaging, high price, or viral status doesn’t guarantee its safety or efficacy. The book The Remarkable Life of the Skin ultimately changed how I view and care for my skin.
Our skin is a beautiful mystery, cloaked in feelings, opinions and questions. The more science reveals of this terra incognita, the more we see that our most overlooked organ is actually our most fascinating. … Skin is both a barrier against the terrors of the outside world and ⎻ with millions of nerve endings to help us feel our way through life ⎻ a bridge into our very being. Simultaneously wall and window, our skin surrounds us physically, but it is also an exquisitely psychological and social part of our being. … Our ageing skin directly confronts us with our own mortality.
In Trick Mirror, Jia Tolentino argues that ‘beauty work’ is rebranded as ‘self-care’ to appear progressive, when in reality it drains our energy and squanders our time. Rather than devoting countless hours to elaborate skincare routines, I’ve chosen to invest in my whole self ⎻ body and mind. As Susan Sontag noted in her 1972 essay “The Double Standard of Aging”, it’s our mental faculties that we carry into old age and continue to benefit from. Working on our minds will serve us well in later years, whereas focusing solely on one’s appearance is ultimately a futile endeavour; we can only hold off the inevitable for so long:
Large amounts of women’s energies are diverted into this passionate, corrupting effort to defeat nature: to maintain an ideal, static appearance against the progress of age. The collapse of the project is only a matter of time. Inevitably, a woman’s physical appearance develops beyond its youthful form. No matter how exotic the creams or how strict the diets, one cannot indefinitely keep the face unlined, the waist slim.6
In my experience, there’s little correlation between a skincare product’s cost and its effectiveness. Any clean cleanser or moisturiser ⎻ free from parabens, sulphates, phthalates, synthetic fragrances, and certain preservatives ⎻ can be effective if it works well with your skin and is used consistently. I’ve used both very high-end and chemist products with similar results. The key is maintaining a routine: cleansing, (occasionally toning), and moisturising every morning and night. While I adjust products seasonally and based on my skin’s moisture levels, I never skip these fundamental steps. Consistency, not cost, is the cornerstone of healthy skin. I am still using the Multiuse Balm as an eye cream because it’s been working well for me, and the moisturiser I use at the moment is simply rosehip oil. And very recently ⎻ for the past week ⎻ I’ve begun applying this product just before the oil. And that’s it. Oh, and of course, I wear sunscreen everyday.
This perspective on the effectiveness of simple, consistent skincare routines over expensive products is echoed by Lyman7, who offers a compelling critique of the beauty industry:
“We laugh or recoil at these eccentric cosmetics, yet we are just as susceptible and have to some extent been brainwashed by the beauty industry to think that the more expensive or dramatic the treatment, the better or more efficacious it is. This simply isn’t the case, with some studies suggesting that cheap moisturizers have exactly the same effect as their expensive, ‘anti-ageing’ counterparts. Luxury anti-ageing creams also exploit one of the many blind spots in human psychology. You walk into a department store and are looking along a shelf dedicated to anti-wrinkle creams. Two pots produced by different companies sit next to each other; one looks slightly bland but is reasonably priced while the other looks smart, glossy and fresh out of the laboratory but costs five times more. We’re tempted to go out of our price range to buy the expensive pot because it taps into our insecurities. Luxury cosmetics lower our self-esteem by creating the illusion of a higher level of beauty, only attainable through exclusive products, and we feel a need to make up for the perceived gap between the skin we think we have and the skin we want. The product actually drives us to buy it by making us feel worse about ourselves. Charles Revson, one of the founders of the modern cosmetics industry, was telling the truth when he said, In the factory we make cosmetics. In the store we sell hope.”
Despite my skin being the best it has ever been, I am never entirely sure if I’m doing enough. This uncertainty often leads me to think of P’s grandmother, who at 95, still has beautiful skin. Her lifelong routine was simple: washing her face every night with a bar of soap (though I’m not sure which kind) and a soft flannel8, followed by generous applications of Nivea cream. This reminds me of an incident in Paris while staying with my tante and oncle. After an accident left scratches on my face, my tante would fret each morning, whispering, “Oh, ton visage, ton visage, ton beau visage!” (“Oh, your face, your face, your beautiful face!”) as she applied mysterious creams regularly to prevent scarring. Thankfully, no scars remained. (The creams she used were this one and this one.)
These experiences, along with my recent misadventures in skincare, have led me to a more balanced perspective. As Lyman aptly puts it:
We are still some way from an elixir. While some products genuinely have ingredients that can slow down the visible effects of ageing (such as sunscreens and retinoic acid) and some are able to make their customers feel content and confident⎻ and that’s certainly worth something⎻ when you are spending money or seeking the truth, a bit of healthy scepticism never goes amiss.
I’ve come to realise that true skin health goes beyond topical treatments. It’s about taking care of our entire body and mind: a balanced diet, regular exercise, stress management, and adequate sleep all play crucial roles in maintaining healthy, glowing skin. While skincare products have their place, it’s equally important to take care of ourselves from the inside out, approaching new trends with a discerning eye and remembering that overall well-being shows itself on our skin.▪︎[/swpm_protected]