Please, I really want to hear what you think: is it normal to be getting spots all over my face? More than finding out whether Lana Del Rey is going to release her latest album over the summer, I need to know why I, a teen who worships her vegetables more than a box of Poptarts, am suffering from the horrible nightmare that are recognised as red-coloured, bumpy and ultimately disgusting spots all over a sudden; it simply isn't fair!!!
In between studying and wasting precious hours browsing the internet on my oh-so-brilliant smartphone, I've been obsessing over how blemished my face has looked, which is now dotted with several spots all over the place. The result? My emotions are in turmoil as I come to terms with fighting a battle that I'm 99.9% likely to lose; even with my brilliant brain, how am I going to beat the monster which is actually myself?
Really, I don't need any distractions like these right now. OK, that statement would definitely be understandable this time next year when I will be nearing the end of the most stressful exam period in my entire life - of course, waking up with millions of spots dotted like blobs of cream on a cheesecake would threaten to ruin your motivation, wouldn't it? Yet, in the meantime, being infected with what feels like a contagious virus does no wonders for my self-esteem, which is constantly slapped in the face when I catch a glimpse of it in the mirror sans a trace of inch-thick make-up.
In all honesty, I think that I've got quite a strong personality in the sense that I've been able to survive during really bad times which, compared to minor, typically temporary battles against spots, are more important and meaningful than mistaking your complexion for a pepperoni pizza. Still, I have a right to lose my temper over several highly irritating spots, don't I? After all, I'm a teenager; even though I try to steer clear of ever-so-annoying stereotypes, I'm part of a generation who are renowned for caring for their complexion like one would babysit the latest iPhone. Obviously, I'm going to step very near towards a mini breakdown if a lump of yellowish gunk decides to appear on my face or, God forbid, my lips - well, if I haven't got any spots dangerously near the lip line, luck couldn't have entirely abandoned me, could it?
Anyway, I've endured years of battling spots, so one of the most important things that I've learnt - mostly for the sake of protecting my family from witnessing their daughter going on a screaming frenzy (worsened by my newly discovered acting abilities, thanks to Performing Arts - another reason why my parents must regret my selecting it!) - is not spend too much time moaning. Yes, my ears aren't deaf enough to ignore your sniggering in a corner - who would I exactly be if I didn't give into my moaning tendencies every now and then? Seriously, something would be up if I didn't feel like moaning, which I proudly regard as one of my favourite pastimes. My trick to enjoying it? Realise that there is a time and a place for moaning - and when stress is apparently one of the most common reasons for being affected by the spot blues, you will be amazed by how quickly you will shut up about how much foundation you'll have to put on to cover a tiny bump concealed by your hairline.
Undoubtedly, this message struggled to sink in when I was a few years younger because my reflection in the mirror meant absolutely everything to me; yet, when you've got exams, friends to hang out with and a whole series of The Vampire Diaries to watch on DVD, spots no longer seem to be the centre of your universe. In recent months, I've hardly noticed anything amiss with my face, perhaps helped by having less free time to devote to staring at my lips for ten minutes straight in my en-suite (especially if there are fun-loving kittens eyeing up your sink as the perfect place to fall asleep), but it doesn't mean that I'm completely blind to any slight changes to it - hence why I'm dedicating this entry to my least favourite topic in the world (a title held along with the confusing circle theorems) for the millionth or so time.
In my younger spot-battling years, I used to be SO tempted to stock up on all the so-called 'miracle' jells, creams and complexion-saving goodies in the skincare shops, somewhat influenced by their promises to restore blemished skin to its previous healthy state. At that point, I had a tendency to feel so low about suffering from spots because I felt like the only one with the problem; even today, I can't entirely stop myself from envying some of my friends, who can wear absolutely no make-up and not conceal a single noticeable spot. OK, everybody is different - some can go through life without getting a single spot (which makes absolutely no sense; doesn't everybody's hormones go equally crazy during adolescence or what?!), while others like myself can be plagued by them. Then again, I had the pleasure of starting puberty quite early; one of my least delightful memories as an eight year old was getting my first spot, which was located in the horrific location that is the nose. Because of my early descent into spotty misery, I suppose that my hormones are unwilling to let me go quite so easily, even though I would think that, as I'm now sixteen, my hormones should be a bit more settled because I'm nearly an adult - but who knows?
Although I've never been fortunate to discover a magical cure for banishing spots, all I do nowadays is keep things simple - as my skin isn't exposed to the harshness of pollution, sticky temperatures or germs in bed, I only clean my face with water in the morning, which just about rinses the oiliness covering my forehead. In addition to this, the only make-up I apply onto my face - aside from mascara, eyeliner/eye shadow and lip stick/balm - is the classic BareMinerals powder foundation, which remains the only foundation that I've ever used. Not only is it completely paraben-free, but it doesn't irritate my skin at all because of being so natural; I truly think that my skin would be significantly worse if I wore a liquid foundation, which would only irritate it further. From time to time, I either apply a dab of witch stick or tea tree oil, both of which are natural ingredients that have been highly regarded for treating spots for years, whenever spots are truly winding me up. They manage to draw the spot out, which quickens the process of getting rid of a spot and allowing the skin to heal.
In other words, keeping it natural is the very best thing that you can do for blemished skin. As devastating as it is to accept that I may never discover a magical cure for banishing spots, the only way that I can progress is to work with my skin problems which, upon consideration, are not as bad as they once used to be. Still, don't teenagers just love to exaggerate - all in all, making a huge deal out of a tiny spot only helps me to become a better performer!
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