A recent New York Magazine article titled “They always say the younger you start the better.” In this article, Daisy Schofield, discusses with 12–15-year-old ladies about their skincare routines.
What It Tells Us
There is a strong push today for the younger generation to stay younger longer by doing everything that they can while they’re young to combat the aging process. For some young people, this includes a twenty-five-minute process (which sometimes is done twice a day – morning and evening) that includes the use of double-cleansing wipes, toner, vitamin C serum, glycolic acid, salicylic acid, moisturizers, apple cider vinegar pills, retinol, face masks, green tea with honey, and more.
Now normally, this is one of those articles that I would simply skip over, and I would pay very little attention to, however, there are a few problems here that I think are worth mentioning.
1) PRIDE and VANITY
Pride tends to show up in three key ways: SELF-RELIANCE, SELF-PRESERVATION, and SELF-INDULGENCE.
Someone has correctly stated that while ambition is a good thing, ambition mixed with vanity is a deadly poison.” And they’re right. Vanity is a deadly poison, but it can also become a weapon that can cause a lot of damage throughout the process and the pursuit of “pretty” and of popularity.
Proverbs 16:18-19 gives two very clear warnings to the arrogant: (1) “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall” and (2) “Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.” But the truth of the matter is that vanity rarely listens to good advice because it’s too busy being blinded by its own assessment, its own achievements, and its own attractiveness.
2) CONTENTMENT
Now, let me begin this thought by clarifying that I am by no means saying that a person cannot or should not strive and take measures to take care of themselves. There is a level of personal hygiene and self-care that is important and needed, but just like everything else, it can be overdone.
While some, young and not so young, participate in skincare as a self-care hobby that makes them feel good there are many others that do so (and this is the way that said process is marketed) in the pursuit of “anti-aging.” It turns a now (since the fall of man) natural process into an enemy that should be avoided at all costs.
Now, while again there are things that can be done, the simple reality is that the process of growing older isn’t something that we can stop or fully reverse. CARE is important, but so is CONTENTMENT. Yes, it is a difficult balance at times, but it is possible to be who I am, where I am, how I am all for the glory of God.
1 Timothy 6:8-9 says, “And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.”
3) ROUTINE
The sin of arrogance, self-indulgence, and vanity is that we work diligently to make ourselves an idol and we strive to be the envy of others. Instead of cultivating a spiritual growth process, they establish a very time-consuming process that is meant to satisfy a selfish desire that while it may yield some earthly “fruit” it cannot produce any eternal benefit. It’s sad that the same people that will spend upwards of fifty minutes a day in an effort to “improve” the surface complain about not having the time to improve the soul.
Jesus Himself said, in Mark 8:36, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”
James 4:5-7 says, “Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
