A quest for perfection - by Emike Ahmed

This probably ought to be the captivating headline for a beauty product or the theme to a beauty enhancing convention or something of its sort. It's popular knowledge that looking good is a major factor in boosting self-confidence. So, money oriented people have devised several means; some honest, others just plain shady and fake to extort money from people who do not feel comfortable in their skin. The most distorted mentality an average Nigerian girl has is that "black" denotes dirty,
primitive and lacking sophistication while being light-skinned is like owning a ticket to the 7th heaven. This mentality has created an avenue for people to make money simply by mixing bleaching chemicals, canning them and selling them off to gullible girls who feel insecure and want to be shades lighter. The ugly part is they usually end up looking like they've been dressed up to perform in a circus; multi-coloured on different body parts.

Credits: IxDaily

There are so many sides to it, I mean the surgical procedures; ranging from skin-toning, butt, hips and breasts enlargement and implantations, to face-lifts, tummy tucks, nose jobs, you name it, all to look plastic perfect. Some girls actually believe that acceptance by the society depends on how you look. But then what is a picture-perfect body without class, grace, humility, dignity, self-respect and sophistication? All these virtues can't be achieved by making your breasts bigger, your tummy flatter or your hips broader. What matters most is the kind of air you wear, the aura you exude, the kind of impression and impact you make, my dear friends.

Okay, now I'm sounding like I'm not guilty of all these. I've actually fallen victim too; I once  had an ugly attack of pimples on my face and considering the fact that my face was my selling point I had to get rid of them asap. So, I took the advice of several non-professional "cosmetologists" and tried all kinds of anti-acne creams on my face. Trust me, the end result was worse than the attack. I learnt my lesson the hard way: never use beauty products that haven't been prescribed by a professional. And one more thing, pimples are a natural phase of life, don't fuss over them when they appear, you'll definitely outgrow them and they'll go without leaving black, ugly spots behind.

The saying that "true beauty comes from within" has often being abused or misconstrued by most people. Looking fit is a must for everyone, but going  under the knife is optional and often comes with a grave prize to pay. I once saw a woman on TV who lost both legs and arms to a poisonous substances that was injected into her system when she wanted to undergo liposuction.
Proper and detailed knowledge of beauty products before use and information about one's skin goes a great length in curbing the excesses and abuse of skin products. Major tips to having and maintaining a glowing skin irrespective of colour is:

1. Drink plenty of water.
2. This might not really count but it usually helps, so always wear a smile!
3. Wash your face with lukewarm water once in awhile.
4. And this might be considered obsolete and old-fashioned, but never use sponge to scrub the face.

Adhering strictly to these basic tips, staying fit and happy and using beauty products prescribed by a professional and designed for your type of skin will make you GLOW!