Beauty is shaped from the inside out. It’s not just about how we look, but how we feel, the self-care journey, and the personal stories associated with beauty and self.
Dr. Angelika Grechnaya is a compassionate Counselling Psychologist with a Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology and an MSc in Psychology. With over seven years of clinical experience, Dr. Grechnaya has worked across NHS services, private practices, and charitable organizations. Her integrative therapeutic approach blends CBT, psychodynamic therapy, and existential analysis to help individuals navigate emotional and psychological challenges.
Passionate about advancing mental health awareness, she explores how evolving beauty ideals and self-care practices intersect with emotional well-being, offering a fresh perspective on skincare as an empowering, intentional practice.
By the time many women reach adulthood, they have already lived a full and complex life in their bodies. They have navigated expectations, embraced change, questioned norms, and often quietly critiqued what they see in the mirror. In my doctoral research, “Story of My Body – Lifelong Body Image Narratives Among Women in Their 30s,” one truth emerged clearly: beauty is shaped from the inside out. It is not just about how we look, but how we feel, the stories we carry, and the care we offer ourselves along the way.
From an early age, girls are surrounded by cultural messages about what it means to be beautiful. These messages come from the media, advertising, social platforms, and even from family. Phrases like “stay young, stay beautiful” or “perfect skin equals success” get absorbed and repeated until they feel like truths.
These beauty ideals have often been narrowly defined, focusing on flawless skin and unattainable standards of perfection. Skin, in particular, becomes a focal point for this pressure. Pores, lines, pigmentation, and texture are often portrayed as flaws to be hidden, rather than natural signs of life and experience.
But this perspective is changing, especially when women begin to step into new life chapters.
Whether it’s entering a new decade, going through motherhood, adjusting to hormonal changes, or simply becoming more self-aware, many women start to shift their perspective on beauty. The focus moves from striving for perfection to cultivating self-awareness and care. It’s less about covering up and more about understanding what our bodies and skin truly need.
This shift is reflected in how women approach skincare. Instead of falling for miracle claims or unrealistic promises, they are turning to products backed by science. Platforms like Dermoi help guide this journey with clinical-grade skincare solutions that are grounded in evidence. When you know the ingredients are effective and the results are real, skincare becomes empowering rather than overwhelming.
In the conversations I had during my research, skincare was rarely described as just another step in a routine. For many women, it became a moment of intention. One described applying her moisturiser as a daily ritual that helped her reconnect with herself. Another said that wearing sunscreen felt like an act of self-respect, a way to care for her future skin and health, not just her present-day appearance. These moments reflect a departure from traditional beauty ideals and the embrace of a more authentic relationship with one's body and skin.
Skin changes naturally over time. It responds to stress, aging, climate, and lifestyle. When we learn to listen to it and support it rather than battle it, skincare becomes a meaningful part of our relationship with ourselves.
The most powerful transformation does not come from a serum or a perfect routine. It comes from choosing to care for your skin, not because it needs to be fixed, but because it deserves attention and kindness. When we see skincare as something we do with respect and curiosity, not shame or fear, we begin to tell a new story — one that moves beyond outdated beauty ideals and embraces a more holistic, compassionate approach to beauty.
As a Counselling Psychologist and researcher, I am drawn to evidence. As a woman, I am drawn to honesty. Somewhere between the two is where I believe real beauty lives. It is not a standard to meet. It is a connection to how we feel, how we care, and how we carry ourselves through life.
So the next time you choose a skincare product, make it an intentional act. Choose what works. Choose what supports your skin’s health. And most importantly, choose what helps you feel more like yourself. Your skin is not a problem to solve. It is a living record of your life, and it deserves to be treated that way.
