There is this constant double standard about beauty when it comes to women: no makeup is too little effort and "too much" makeup is unnatural. As a woman with acne scars myself, I understand what it's like to be caught between this hypocritical, twisted set of ideals. While you are struggling with your own insecurities and your own skincare journey, the rest of the world is busy telling you what not to do and what to do... as if their continuous perfect skin was through much of their hard work. Sometimes, genetics just sucks. But that shouldn't stop us from living life. Here are some things to remember as you encounter frustrating, unfair situations when it comes to your scars.

It's OK if you want to wear makeup, but no one should make you feel guilty about it

Not only does makeup cover the scars, but it gives us so much confidence. It helps us face people, even random strangers, with a smile because we know we look our best. If it helps you go to work or school every day to accomplish your goals, then its value goes beyond just enhancing your appearance. That is your right and no one should make you feel like your hurting yourself by saying, "Won't makeup just make things worse?" So long as you invest time and effort in a good skincare routine that removes the makeup well and treats the skin afterward, there is nothing wrong with wearing makeup. It is your choice to do what makes you feel good.

The best, most effective solution is time

There's no point beating yourself up over home remedies that don't seem to be working. Although some do help a bit if used consistently, don't stress yourself out over something that requires patience. Through consistent effort, the skin cells just need time to regenerate and replace the old cells. In my freshman year of high school, an extremely dark scar on my forehead made me feel desperate and hopeless. Four years later, and my forehead is pretty clear of scars. At least, that particular scar has faded immensely. Just remember, that even if nothing works, sit back and let time do its thing.

When people point out your scars, know that it's not your fault you have them

As an Indian girl especially, people from my community used to immediately point out my scars if they weren't hidden well enough (thank you, drugstore concealer). While this wasn't bad enough, they would follow it with 'suggestions' like "don't eat junk food, and it will all go away" or "drink more water." These suggestions make you feel as though your lifestyle is at fault, that you did something wrong and that is why these scars magically appeared when in reality, it is not your fault that most non-organic milk has a harmful hormone called rBST in it which messed with your hormones and digestive system. It is not your fault that acne runs in your family. It is not your fault that most foods today, unlike food in the days of our uncles and aunties, have MSG and are GMO products. Remember, it is not your fault.

Though it may seem like an eternity until your scars are gone, if you continue to live your life without thinking too much about them, time will pass and it will be a splendid surprise when you finally realize how much they've faded. To the girl with acne scars, your life should not be lived with your head looking down at the ground. It should be lived with your head held high, so that everyone can see how happy, confident, and resilient you are. Scars fade, but your smile shouldn't.