It Took a Random Lady in Trader Joe’s to Remind Me, We’re All Beautiful

Today, while in Traders Joe’s a lady spoke to my soul in volumes twenty times louder than any pumpkin product I originally walked into the store for could have.

Can you remember the first time you were self conscious of yourself? I was in middle school and my skin broke out. Ever since then it’s been a battle of  Kaitlin versus the breakouts. I use to wear makeup so heavy, looking back at younger photos, it looked like I had no idea what a beauty blender was, or that your makeup should blend in with your face.

I was too preoccupied with concealing everything to be bothered with all that. I’m now 24 and my skin has since substantially cleared up, but I still get the occasional breakout. What’s my point- today I want to talk about seeing your own beauty.

I walked into Trader Joe’s, had on a nice outfit, had just spent an arm and a leg to get my haircut, looked reasonably presentable, but as I learned soon after, did not feel that way. I skimmed the isles for all their pumpkin flavored snacks when I stumbled upon their beauty products.

Fourteen-year-old Kate was resurrected and began looking hopelessly at the shelves. I stood there as I always do, looking at all their skin products wondering “which of these have I used before?” “Which worked well?” “Should I try something new?”

My contemplation must have been super obvious because a lady came up behind me and recommend two products. She ended this part of the conversation saying, “ But you have beautiful skin…”, which I quickly rebutted with, “that’s because I’m wearing makeup”….

When I walked away from her I’m not sure what upset me more, that I couldn’t accept her compliment, or that I think that only with makeup on that my skin appears beautiful. She said to me “ It’s not your skin that matters, it’s the beauty within, which shines through, that makes you beautiful.”

This complete stranger told me something I may have thought subconsciously but needed to hear out loud. It’s funny anytime my boyfriend tells me I’m beautiful, I tend to have no makeup on, but my opinion was he’s biased because he “likes” me (feels weird writing love in a blog hahaha). *Brian Edit: I love you* 

So I’m here to tell you I know it’s not easy and that there are a lot of places for us to compare ourselves to, but this stranger had a lesson for all of us. Your inner beauty is what makes you beautiful, not your nice haircut, or your cute clothes, or the makeup upon your face. When you look in the mirror at night don’t stare at that one pimple in agony, learn to embrace it. It won’t be there for forever, and that doesn’t define you. I think this lesson can apply to things other than your skin.

I hope when you look at yourself in your bathroom mirror tonight you can say, I love myself and my skin and I’m beautiful. Because true beauty from one person has a way of positively projecting itself onto others, as that beautiful lady in Trader Joe’s did to me. Stop hiding behind Instagram filters, stop asking someone to take your photo thirty times to get the perfect one, and start working on being the most beautiful you, which surprisingly requires no makeup or filters.

Love always,

K