Stop Trying to Be Perfect: The Secret to Peaceful, Radiant Skin Over 40

We spend so much time trying to look “perfect” — chasing flawless skin, smooth routines, and an impossible idea of beauty. But what if real radiance comes from embracing imperfection instead? 🌿 In this episode of Plants, Flowers, Oils & Whimsy, I explore the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi — the art of finding beauty in imperfection and impermanence. You’ll learn how to see your skin, your age, and your rituals as reflections of grace, not things to fix. 💧 This episode will help you: Let go of perfectionism in your skincare and self-care Discover peace in your natural, aging beauty Find joy in simple, faith-filled rituals that nourish your soul Understand why vulnerability makes you glow ✨ Scripture: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” — 2 Corinthians 12:9 🎧 Listen now and be reminded: You don’t have to be perfect to be radiant. You just have to be real. 🌿 Want more gentle beauty and faith-centered self-care? Join my newsletter and membership, The Guided Radiant Renewal Program, for weekly reflections, herbal skincare recipes, and spiritual self-care practices that nurture your skin and your spirit. 🕊️ Slow down. Glow naturally. Rest in God’s rhythm.

• The Guided Radiant Renewal Program - by Carrie Scharf
• My membership

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:04):
Hello everyone, and welcome to another episode of our podcast, Plants, Flowers,
Oils and Whimsy. I'm Carrie Sharf, and I'm delighted to
share this thoughtful reflection on beauty, imperfections, and the gentle
art of being real. Let's settle in and listen together
as we explore a perspective that transforms how we see ourselves. Hi,
my friend, I want to start today with a little confession.

(00:28):
I used to believe that beauty meant perfection, that to
feel radiant, everything had to be just right my skin,
my home, my words, even my prayers. But life and
time and God have been gently teaching me something different.
That true beauty, the kind that lasts, isn't flawless at all.

(00:49):
It's what the Japanese call wabi sabi, a way of
seeing the world that honors imperfection, impermanence, and the quiet
grace found in ordinary things. So today we're exploring how
wabi sabi can transform not only how we see our
skin and our rituals, but how we see ourselves. The
philosophy of wabi sabi is simple, and yet it changes everything.

(01:10):
It's about finding beauty in what's real, in the chipped teacup.
You still love in the wrinkle that deepens when you laugh,
In the plant that leans toward the light, even when
it grows unevenly. Where much of the world tells us
to polish and perfect, Wabi sabi whispers, breathe, it's already beautiful.

(01:32):
I remember the first time I made a batch of
toner that came out cloudy. I thought I'd done something wrong.
I almost threw it away, but when I used it,
my skin loved it. It worked better than the last batch,
and I realized imperfection doesn't mean failure. Sometimes it means
real Maybe you've felt that too, that moment when something
doesn't look quite how you planned, but it still holds

(01:53):
goodness and grace. That's wabi sabi beauty. It invites us
to let go of control, to see every line, every scar,
every uneven place as a reflection of life's texture, the
story God's still writing. One of the things I love
most about herbal skincare is that it's never exactly the
same twice. The color of your infused oil might change

(02:14):
with the season, your clay mask might be a little
thicker one week than the next, and sometimes your face
will glow and sometimes it just won't, and that's okay.
Perfection has never been the point. Rituals work not because
they're flawless, but because they're faithful, because you show up,
to care, to pause, to remember that your body deserves gentleness.

(02:37):
When we simplify skincare, when we stop chasing ten step
routines and start embracing what feels nourishing, we make space
for grace. I like to say I don't aim for
perfect skin. I aim for peaceful skin, because peacefulness shows
it glows. It's that same soft radiance that comes from
a heart at rest. We live in a world that

(02:58):
hides imperfections, filters them out, edits them away. But the
more I grow in faith, the more I see that
what we try to hide is often what makes us
most radiant. God doesn't ask for perfection. He asks for presents,
for honesty, for hearts willing to be seen. As Paul

(03:19):
wrote in Second Corinthians twelve nine, my grace is sufficient
for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.
Maybe that's the secret to glow, not in youth or
control or perfection, but in letting His grace shine through
our cracks. Increases So today instead of hiding what feels
imperfect your skin, your home, your season of life. I

(03:40):
want you to bless it, thank God for it, see
it as proof that you're alive, growing and loved exactly
as you are. The heart of Wabi Sabi is this.
Everything is in process, and that's where the beauty lives.
Your skin, your story, your faith. They don't need to
be flawless to be full of light. They just need

(04:01):
to be real. So as you move through this week,
I hope you let yourself be a little messy, a
little unfinished, and completely human. Light a candle, take a breath,
and whisper a prayer of thanks for the sacred beauty
of imperfection, because maybe, just maybe that's where radiance begins.

(04:22):
If you're craving more gentle rituals and faith centered skincare,
I'd love to welcome you into the Guided Radiant Renewal Program.
It's a quiet space for women over forty who want
to nurture their skin and spirit through natural beauty, prayer
and slow living. Each month, you'll receive my skincare and
soul care herbal guides, self care ideas that blend faith,
nature and nourishment. Journaling, prompts, private podcasts, devotionals, and access

(04:46):
to this special program. For more information on joining, please
check the show notes. Thank you for listening to Plants, Flowers,
Oils and Whimsy with me Carrie Sharp. The main takeaway
today is that beauty isn't about perfection. It's about embracing
our real, imperfect selves and recognizing the grace within every flaw.
Be sure to visit the show notes for links, details

(05:09):
about the Guided Radiant Renewal program and more inspiring content.
Until next time on Plants, Flowers, Oils and Whimsy, take
care and keep shining just as you are