And maybe that's the bottom line. Skin care, at its best, is about taking care of yourself, not about a massive industrial scheme working to bamboozle an entire society of vain, unsuspecting wannabe Dorian Grays into emptying their wallets at the prospect of perfect skin. Maybe we like our skin-care routines. Maybe they work for us. Maybe they make us feel cared for, like we're doing something good for ourselves, like a coping mechanism , like a way to clear our heads, like we're taking the time out of our days to do something for ourselves and no one else. And that feeling is not, and never will be, a con — and don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise, no matter how high it's trending on Twitter.