---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It felt good to scrub my skin, as if I…"
description: "\"“It felt good to scrub my skin, as if I was removing everything that felt dead about me. I was the \"queen of skin care.\" Who knew that simply exfoliati..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbf/cari-kamm-43383_olive-oil_it-felt-good-to-scrub-my-skin-as-if-i-wa_583037.jpg"
---

#  It felt good to scrub my skin, as if I was removing…

![“It felt good to scrub my skin, as if I was removing everything that felt dead about me. I was the &quot;queen of skin care.&quot; Who knew that simply exfoliating my skin until raw (which I knew better than to do but now couldn't resist) would one day be what was left of my skin care regimen? My daily…” quote by Cari Kamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbf/cari-kamm-43383_olive-oil_it-felt-good-to-scrub-my-skin-as-if-i-wa_583037.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbf/cari-kamm-43383_olive-oil_it-felt-good-to-scrub-my-skin-as-if-i-wa_583037.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbf/cari-kamm-43383_olive-oil_it-felt-good-to-scrub-my-skin-as-if-i-wa_583037.jpg)

> ““It felt good to scrub my skin, as if I was removing everything that felt dead about me. I was the "queen of skin care." Who knew that simply exfoliating my skin until raw (which I knew better than to do but now couldn't resist) would one day be what was left of my skin care regimen? My daily cleansing and moisturizing, weekly hydrating and purifying masks, along with monthly photo facials, glycolic peels, or microdermabrasion, was down to "super-scrub Saturdays." Pampering was a thing of the past. No more sunscreen applications to guard against the "UVAging" rays that were out to get me 365 days a year. No more weekly Epsom salts hot baths to detox my body, or lathering up with my favorite vanilla-scented moisturizing cream. No more applications of extra virgin olive oil to the ends of my hair to prevent splitting. I didn't even treat myself to my bedtime chamomile tea. All that had been replaced by a new nightly ritual of passing out on the bed, face down, which went against my cardinal rule of youth maintenance. Before the deep hollow pain was born inside me, I slept on my back, at the perfect thirty-degree angle to ensure proper circulation and prevention of any unnecessary creasing or wrinkling.””

[Cari Kamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cari-kamm/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The narrator describes an obsessive shift from elaborate skincare routines to extreme exfoliation, reflecting a loss of balanced self‑care and a fixation on superficial perfection.

**In simple terms:** Obsessed with skin, they abandoned healthy habits for harsh scrubbing.

Key Takeaway

Avoid extremes; seek sustainable self‑care.

Themes

self‑care obsession beauty standards health balance

Mood

anxious reflective

Type

personal essay cautionary.

When to use this quote

- daily routine
- beauty product choices
- sleep habits
- stress coping
- health monitoring

Key Concepts

body image self‑esteem addiction

Questions to Reflect On

- What drives you to prioritize appearance over health?
- How can you restore a balanced routine?

A Different Perspective

Extreme exfoliation can damage skin and mask deeper emotional issues.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Olive oil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/olive-oil/) [Skin care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skin-care/)

## Related quotes

> [Life is a daily cleansing. Negativity must be washed away, if you wish to attract positive experiences to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-brown/life-is-a-daily-cleansing-negativity-must-be-washed-away-if-you-wish/)

[Leon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-brown/)

> [“ Cosmedix CosMedix Products are all natural skin care products CosMedix products contain no artificial colors and are chirally correct.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cosmedix/cosmedix-cosmedix-products-are-all-natural-skin-care-products/)

Cosmedix

> [I had retail businesses. They were beauty businesses, skin care and all that. I got into that as a fluke. I was going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-waters/i-had-retail-businesses-they-were-beauty-businesses-skin-care-and-all/)

[Drew Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-waters/)

> [I was never someone who was able to afford all of this skin care. You jump on some of the trends because you expect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tayshia-adams/i-was-never-someone-who-was-able-to-afford-all-of-this-skin-care-you/)

[Tayshia Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tayshia-adams/)

> [“For most of us, the most common and unfortunate side effect of skin problems is isolation. We don't want to be seen the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yancy-lael/for-most-of-us-the-most-common-and-unfortunate-side-effect-of-skin/)

[Yancy Lael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yancy-lael/)

> [The biggest lesson in life and skin care is that not everything is going to work for everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-povitsky/the-biggest-lesson-in-life-and-skin-care-is-that-not-everything-is/)

[Esther Povitsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-povitsky/)

> [“Skin care must be good enough to eat!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-runciman/skin-care-must-be-good-enough-to-eat/)

Joanna Runciman

> [“The human skin evolved in a natural electromagnetic radiation environment and is now in a very unnatural man-made one that is making many people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-human-skin-evolved-in-a-natural-electromagnetic-radiation/)

[Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/)

> [I wear a lot of makeup on set, so I like my skin care to be natural.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-jeffery/i-wear-a-lot-of-makeup-on-set-so-i-like-my-skin-care-to-be-natural/)

[Sarah Jeffery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-jeffery/)

> [“The most valuable benefit of apple cider vinegar is that it helps to restore your skin’s natural pH balance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-leigh-mercree/the-most-valuable-benefit-of-apple-cider-vinegar-is-that-it-helps-to/)

[Amy Leigh Mercree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-leigh-mercree/)

> [“What was the one underlying cause of acne according to this patient, and to others who I talked to after that day? They felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aarti-patel/what-was-the-one-underlying-cause-of-acne-according-to-this-patient/)

Aarti Patel

> [As long as I don't end up hosting a skin care commercial with Cher, I'm happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/as-long-as-i-don-t-end-up-hosting-a-skin-care-commercial-with-cher-i/)

[Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/)

> [“There are now skin products supposedly created with 24-karat gold extract. I guess if financial times got really tough, you could always pawn your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-barreca/there-are-now-skin-products-supposedly-created-with-24-karat-gold/)

[Gina Barreca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-barreca/)

> [True beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/true-beauty-in-a-woman-is-reflected-in-her-soul/)

[Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/)

> [Skin care is so much more important than makeup. Makeup is for when you're having fun and going out. But your skin is forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halima-aden/skin-care-is-so-much-more-important-than-makeup-makeup-is-for-when/)

[Halima Aden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halima-aden/)

## More by Cari Kamm

> [“Saying something aloud, anything coming from my heart was more than acknowledging it; it was owning it. I needed to hear the words come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cari-kamm/saying-something-aloud-anything-coming-from-my-heart-was-more-than/)

[Cari Kamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cari-kamm/)

> [“Bitterness can be expensive, depending on how much time you let it cost you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cari-kamm/bitterness-can-be-expensive-depending-on-how-much-time-you-let-it/)

[Cari Kamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cari-kamm/)

> [“To keep the ugly cry-face on lock down, I directed my attention to my polished gold Krugerrand coin, which hung against my chest by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cari-kamm/to-keep-the-ugly-cry-face-on-lock-down-i-directed-my-attention-to-my/)

[Cari Kamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cari-kamm/)

> [“Just don't close your eyes when you open your heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cari-kamm/just-don-t-close-your-eyes-when-you-open-your-heart/)

[Cari Kamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cari-kamm/)

> [“To fully enjoy love, you gotta open your heart and let it breathe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cari-kamm/to-fully-enjoy-love-you-gotta-open-your-heart-and-let-it-breathe/)

[Cari Kamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cari-kamm/)

> [“she talked her whole life of seeing the world, but she never traveled further than the conversation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cari-kamm/she-talked-her-whole-life-of-seeing-the-world-but-she-never-traveled/)

[Cari Kamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cari-kamm/)

> [“The greatest love story ever told would be my own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cari-kamm/the-greatest-love-story-ever-told-would-be-my-own/)

[Cari Kamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cari-kamm/)

> [“Your soul mate isn't about the other person- but your own soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cari-kamm/your-soul-mate-isn-t-about-the-other-person-but-your-own-soul/)

[Cari Kamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cari-kamm/)

[Explore all 9 Cari Kamm quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cari-kamm/)

## More Cleansing quotes

> [I put hibiscus flower in every cup of tea I have. It's sweet, sexy, and cleansing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-batali/i-put-hibiscus-flower-in-every-cup-of-tea-i-have-it-s-sweet-sexy-and/)

[Mario Batali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-batali/)

> [We must not forget; but we must forgive. Suffering often such compassion from the Jewish community. It was Jewish groups in the US who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/we-must-not-forget-but-we-must-forgive-suffering-often-such/)

[George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/)

> [I use Bioderma. It's like a cleansing oil. I just use that to cleanse my face, I use moisturizer and that's it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-consani/i-use-bioderma-it-s-like-a-cleansing-oil-i-just-use-that-to-cleanse/)

[Alex Consani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-consani/)

> [I find the greatest songs in the world come out of pain, and I don't like it! Here's what it does: It strips away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-richie/i-find-the-greatest-songs-in-the-world-come-out-of-pain-and-i-don-t/)

[Lionel Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-richie/)

> [When I get home at night, then it's time for the real cleansing deal. I go to town either with the Clarisonic or ProActiv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-torres/when-i-get-home-at-night-then-it-s-time-for-the-real-cleansing-deal-i/)

[Eve Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-torres/)

> [I don't want to say I drank the Kool-Aid because I'm definitely not religious and I don't buy into any religion at all. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ladyhawke/i-don-t-want-to-say-i-drank-the-kool-aid-because-i-m-definitely-not/)

[Ladyhawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ladyhawke/)

> [“Laugh now, and laugh hard. For laughter is the bell. And when it rings, it cleanses the air.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/laugh-now-and-laugh-hard-for-laughter-is-the-bell-and-when-it-rings/)

[Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/)

> [“cleansing your friends doesn’t mean you have to expel them from your life forever, but depending on the level of their negativity and potentially…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-alden/cleansing-your-friends-doesn-t-mean-you-have-to-expel-them-from-your/)

[Michael Alden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-alden/)

> [Israel should have exploited the repression of the demonstrations in China, when world attention focused on that country, to carry out mass expulsions among…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-netanyahu/israel-should-have-exploited-the-repression-of-the-demonstrations-in/)

[Benjamin Netanyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-netanyahu/)

> [In the evening, I use a cleansing oil - coconut oil also works - to remove makeup.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-mock/in-the-evening-i-use-a-cleansing-oil-coconut-oil-also-works-to-remove/)

[Janet Mock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-mock/)

> [“Work has a way of cleansing the mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-wheeler/work-has-a-way-of-cleansing-the-mind/)

[Jeff Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-wheeler/)

> [“If salt is a cleansing agent,can't the sea wash away our sins.?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ms-nazareth/if-salt-is-a-cleansing-agent-can-t-the-sea-wash-away-our-sins/)

ms.nazareth

> [The law, instead of cleansing the heart from sin, doth revive it, put strength into, and increase it in the soul, even as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/the-law-instead-of-cleansing-the-heart-from-sin-doth-revive-it-put/)

[John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/)

> [“Many think they play the last act. With life in turmoil, they seem to live the setup of a shattering countdown. To an insistent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/many-think-they-play-the-last-act-with-life-in-turmoil-they-seem-to/)

[Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/)

> [As most doctors will tell you, cleansing is ridiculous. You know what's been around longer than that state-of-the-art juicer? Your kidneys. And your liver.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-crosley/as-most-doctors-will-tell-you-cleansing-is-ridiculous-you-know-what-s/)

[Sloane Crosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-crosley/)

Browse all 238 Cleansing quotes

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