The other day my friend Cathy and I were talking about what
constitutes beauty. Is it some standard that is set by marketing people? By
cosmetic companies? Who decides what makes someone “look” beautiful?
Ok. Let’s face it. I don’t walk out of my house without
some form of makeup on my face. Even if it’s just a quick run to the
supermarket. I mean after all, someone I know might see me. Even if it means
just throwing on some lipgloss, I can’t have a naked face. No one sees me sans
makeup except for my immediate family and my band mates.
In today’s world, we are bombarded with expectations. Wear
this product and your skin will look 10 years younger. Use this shampoo and you
will have hair shinier than a newly minted penny. And so, we do. And does it
work? Sometimes.
What if we didn’t? I mean what if we didn’t use beauty
products and just went au natural 100% of the time? Would we, as women be
chastised for not looking up to par?
For me personally, I know that I look and feel better when I
have “my face on” as the saying goes. It’s kind of like that first cup of
coffee. A jumpstart to what ever I have to do during the course of the day. As
a fifty something year old woman I need to look my best in a world of twenty
something and thirty something work colleagues and band mates. I don’t want to
be the fading old woman. And thus, I completely support my local cosmetics
counters.
I also know that looking and feeling good doesn’t solely
come from a tube or bottle. Healthy eating, sleep and exercise are all
components of the body beautiful. I know I’ll never be a Giselle but it really
doesn’t matter. I’m me. I’m beautiful in my own right. Now where the hell did I
put that tube of lipgloss?!
Have a beautiful week!
