What is the cost of beauty?

They, meaning society and companies, told you, you had a problem. Then sold a solution to the problem that never even existed.

I want you to consciously walk down the beauty aisle. 

Anti-aging cream.
Cellulite cream.
Firming lotion.
Neck cream.
Eye cream.
Lip masks.
Hair growth serum.
Brow serum.
Lash serum.
Waist trainers.
Detox teas.
Fat burners.
Collagen gummies.
Body sculpting.

And actually thing about the messaging portrayed here. 

Because to me the message is fucking loud and crystal clear:

Your body is a problem.

And lucky for you, someone has a product to fix it.

Except... what if your body was never the problem?

Like what if, these problem were invented.

Beauty Is a Business, a business you do not get benefits from, its also absolutely with a Moral Obligation

The global beauty industry is worth hundreds of billions of dollars. It doesn't grow by convincing women they're already enough.

It grows by convincing us that we're always one purchase away from finally becoming acceptable.

Think about it.

One decade we're told eyebrows should be pencil thin. The next decade those are brows on the same face are supposed to be thick and fluffy.

We were told to tan, *sun kissed*.
Then avoid the sun *it might give you dark spots*.
The solution? Use our fake tan products.

Other examples: 

Big lips.
Small lips.
Curvy.
Heroin chic.
Strong.
Soft.

The goalposts move because if beauty standards stayed still, companies would run out of things to sell us.

The Pink Tax Is Real

Even when women buy products that are nearly identical to men's, we often pay more simply because they're marketed to us.

A pink razor.
A floral deodorant.
A lavender body wash.

Different packaging.

Higher price.

Consumer Reports found that products marketed to women can cost up to 48% more than comparable men's personal care products.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office also found that after accounting for package size and other variables, women frequently paid more for deodorant, shaving cream, body sprays, and fragrances. They also note that not every men's product is cheaper, but overall, women encounter higher prices across many categories.

Now add that to another reality.

Women already spend significantly more time and money meeting beauty expectations that society rarely asks of men.

Most men can walk into work having washed their face with the same soap they used on the rest of their body.

Women?

We're expected to have glowing skin, smooth legs, styled hair, manicured nails, white teeth, wrinkle-free faces, perfect brows, long lashes, flawless makeup that somehow looks like we're wearing none at all.

And if we don't?

People call us lazy, "let ourselves go," or unprofessional.

And no matter how much work we do on our selves there are times this can be so fucking demoralizing. 

Insecurity Is a Marketing Strategy

This is the part that makes me angry.

Corporations don't have to create impossible beauty standards.

They just have to keep them alive.

Every ad quietly whispers:

"You'd be prettier if..."

"You'd be younger if..."

"You'd finally feel confident if..."

Imagine if we (women) collectively woke up tomorrow genuinely believing their bodies weren't problems.

How many industries would lose billions?

Diet culture.

Cosmetics.

Anti-aging.

Weight-loss supplements.

Body sculpting.

Many companies don't just sell products.

They sell an illusion that often doesn’t exist in the reality. 

Because if we aren’t actually tending to our needs we will not be living in pleasure, in a world that we are excited to wake up and be a part of.

There Is Nothing Wrong With Loving Beauty

Let me be clear.

I'm not anti-makeup.

I'm not anti-skincare.

I'm not anti Botox.

I'm not anti hair dye.

I paint women covered in glitter for a living.

Beauty can be art.

Beauty can be play.

Beauty can be self-expression.

The question isn't Are you wearing lipstick?

The question is:

Who taught you that you needed it to be worthy?

There's a massive difference between decorating a body you love and constantly trying to repair one you've been taught to hate.

One comes from existing. 

The other comes from fear.

What If We Opted Out?

What if instead of asking,

"How do I become prettier?"

we asked,

"Who profits from me believing I'm not enough?"

What if the money we spent chasing impossible standards went toward things that actually made us feel alive?

Travel.

Art.

Books.

Therapy.

Dance classes.

A gym membership because lifting heavy makes you feel powerful, not because you're trying to earn your dinner.

A massage.

A weekend with friends.

Paint.

Experiences.

Joy.

The most radical thing you can do isn't buying another miracle cream.

It's refusing to believe your body needs fixing before your life can begin.

Your body isn't a problem to solve.

It's the home you'll live in for the rest of your life.

Stop investing all your energy into becoming someone else's version of beautiful.

Start investing in becoming more yourself.

XOXO,

Tiffany 

Resources:

If you want to dig deeper into how beauty standards and gendered marketing shape our beliefs, these are great places to start:

• Consumer Reports: The Pink Tax Costs People Usually Women Up to 48% More for Personal Care Products.

• U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO): Research on gender-related pricing differences in personal care products.

• New York City Department of Consumer Affairs: From Cradle to Cane: The Cost of Being a Female Consumer (the landmark study that found women paid more in 30 of 35 product categories).

• TEDx Talk: Pink Tax and the BS in Beauty Standards by Dr. Felicia Clark.

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