Beauty

[Babar]

There was a "National Beauty Conference" yesterday near where I live. One of the speakers, a Ms. Jean Oscar, (I think she was some sort of beautician) said something to the effect that the expanding beauty parlour business in the city would allow women to enter practical life confidently.

This statement struck me as a little weird. I took it either to mean that women were unconfident if they didn't look beautiful, or that women were "more confident" doing cosmetic-type work.

Oddly enough, I always wondered about this. What is this female obsession with beauty? Or with cosmetics at least? Everytime they leave the house, they have to add a little eyeshadow, or some lipstick, or some nail-polish. I can understand if there is some special outing to go to, but my friends even wear all that to school, where there is no real reason to be made up, AND there are many strict rules AGAINST lipstick, nail-polish, make-up and jewellery.

Even in movies. Everyone has to be beautiful. I can't remember the last time I saw a lead female character who was normal looking. The "Strong-willed, independant intelligent, athletic, and (of course) beautiful woman" character has almost become a cliché. Nuclear Scientists RARELY look like beauty queens (and don't get me started on beauty contests).

Even magazines. There was a cover story in a local magazine awhile ago about increasing women in the law profession, but instead of even a picture of the women they based their article off, the cover had a cartoon "woman caricature" with one of those white wigs and a number of books under arm.

I'm not saying this behaviour is exclusive to women, though. Preening yourself seems to be encouraged in men too. "Metrosexual"....eeeeer. It's just that it seems more so in women. Of course, I am probably generalising, I KNOW that not all women put beauty up to an importance it doesn't deserve.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with looking beautiful. I'm just saying there is nothing wrong with being normal looking either. I understand the need to look neat, cut your hair, clip your nails, wear nice clothes, and occasionally have fun dyeing your hair, painting your nails, dressing up, but I don't see why it has been made mandatory to always look like you are out of some beauty magazine.

Whew...sorry, about the long rant, you probably think it is pretty meaningless, I just had to let it off my chest.

[Paper Carnival]

I completely agree.. And to be honest, I prefer WAY more the girls/women that don't try too much to look beautiful. They look more... natural, if you know what I mean. And no matter how cheesy it sounds, I'm sure everyone would prefer that people love them for who they are and not for how they look.

[PyroMonkey]

It's sort of an instinct for women to want to be attractive. It often helps them get a mate.

It's similar to how most men like smooth round buttocks and large bosoms. It's instinctual and can't be helped without a high enough level of restraint.

[AlbinoPanther]

We(my girlfriend and me) are so down with you.
There are special days(nights) for all that makeup(oooohhhh).
Because of that they are special.
And why to do something speciall every day.Eventually speciall becomes normal(and that is worst thing).
Beauty is important but only when that beuty is used for putting smile on face of your love one(girlfriend, wife....)

Using beauty for makeing money
World ask yourself where are you going


We are diffrent or wrong or we are just how you suppose to be in eyes of God and yourself.

BE VIGILANT
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[Helm]

Um, what exactly is so odd about this behaviour? Maybe you haven't noticed that world is obsessed with fucking? Prime instinctual directive and everything?

[Babar]

heh...you might be right, but that would be pretty depressing. I'm sure there are many things more important than fucking. There's breathing for one.

The point is, sex appeal is not the same thing as beauty. A person who is not really "beautiful" may be sexaully attractive, and a person who is beautiful need not necessarily be sexually attractive.

Besides, I really can't see how eyeshadow (to pick an example), should have any effect on sex appeal. What, do people have eyeshadow fetishes?

[Vince Twelve]

Besides, I really can't see how eyeshadow (to pick an example), should have any effect on sex appeal. What, do people have eyeshadow fetishes?

Eyeshadow is of paramount importance!

Have you ever woken up in the morning next to that woman you met at the club the night before only to roll over and feast your horrified eyes on what she looks like when her makeup is off?  Happened to me just the other day:

[SSH]

Besides, I really can't see how eyeshadow (to pick an example), should have any effect on sex appeal. What, do people have eyeshadow fetishes?

Abba did.

Wikipedia suggests that the eyes of a young person are bigger in proportion to their face, and so mascara and eyeshadow are meant to make someone look younger. However, the entry on Kohl says "Kohl was originally used as protection against eye ailments. Darkening around the eyelids also provided relief from the glare of the sun. ... Some kohl preparations contain a large proportion of galena (lead sulfide) or stibnite (an antimony ore), and the soot from various nuts, seeds and gum resins. Lead and antimony are toxic and would kill bacteria transmitted by flies and contaminated water."

Of course lead/antimony has long term health implications but then life expectancies were much shorter then anyway...


Remember, too, that there's makeup done well and done badly. Bad makeup is noticable, good makeup is not noticed conciously, but it noticed by your subconcious/libido

[big brother]

I think the backlash to the traditional beauty promoted by runway shoes and fashion magazines is becoming mainstream. For instance, look at the latest Dove campaign for its moisturizer: www.campaignforrealbeauty.com. Or the recent Nike print campaign celebrating women's big butts, thunder thighs, wide hips, and tomboy knees (and 2 other body parts that I forget, maybe shoulders and something else).

I have to say that using non-professional models in advertising is a step in the right direction, as far as promoting self-esteem among women and curbing self-image complexes.

In addition, it's a solid marketing approach. 90% of any female product is used by women of average looks. Maybe 2% or fewer are users that look like the women the ads depict. The remaining 8% could be men who are closely in touch with their innate femininity, but that's a whole other topic.

[Las Naranjas]

Pfft, people dumb enough to buy makeup deserve to be exploited.