Being a woman is a pricey investment, and even more so than the average guy. But, I’m not here to talk about them, so we will not be comparing. The price of beauty is quite astronomical if you break down the cost of looking good. Each part of the anatomy has its own price tag, whether it be hair (all body hair), face, nails … You name it! But it’s all circumstantial.
These days, all you have to do is look at the celebrity culture to get an idea of just how much of an endorsement the art of looking good is portrayed. But in the non-celebrity world, looking good is just as pricey, and dangerous as more people turn to the black market (no pun intended) to augment their appearance in order to seize the current trend! Ass. Boobs. Face. Even when you are working on a budget and you want to be “on point” as some would say, you have to think of how much of an investment it is. And for women, not only is it not cheap, it’s also not pain-free.
You read about when I laid it Bare, and when I spoke about Body.com, and while yes, I’m all for natural beauty and being healthy, what price does it come at?! It’s an investment whichever way you and I look at it.
These days, the natural do along with extensions (wigs, weaves and clip-ins) are all expensive. Hair maintenance is expensive whether you are rocking it natural or extensions – but either way, upkeep of either one ain’t cheap!! But I can’t even hate because I do wear extensions and rock my natural ‘fro from time to time, and both styles aren’t cheap. Face. Look. Bothered?!
This weekend I partook in a mini pamper session which involved getting my nails done (in time for Spring coincidentally) at this cute nail salon called Citrus Nail Lounge, getting waxed at Stripped Wax Bar, getting my eyebrows threaded at Dona Lucia Esthetics and indulging in an amazing foot rub at home. The price tag that came along with these relaxing treats even shocked me a bit because I don’t always get them in one day. Given that, spreading the cost out is a good thing but I was essentially paying the same I would over time as I did on Saturday. It took a moment for the numbers to set in midway through my treatments, but once I had sat down … or laid down my head, there was no going back, especially when it involves hot wax! While lying there, I got thinking about just how painful beauty and the continuous pursuit of looking good can be and why I do it. And then, of course, why do women endure pain to look good?
I do it because:
- I want to look good and feel good about my personal appearance.
- I do it to attract the opposite sex. As a single woman, I do want to attract someone who will appreciate all the finer things that I have to offer in a friendship turned relationship turned love affair turned … everything.
- I do it to fit into the society stereotype of what a woman should look like. Society influences the expectations of what beauty is and what beauty should look like, so even with beauty campaigns, along with others like #effyourbeautystandards, or #BlackGirlMagic, which talk about embracing self-worth and self-beauty, I still want to be seen as a bombshell and so do other women.
Yup, I said it!! Damn society. Damn the opposite sex. But damn … I look good while checking off the points on the list. It’s not always about women empowerment for me, and I can appreciate both sides of the argument – society vs. female empowerment.
I endured significant pain during that what seemed like a forever wax session, and as I lay there wondering when the pain would stop, I couldn’t help be amused at the fact that us – women – willingly volunteer ourselves for such painful beauty regimes like these. C’est lat vie!
Being a woman is a blessing indeed, but the price of beauty is a curse. Yes, one can look at it as an investment but it is expensive and it is painful at times. Is it worth it though? 100% yes!! Personally, I can look in the mirror and know that I look and feel amazing for myself, and even if I don’t go on a date, I know I be on fleek!
Sometimes it’s not about anybody else. It is and for me. Being Woman.
Outfit: Calvin Klein Dress Coat – Old | Black Long Sleeve Tee – Old (Similar – here, here and here) | Hudson Jeans (Similar here) | Scarf – | Boots – Aldo (Not on Camera)
... S. xo