This is undocumented, but the first cave women would use
dinosaur blood for blush and lipstick and would fashion woolly mammoth furs into berets and bikinis (see Raquel Welsh in "1 Million BC") in order to attract the cavemen who had the nicest caves and the most meat. Things like moisturizer, manicures, pedicures, highlights, haircuts, makeup and cute clothing add up. Would life be better if we all had just a few pairs of jeans, only Ivory Soap in our medicine chest and felt content with our wrinkles and flabby thighs?
I truly think it would be a fabulous if women didn't feel the need to get cut open, stabbed with needles and covered in hot wax to look the way society says we SHOULD look. (No comments from the plastic surgeons in the peanut gallery-please!)
My friends who have had plastic surgery say they "did it for themselves-because they deserve it." Interesting perspective, to say that you deserve to pay someone $15,000 to be put under anesthesia, cut open and then take painkillers for two weeks. My opinion is, they did it for themselves, because society tells them their life will be better if they look better...even if it hurts physically and financially.
What do you think? Are you so vain? Have you had plastic surgery? How much money do you think you spend in a year on how you look? No judgements here my friends... I'm on YOUR side. I'm thinking of leading a revolution. If all you people stop wearing makeup, dying your hair and getting Botox, I will...but not until you do it first.
I sure don't want to be the ugliest housewife on the block.
24 comments:
So, the more I thought about this the more I realized that I am most guilty of vanity, too. I realized it when I looked in my rearview mirror for like the 99th time to fix my hair and make sure my teeth were white enough and my lipstick looked ok.
In terms of what I spend...I don't think it's extravagant. I really don't get pedicures or manicures anymore for money sake. Hair products...minimal. m I buy on sale. I dye at home now because of cash flow. And a lot of my makeup comes from Clinique and their free gifts. And I would never consider plastic surgery because with my luck I would end up with the brother of the guy who killed Kanye West's mom!
next time you are in the acme and see a mom in sweats with her hair up with the grey coming out of the roots, no make up what so ever. dry patches of skin around her eyes b/c she is too lazy to use moisturizer. as well as dragging two kids with her, one of which will be in her nightgown she wore the last 2 days, along wiht 2 different color and size crocs, the other kid will be in her undies and a top b/c there were no smooth pants left and she won't wear anything else, no shoes and black feet from the street. that will be me sweetie, and you will feel like the most well put together mother in the universe. I am NOT joking. i never blow dry my hair and i never wear make up. god, my poor husband.
I'm pretty vain, but I have friends who are worse.
I have not had plastic surgery, but I would not rule out a tummy tuck and breast lift if needed after I have kids someday. I don't think I'd do the whole botox thing, but never say never...
I took a class on the pharmacy of cosmetics, and the prof made sure it wasn't lost on us how they developed through ancient societies. Unfortunately, I slept through most of the class, so I don't have any of those facts to share.
I'm not just sure vanity is all bad (just mostly). Think about when your jeans fit great or your makeup or hair is perfect. You feel awesome. Why? Perhaps because you know you will be more desired without such things...leading to a feeling of acceptance? Society likes me! I'm welcome here! Maslow's Hierarchy crap. But who knows. I try and walk the fine line between what makes me confident and whoring my face and body out in the name of attraction. =)
P.S. I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a woman who could say her deadliest sin was not vanity...interesting question eh?
I don't call it vanity. I call it pride.
Here is my question back....is it vanity when society is pressuring us to maintain ourselves? When we get thrown images of Desperate Housewives where they all look kick-ass in their forties? But I am guilty of it and have spent way too much on laser hair removal, I always thought it was a time saver, but come on I just want to be hair free. Trying every new moisturizer that say will change my life.Hair on a schedule for highlights and trims and 2 days a week with a trainer to help me get tight and toned. Oh I feed into it too. I am vain! Say it loud say it proud.
Ok, I'm going to actually embarress myself with the $$$ I spend on beauty.
GYM COST is $50 a month. (at least I stopped the weekly trainer after a year. I haven't even been to the gym in 3 months)
MANICURE AND PEDICURE is only once a month. $40 (but, hey my 20 year old has fabulous nails and toes!)
BOTOX is new. I have had it once and actually loved it. I will only let myself have it twice a year. I think it's $150 but I pay cash so hubby remains unaware. (that's awful isn't it.) I had a photofacial at the end of last year and I love it! It was $200 and hurt like hell but the results were awesome. I would love to get this done about 3 or 4 times a year but will only allow myself to have one annually. It's amazing how much it really helps!
MAKEUP is Chanel and Bobby Brown. Probably averages out to $20 a month or so.
SKINCARE is now Oil of Olay. I have tried La Mer, Chanel, Clinque, and many others but I don't notice a huge change. (the wrinkles are STILL there.) It's probably $25 a month.
HAIR is $150 every six weeks for cut and highlights. I probably stretch this out some.
I have never had plastic surgery. I am not in horrible shape for my age although I would love to have a tummy tuck just because that's the part of my body I hate. I really don't think I would spend the money though. (Ask me again in 10 years)
Ok it's official. I am vain, expensive and shallow. Thanks for helping realize this!
I have an entire post on wanting/needing botox...
Enough said.
I am most vain about aging. I'm not bragging, (ok maybe I am a little) but just yesterday I was told that I look 21. I am 35. I am totally paranoid about looking older. I color/highlight my hair, and use wrinkle cream, mostly as a preventive (*I see those crow's feet starting but nobody else seems to see it). Self tanner, nails are done.
Yeah, I'm vain. Sue me.
I am definitely vain. I probably spend $800/month on beauty treatments and personal trainer. I REFUSE to put botulism in my face, but I am going for a tummy tuck this summer. I work too damn hard at it not to have a flat stomach. However, the reason that I am waiting for the summer-if it goes away enough-I will totally pass on the tummy tuck. I want my boobs lifted as well, but this is just because I don't want to wear a bra-laziness trumps vanity.
Feener-I may like to be a Diva, but I rarely wear make up, and I always wear the yoga pants that I slept in. Don't tell anyone-I will kill you!
You are one of the people that I would most like to have over for wine on my upstairs front porch-notice I said-UPSTAIRS-only the special people get access to the upstairs front porch. MU-AH.
PS-Caffeine Court of course you are invited.
PPS-Anyone willing to admit their vanity is invited. I'll even get my nail gal over for some pedi's while we gossip.
Ok. Where do I start? The aging thing: Yeah, I see the wrinkles, the crows feet, the age spots. That bothers me a lot. It's hitting home that I'm aging. Ughh! I wish I would have worn sunscreen for the past 38 years, but I didn't and now it shows. Each month I get a pedicure, eyebrow wax, roots done, buy too many clothes, and all kinds of lotions and potions that promise to be THE ONE to cure me of my wrinkles, age spots, sagging, and cellulite. Oh, and I spend a solid hour just blow drying and styling my curly hair EVERY SINGLE DAY! Yeah, I'm vain.
First time to your blog...love it! I'm pretty vain myself but it doesn't bother me in the least. I get pedicures, I've been dying my gray head of hair since the age of 24 (premature graying runs in my family)and I've had laser hair removal...quite necessary with the dego stache and uni-brow I had goin on! No surgeries yet but I'm certainly not opposed to them. I have friends with boob jobs and tummy tucks. I hope to get a tummy tuck myself one day...3 C-sections and another belly incision surgery after said C-sections and my belly could use some help...my scar is borderline grotesque...and my boobies could use a major hoist. I never really cared to have big boobs (my Bs are just fine...but I'd like them to be north of my belly button)!
I am SO excited about this whole SINS thing. Really. I even found really cute graphics representing each of the sins in female form. Killer! (I'll email them to you if you like so you can use them too.)
See, I don't really mind if I'm the least attractive housewife on the blog, just as long as I'm not the dumbest. But then again, I'm a wash and go kind of gal. I did just dye my hair at the salon for the first time in 33 year. That took alot out of me.
I think my biggest problem is the whole getting older/mommy thing when I still have good friends who are not even married yet, still have their same great bodies because they have not even THOUGHT about childbirth. So, I think sometimes to feel competent with some of them I feel the need to do all of those things you mentioned, even though I have never had platic surgery. That being said, I am at the stage where sadly, if they make me feel like that I don't need to be around them and I like being with my "real" mommy friends much, much more.
Society makes it freaking impossible to feel good about yourself, I am convinced.
I don't think I spend that much. I get my hair cut and highlighted about every 3 to 4 months. So 3-4 times a year. I might get one pedicure a year. I only wear makeup if I'm dressing for something like church. I don't usually wear it during the week. I buy cheap hair products (shampoo and conditioner).
I do want to have lipo on my arms. I hate my arms. If I have it it won't be until I'm sure I'm finished having children. I hate to shop for clothes, so I'm usually in the same 3 workout shorts and tops from Walmart.
If I could afford it, I would soooo get a tummy tuck/lipo and a boob job (to lift and enlarge).
They say that money doesn't buy happiness, but man, I'd sure love to have endless $$$$ to see for myself!
So I just got the heads up on your little blog party from LunaNik this morning. Sounds like a hoot. Can't wait to play tomorrow. :)
Vanity,here I come. :)
Hmmm... actually I don't spend much on myself these days, but alas, that is only due to the whole impoverished thingy. Before I had kids, I used to spend a ton on clothes and manis and pedis, as well as my hair. Clothes were definitely my biggest expenditure. It was ridiculous. I have not given up my highlights, but everything else has fallen to the way side.
I'm vain but like the natural "this is just how I look - I didn't spend an hour to look this fresh faced and wavy" look. I haven't had any "procedures" (yet) but haven't ruled out the tummy tuck eventually - Finn was a really big baby & I'm not sure if any amt. of Pilates is going to rid me of the stretched out skin. I just haven't decided if I'm vain enough to have surgery to get rid of it....leaning towards no.
I guess I'm vain to a certain extent.....I want to feel good about myself. There are days that I have so much going on that I don't do my hair or make-up and I will go out in public (not a big deal) but I know I don't FEEL like my best self those days. When I do my hair and make-up (which is still pretty au-natural) and have cute clothes on I feel good about myself and I know that that is projected in my attitude and words. But it is about ME, not to impress or play a part to my neighbors or co-workers.
I have started to really notice those those lines around my mouth though.....I wouldn't mind getting those filled in.
hey' babes :)
I'm finally on the 7 Deadly Sins Carnival train and just ended my entry on Vanity.I must say.. I had a lot to say pertaining to Vanity and Pride.I am the biggest,biggest victim,I admit.Now that I've read your share on Vanity,I guess,I can conclude that every one of us have our own reasons as to why we are so concerned about our appearance. Some wud even go an extra mile.....going under the knife,needles and anaethesia,just for the sake of beauty.Yes,the ultimate goal would be to look good but why is it so important,its a whole different story for every woman.
I can go on and on about this LOL..
Nevertheless,I am very surprised to learn that cavewomen used to apply dinosaur blood on their lips as lipstick....very interesting,indeed :)
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