We’ve grown in a superficial world where beauty is upheld by unrealistic expectations. This particularly affects women, and can cause damage to their mentality; how many female children create and idolize an unachievable image of what beauty should be like?
When I was younger I would look at Cosmopolitan, Seventeen, Vogue, etc. I would question why I didn’t, and couldn’t look like the models in the magazines that I idolized. Suppressing reality in photoshopped women creates low self-worth and low self-esteem. We’ve become desensitized to what media portrays, and have accepted the twisted concept of what society has led us to believe about what is considered beautiful. Why are women expected to be a size 0, have DD’s, long glossy hair, have a tan glow, full lips, and so on?
Women are supposed to be curvy, but not heavy; women are supposed to be thin, but not too thin; women are supposed to wear clothes that extenuate their physical features, but aren’t supposed to be too revealing. Okay, I’m confused now – why are there so many standards, and why are you telling me how I should dress, or how my body should be? Ahh, the stigma.
Now, don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of beautiful people in the world, but how many of those women are photoshopped, edited, or distorted? How many women are shamed for how they wear and do their make up? Media stigmatizes physical appearance to the extent that it’s almost unattainable, and we let this happen, so what do we now?
Well here’s some advice from a 12 year old
I intern in a 6th grade classroom, and here’s what one of the students had to say:
“Beauty is not only about having a pretty face, but having a pretty heart, pretty soul, and a pretty mind.”
When I first saw this quote written by a 6th grader, I was in awe; this showcases how our generation perceives beauty in perspective.
We need to learn to accept everyone as they are; everyone is beautiful in their own way. If a child can understand this concept, then we adults need to do the same.
Accept who are
I know, I know, it’s easier said than done, but accepting and loving yourself isn’t impossible. Believe me, I also struggled with this. I’m not sure if it was because of the dating scene, friends, social media, or the environment that I was raised in, but loving myself proved to be the most difficult thing that I had to do.
Let me tell you all a story, remember that awkward stage we all had in middle school? Yeah, well I remember mine like it was yesterday. I had terrible, TERRIBLE eyebrows, greasy long bangs, and was into this grey-ish purple lipstick; junior high was a struggle.
One day, Karen from honor’s English called me “ugly.” I felt like my whole world was turning upside down—how could she be so mean?! I went home early that day, after calling my mom crying; I felt like shit, and no one should feel that way–never let someone irrelevant make you question your self-worth.
I’m at that point in my life where I just don’t give a fuck. Who are you to say anything to me? I’m beautiful, and so are you—always remember that. Never let anyone have the power of belittling you.
Let’s talk makeup
Let people wear what they want, how they want, and don’t judge them. There’s a reason everyone looks different, and a reason why various techniques work with various features. If you want to have a harsh contour—go for it. If you want to wear dark smokey eyes with red lipstick-flaunt that shit. If you want to go natural and don’t care for makeup—that’s okay too. Afore mentioned, let’s not be judgey bitches.
I love makeup…as you can see for yourself.
But I can also go out looking like I just woke up–this is about self-acceptance.
Love yourself
Accept yourself, love yourself, and be yourself. As cliché as that may sound, how you feel starts from the source. Take care of yourself, focus on your happiness, and surround yourself with positive and supportive people.
