You Really Expect Me to Look Like I Just Stepped Out of a Magazine, Daily?
Many women experience the
pressure to look like a glamour girl or TV/Magazine image by our spouse,
significant other, co-workers, employers and even vain family members. I feel grieved
inside while hearing stories of men or husbands complain about their women
wearing hair rollers in the hair at night or morning and facial masks as a
routine hair care/styling and skin care regimen but simultaneously desire their
women to look “picture perfect” or like women they see on TV, film, magazines
and high profile/income careers on a daily basis.
Society has already put enough
pressure women to look made-up all day-wearing extensions, layers of skin
products and the latest trends and/or designer clothes. There’s no problem with
dolling ourselves up when we feel or need to but it’s the pressure, critique
and comparison many of us experience that seems like an epidemic. Because of
this, many young girls/women fall into a lifestyle of a superfluous and
superficial persona. I’m advocating for my sista-girls right now of all
cultural diversities.
Let’s look at a couple of facts and do a reality check:
1.
If we don’t maintain our tresses
and take care of our skin (face), how can we look radiant and well-groomed?
2.
Every woman does not have 20-45
minutes to spend putting layers of make-up and hot curls on before going to
work.
3.
Every woman cannot afford to book
an appointment at the salon weekly, bi-weekly or even monthly.
4.
Every woman cannot spend hundreds
of dollars on protective styling just to please your obsession with length.
5.
It is not realistic to expect EVERY
woman to go to bed wearing make-up and head scarfs to sleep in and then wake up
looking as if nothing has touched her face or hair.
6.
Every woman is not a celebrity
with an (entourage) PR (public relations), Personal hair stylist, make-up
artist or image consultant to assist with image/appearance, etc.
Tips for you men:
1.
Give us more time to do our thang
(cleanse, exfoliate, moisturize and/or make-up our face).
2.
Agree with us in taking time to
break from chemically-based products to wearing natural-based products because
the goal may take a little longer when using natural products.
3.
Be supportive in our endeavors to
LOOK and FEEL and BE healthy internally and externally. I promise you, you will
be happy with the results.
4.
Encourage her (wife, girlfriend,
daughter, mother, aunt, grandmother or sister) to be happy valuing her
na-tu-ra-listic self.
5.
Be more empathetic with her
changes and transitions.
6.
Compliment her more to show her
you are more concerned with inner-being and feelings.