Mirror Mirror On The Wall, Does It Matter After All?

It is early morning and I am staring at the mirror, frowning. I stare at the mirror a little longer mentally making a list of people I would meet that day. The tiniest red spot on my face suddenly seems to have become a priority. I conspire with myself as to what I can possibly do to avert this disaster.

If I told you I am not obsessed with the way I look, I would be lying. I am just like you would expect any eighteen year old to be. Celebrity nose jobs, laser treatments, hairstyles, protein shakes, low fat milk, power yoga, weight loss tips and make-up form a major chunk of my conversations.

When it comes to feeling ugly and insecure about looks, I am definitely not alone. It is funny how a lot of people I consider absolutely gorgeous seem to have insecurities about their looks. 

Beauty is skin deep?

On one hand, this insecurity is eating up a lot of women and on another there is a whole industry that benefits from it. It is not just now but even as we trace back to the 1940s beauty products were sold by creating insecurities and making women more conscious of their appearance. And today I simply cannot find a better word than “abuse” to point out what the beauty industry is doing to our appearances and pockets. Nothing seems to be right in a world where people with silky straight hair desire curls, fair skinned people want a tan, and constant dissatisfaction is encouraged to keep this industry going!

Why are we getting so worked up about our looks? Is the pressure to look good draining away our energy and hard earned money? Definitely yes! A person I really look up to once told me that for six months in a year he avoided looking at the mirror. His job largely involved public speaking and he never failed to charm a room full of strangers. I was taken aback as I wondered how somebody could do that without “grooming” themselves and yet radiate so much confidence.

The truth is the person you are, has nothing to do with the way you look! Ask yourself if you would be able to ditch your mirror for six months. If you think you can, you are probably a rare find.

I don’t want to get philosophical and tell you things like “Beauty is skin deep” because we all know people still believe that “Fine feathers make fine birds”.

Think about it! Does it matter so much? Quoting Bernard Shaw “Beauty is all very well at first sight; but whoever looks at it when it has been in the house three days”.

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It is your personality and the person you are that leaves behind a trace in a life lived. Personality is much more than simply being well groomed and well dressed. The warmth of your smiles, the enthusiasm in your eyes and a genuine honest approach in your heart goes a much longer way than a fancy hair cut!

As little girls we all wanted to be like a princess, but as we grow up we become more like the evil queen in snow white for whom beauty was a competition which she had to win!

Maybe for once it’s time to let your hair down, without ironing it, curling it, colouring it or getting a new fancy hair cut. We need to give ourselves a break and relax as they say, “You don’t love a woman because she is beautiful. She is beautiful because you love her.”

Pic credit: Sage. E (Used under a Creative Commons License)

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