As a pivot my practice to work exclusively with providers of beauty products and services, I am excited to participate in what I consider to be the power of beauty.
The Power of Beauty Products
As a native Californian, I was born with a suntan. My family spent the spring, summer and fall around a lake or pool. We used ordinary products from the grocery store and never exfoliated. This practice was continued for most of my life. Sometime in my forties, all the “skin stress” really began to show on my face and hands. By the time I was inching to 60, I was at a loss at how to begin repairing my skin. That is when I decided to go to beauty school to study esthetics.
In school, we naturally practiced on each other and as the semester progressed, so did the changes I was seeing in the quality of my skin. Some of the changes were remarkable, such as the age spots on my hands. My grandparents and parents had large age spots so I had accepted that was the fate of my hands. In school I started using the Karina Glycolic Hand and Foot Moisturizer twice a day as a moisturizer. One day, I was looking at my hands and realized that my age spots were disappearing. It was remarkable!
While this may not seem like a big deal to some people, every time I looked at my hands, there they were! There was no escaping this constant reminder that my body was aging. Now, I see hands that are a bit aged, but they are not strikingly old. This absolutely has impacted how I feel about myself.
The Power of Beauty Services
There are numerous studies that identify correlations between personal care and mental health. Receiving skin treatments, haircuts and other services are part of our self-care routine. Skin care has been shown to be a positive mood booster, leads to better self-esteem, greater confidence and overall emotional well being. Even the product fragrances used in spas and salons lead to a sense of well-being.
There was an experience that really changed how I felt about beauty care. I was at a restaurant with a table full of older women. At one point, they began speaking poorly about another woman, because of her appearance. They did not like what she wore, how she wore, and on and on. These were educated women who, quite frankly should have known better. It was in that moment that it occurred to me why women pursue beauty care. Self-care leads to better mental health. That is at the core of beauty services. Had these nasty women put in as much care in their appearance, they they engage in such unattractive behavior.
The Power of Beauty
Let’s value any activity, event, or product that leads to greater confidence and contributes to our sense of well-being. As a strong feminist, I know that beauty products and beauty care have improved my appearance and contributed to the health of my skin. Beauty treatments are part of my regular self-care routine and are a valuable contributor to my mental health. The power of beauty comes from the confidence we feel from better self-care.