The Price of Beauty

It's no secret that society's definition of beauty is grossly unfair in terms of expectations, norms, and cost for women.

One of the most basic necessities for all women: makeup. Whether you're a girl who simply throws on mascara and lip balm before you dash out the door, or you're the type of girl that wears a full-face of makeup and delights in experimenting with bright colors and new techniques, everyone wears makeup. Finding the time to do your makeup in the morning, touch it up throughout the day, and making sure you always have your favorite products on hand is a hassle sometimes. Moreover, quality mascara, eye liner, and foundation can get very pricey!


Next up: hair. Most likely, you straighten, curl, or blow dry at home each day, so you know the time commitment you must give to your hair. Then, when you factor in the hair cuts, coloring, and perhaps even permanent straightening or perms, your salon bill for one single visit is almost always in the triple digits.

Now, there's nothing prettier than a fresh manicure and pedicure. It makes you look put together, feminine, pretty, and ready to take on the world! Plus, it's fun! Choosing from the abundance of colors is a simple pleasure every girl craves. The only downside? The expense. A quality manicure and pedicure can total $40-60, and that's before tips! And, since nail polish chips, if you want to keep your nails looking pretty, this is a bi-weekly expense.

Finally, for the most hard-core girls: waxing. It's entirely unfair that women are expected to be these soft, hairless, pre-pubescent creatures and men aren't expected to groom their far-hairier bodies at all, but, that's just the way it is. Now, the majority of us get the big jobs (legs, armpits) done with a daily shave. However, when it comes to eyebrows, bikini lines, and the entire area between the legs, many of us ladies turn to professionals. An eyebrow wax is relatively cheap ($10-15 usually), painless, and quick. A bikini wax, on the other hand, is a lot scarier for many women. To begin with, it's a bit more expensive ($35-50). Many women worry that it will be incredibly uncomfortable and embarrassing to have a waxing professional working so closely to your nether regions. Even more women are worried about the pain! And, anyone who's done it, can tell you that it certainly isn't an enjoyable feeling. However, it only takes a couple of minutes, and the pain can be eased with popping a few Advil's before the appointment. Now, for the hard-core waxing fanatics, is the Brazilian wax. If you don't know what that is, look it up (I'd rather not explain!). The Brazilian gets expensive ($70-110), especially because this is not a wax you want to let just anyone perform. It certainly is uncomfortable, painful, and expensive, but the benefits of it make it entirely worthwhile for some women.


No matter if you're a tom-boy type girl, or a total girly-girl, you no doubt put valuable time, money, and effort into looking beautiful. Is our vanity worth it?

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