Skin-deep Beauty.
Beauty parlors and spas are household names today. Growing up, the only occasion V visited the beauty parlor was to get her hair cut. A bob cut, a V cut, rasna gal cut were norms of the day. When she was around 12, V's mom and grand mom decided she needs to have some curls in her otherwise straight as a stick hair. After few hours, the beautician gave up.
Over the years, haircuts were the only think V visited the neighborhood parlor for. Friends moved on to eyebrow threading and waxing and she never jumped the wagon. A couple of years in college and then she decided to attempt the ritual of waxing, sending shock waves at home. But it was too painful and too long for V's hyper-active personality.
She threaded her eyebrows for the first time a couple of days before her engagement, stuck to forced home facials by grandma and lived. She did the all bridal thing for her wedding and called it a day.
A few months back, after a sunny vacation, the tanned V decided it was time for a facial. She shocked the beautician by telling her that she did her eyebrows 3 years back and never did a commercial facial in life. Today she hits the spas or salons or parlors for a quick haircut, an occasional pedicure and manicure with her girl friends and at times a massage.
And then she sees this.
A facial and massage for a 2-year old? to relax her? oh yeah! relaxation in a spa for a 3 yr old? And the mother telling she wants the girl to know she is beautiful and she is loved? Isn't she sending a message to the little one that beauty is skin deep? And will the mom's love fade away or lessen if the girl was not having regular spa visits? And where did we get the idea that princess are beautiful? Confidence building by visits to the spa? Aren't there other ways to boost the confidence of your child?
I admit, good grooming boosts confidence and isn't it the reason we pick, colors that flatter us and our favorite outfits for that-big-day-at-work. Matching accessories and a dab of her favorite lip color boosts V's confidence levels. But visits to a spa at 2?
A lot of mommy bloggers I read have been worried about the influence of fairy tale princess in the lives of their little ones. Fluffy pink dresses, tiaras, glass slippers, white-as-milk complexion and the most-beautiful-girl-on earth. And this is the icing on the cake!
This is when I go, what-on-earth-is-the-world-coming-to?
And out of curosity, I have added a poll/survey to find out at what age girls typically had their first facial done. Please vote there.
Over the years, haircuts were the only think V visited the neighborhood parlor for. Friends moved on to eyebrow threading and waxing and she never jumped the wagon. A couple of years in college and then she decided to attempt the ritual of waxing, sending shock waves at home. But it was too painful and too long for V's hyper-active personality.
She threaded her eyebrows for the first time a couple of days before her engagement, stuck to forced home facials by grandma and lived. She did the all bridal thing for her wedding and called it a day.
A few months back, after a sunny vacation, the tanned V decided it was time for a facial. She shocked the beautician by telling her that she did her eyebrows 3 years back and never did a commercial facial in life. Today she hits the spas or salons or parlors for a quick haircut, an occasional pedicure and manicure with her girl friends and at times a massage.
And then she sees this.
A facial and massage for a 2-year old? to relax her? oh yeah! relaxation in a spa for a 3 yr old? And the mother telling she wants the girl to know she is beautiful and she is loved? Isn't she sending a message to the little one that beauty is skin deep? And will the mom's love fade away or lessen if the girl was not having regular spa visits? And where did we get the idea that princess are beautiful? Confidence building by visits to the spa? Aren't there other ways to boost the confidence of your child?
I admit, good grooming boosts confidence and isn't it the reason we pick, colors that flatter us and our favorite outfits for that-big-day-at-work. Matching accessories and a dab of her favorite lip color boosts V's confidence levels. But visits to a spa at 2?
A lot of mommy bloggers I read have been worried about the influence of fairy tale princess in the lives of their little ones. Fluffy pink dresses, tiaras, glass slippers, white-as-milk complexion and the most-beautiful-girl-on earth. And this is the icing on the cake!
This is when I go, what-on-earth-is-the-world-coming-to?
And out of curosity, I have added a poll/survey to find out at what age girls typically had their first facial done. Please vote there.
5 Comments:
Half the world seems to live in parlors and survive on facials these days! But there is no "never" in your poll! Is it coz u are very sure ppl would have done a facial atleast once??
Oh! how could you forget all the weekly beauty oil massages you were given as a child and later -the scented sambirani passing through your straight ,silky hair and the beauty sleep which followed- ofcourse it was at home and not at a beauty saloon-may be the saloons are because mums and grand mums donot find time for all these things these days!
Nice article...I just go to the parlour to get my eyebrows done and get a haircut.Never did a facial even for my wedding! The first time I went to get my eyebrows done was when I was 16!
if u ask me, it just sounds ridiculous!! why do 2 yr old's need facials??? beats me!!
I am sorry I have been late in replying to your comments..
Sementi: Well I just assumed most women and girls succumb to peer pressure and vanity atleast once in life time... if not they deserve a shirne ;)
Anonymous: Oil massages are to increase blood circulation for the kid and though it does have beauty benefits, I will not call it a beauty treatment. I am not sure of the reason for use of sambirani but I think it was used as a hair dryer and a incense more than beauty purposes. of course beauty using home remedies have been used for ever but do you think it was done to build confidence? That was my point.
Homecooked: Thanks!
Mandira: Yes it is crazy! and I still wonder where all this beauty craze will end in
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