Feminine Torture Beauty Rituals

I've been holding off on writing this post for a long time, out of respect for the guys who probably don't want to read it. So, guys, skip this one - you have been duly warned.

This morning, when I was getting dressed, my earring was almost ripped out of my ear when it got caught on my shirt (can you say "ouch!") (oh, but don't worry, I have three more, earrings that is, not ears), and I was once again transported to that place inside me that cries "WHY???" every time I go to get my eyebrows done or engage in other feminine torture rituals (oh, excuse me, "pampering").

The lengths that women go to be pretty - the waxing, the threading, the plucking, the shaving. The make-up, the heels, the pantyhose, the hair-straightening. I'm not at all immune, I buy in, but I often wonder why on earth we subject ourselves to it. Is it because men tell us we have to? I honestly don't think so - I think we put the pressure upon ourselves when we look around and want her eyes, or her skin, never quite happy with what we were given.

To the point of surgery, eating disorders (as Ezzie was discussing last week) and crazy exercise rituals, I've rarely found a woman who was happy with how she looks. Even those who are seemingly confident still desire this or that physical feature to be changed and perfected. I'm not sure if I've ever met anyone who was completely comfortable with her body.

As low maintenance as I am (and I am pretty low maintenance as far as most women are concerned), I still do it. I put on make-up (though I have to admit that I've come to view make-up as fun and artsy rather than a pain), I wear the pantyhose, I cut myself shaving every other day, I get my eyebrows torn from my skin (which HURTS). I spend the money for those "necessities" that I can't live without such as mascara, lipstick and waxing (and I spend far less than a lot of people - I saw a girl on the bus last night with a long receipt of items from Sephora, and I know how much that stuff costs!).

Why do we buy into society's demands? Why do we pressure ourselves and spend so much time to look "pretty" when we would probably look pretty without all of it? I'm not sure. All I know is, I'm probably not giving up my bi-weekly trips to the threading place any time soon. (They just do such a good job, how could I abandon them?)

All the pain - what's the gain? (Oh yeah, it's when a guy you like looks at you and says, "You look nice." I know that melts me.)

(Note - It's been suggested that my sarcasm does not come out via the Internet, so by the way, while I'm serious about the topic in general, the post is kinda tongue-in-cheek. Don't take it too seriously.)