WHETHER you want to call it being vain, or simply insane, there is no denying the fact that we women go to great lengths just to look beautiful and trendy, most times in an effort to impress men. Potions, lotions and crazy notions have been used throughout history to help us maintain that perfect figure, create soft, silky skin and long bouncy hair.
“The competition factor alone, added to TV and magazines, lead women to devise all kinds of strategies to look more beautiful,” PR executive Nordia Walker said. “Being in pain for beauty is now normal. If it hurts, then the results are supposed to be better.”
And it’s not an experience that’s unique to Jamaicans.
In the China of old, women bound their feet into deformed lumps which were considered beautiful; in the modelling industry, women starve themselves to fit the thin perfection; and world around, women are sucking fat and implanting silicone, breaking noses and stuffing their butts in an effort to meet whatever is that culture’s ideal for beauty.
We know that as women, trying to attain a certain model of beauty is something we all do — poor or rich, fat or thin. Whether it’s just an eyebrow tweeze, a bikini wax, or a cleavage boosting contraption bought in a store that makes us unable to breathe, the reasons given for painful beauty is similar for most women — beauty equals confidence and confidence rocks.
Here are a few of these painful beauty routines that have become commonplace in our culture that will have you screaming “ouch”. No worries though, we also give you less painful alternatives, that will still have you looking and feeling great.
1. Bikini wax: A bikini wax is a great way to remove unwanted hair so you can sport that swimsuit with confidence and be hairless for longer. But having the hair ripped off your skin is not something for the faint hearted. A less painful alternative? While bikini waxes are excellent for keeping the hair off longer and the area smoother you can also try depilatory creams made for the bikini area. Your only discomfort will be the smell. If you insist on waxing, however, doctors advise that you down pain meds before your session, for a less excruciating experience.
2. Tweezing the eyebrow: No doubt, tweezing your eyebrows is a good way to get a perfect arch. But this process is both painful and time consuming, as you will have to remove each hair individually. A less painful alternative? Waxing, believe it or not, gets the hairs off in one go. Also, eyebrow hair seems less sensitive than bikini hair, so waxing the brows won’t hurt as much.
3. Plastic surgery: Gone are the days when women had no choice but to live with what God gave them. Plastic surgery has changed all that as by going under the knife, a woman can come out with a totally different body from the one she went under with. Despite the pain during the recovery period, some have become addicted to tweaking and reducing their body parts to their heart’s content. A less painful alternative? There are ways to do everything from lift the butt to increasing breast size with the correct exercise, or the correct bra.
4. Processing the hair: This beauty routine is extremely popular, despite the fact that it is time consuming, expensive and sometimes painful for women. Although the hair care industry has developed a number of no lye relaxers which have significantly reduced one’s chances of being burnt, there are still many out there that leave us wiggling in the salon chair and eager for a rinse. A less painful alternative: Instead of relaxing, try hot ironing. Not only are the results similar, but it’s less expensive. Also, going natural beats chemicals any day, so consider going back to your roots.
5. Piercings: As if piercing the ears wasn’t painful enough, some have resorted to piercing the navel, earlobe, tongue, nose, chin, nipples and other unlikely places. While piercings can be beautiful, and even erotic, a less painful alternative is clip-ons or pasties.
6. Sporting stilettos: Even wearing the right size pumps can wreak havoc on our feet, but women generally love the lift it gives and the immediate boost in confidence. So even if their soles hurt from sporting a sexy pair of stilettos, so be it, because they are just too cute to resist. A less painful alternative? Cute flats and a nice pedicure can give you the same self-confidence boost. And if you insist on wearing stilettos, carry flats in your purse and change into them at work.
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