Warning: I feel a rant coming. I'm having a philosophical struggle with myself and need to work through it. Deal with it!I just saw an ad for La Prairie's Skin Caviar Lux Cream--a freaking $650 facial moisturizer--and I got a little sick to my stomach. I can't even begin to imagine who's buying such a frivolously expensive item. I mean really...don't these people have any better way of spending $650? How does one justify such an extravagance? And does a $650 skin care product really work THAT much better than a $25 one?
There are times when the beauty world just makes me gag. I know, I know...cosmetics and skin care are all about creating an illusion of beauty. But this illusion of beauty often equates to socio-economic status so that the more beautiful you look, the more wealthy you appear.
We're all guilty of trying to look our best. The motivation may be to impress, to oppress, or to show the world that despite whatever we may feel on the inside, we're damn fine on the outside. We wear clothes that cost too much and shoes that hurt our feet, carry purses that cost more than an iPod, and are interested in having it all....right now. It's an ego driven world we live in, and to play the game of life, we need to dress the part.
I'm not suggesting that we all wear burlap sacks and forgo makeup altogether. I'm much too in love with cute shoes and beauty products to suggest such a radical notion, but there has to be a balance. If you really must spend $650 on freaking moisturizer, maybe you should put another $650 into an IRA, or hell, give $650 to a charity that helps women who are less advantaged get their feet back on the ground.
Beauty doesn't just come from the outside. Sure, you can have all the expensive products and designer clothes in the world, but if you're a shitty person underneath it all, your ugliness will burn right though your posh exterior.
