This weeks episode of The Well I talk all about beauty! Inner, outer and all the definitions in between. The beauty industry has absolutely exploded in the past few decades with millions of consumers jumping on the latest “youth extension” fads; lotions, serums, creams, fillers, tattoos, injectables, facelifts, lasers, needling there’s really something for everyone! When we strip back all the things that make us feel more beautiful there’s something driving that desire to maintain (or enhance) our physical looks. When it’s unpacked it’s usually stemming from a place of lacking in self acceptance and sitting in a state of comparison with others. Society has not done us any favours with airbrushed beauties splashed across the pages of the glossy magazines on display all around us. Social media has only enhanced the feeling of “am I good enough? As pretty? As relevant? As double tap worthy?” But it’s not all doom and gloom, it should be noted too that there’s also a positive trend focused on embracing the way we look, highlighting our natural beauty and diversifying the images that we see on our screens, runways and magazines. We see more body inclusivity and see beauty in all its forms, this tells me that we are simultaneously getting pulled in opposing directions, as we see the rise in plastic surgery so too are we witnessing the movement towards loving the skin we are in. We live in a world where both realities co-exist, so the question is.. where do you land with it all?
I’ve had an interesting history with “beauty”, at times in my life I’ve felt objectified and celebrated because people categorised me in a certain way but I’ve also felt vilified because of judgments surrounding the way I look too. In my twenties it felt like an emotional rollercoaster one that was hard to dismount. Nowadays I don’t listen to any other voices surrounding the way I look besides my own, unless it’s my mother saying I look tired! Then I just shift my bedtime a little earlier ha! I’ve come to a place in my life where I am grateful to have a healthy body and I’ve adopted a self love kind of attitude. It’s not that I turn a blind eye to the parts of me that are “imperfect”, I can see the dark circles under my eyes, the smatterings of wrinkles, the mum bum, my pitiful fingernails, wild unruly hair and the looks-like-someone-took-a-dump-on-my-forehead pigmentation which now so thoughtfully has spread to my upper lip making me look like Terry the trucker growing an impressive movember ‘stache. So I’m throwing a heck of a lot of self love all over my stashe, poop stained forehead and all the other things I’ve noticed on my body and pulled a 😬 face at. I’m wearing those things like a badge; loud and proud! Well some days at least. There are times when I feel more confident than others and that’s okay, sometimes I like to cover up my pigmentation and the I-have-many-children eye bags (like for an audition) and other days I just rock it all. I’m a default no makeup kind of gal, I’ve always been that way (once I got through the L’Oréal loving painted on face teenager of the noughties phase.)
So in my world, the fillers, plastic surgery, Botox and the other methods to attain a standard of beauty that feels elusive isn’t something I entertain, instead I go the “embrace what you’ve got” vibes and have figured out my way with ageing. My method if you could call it that, is finding the balance between products I love, treatments I enjoy (hello microblading my eyebrows!!!) eating healthy, drinking daily Lovewell, sleeping as best I can, staying hydrated, moving my body and participating in healing, rejuvenating rituals which can be something as simple as just being around awesome kind hearted company and having soulful conversations. All these things leave me feeling and looking my very best.
What about you? We'd love you to share below what leaves you feeling and looking your very best!
Thanks for tuning in, until next time.
Teresa xo
@lovewell.earth | lovewell.earth
Which tinted moisturiser please and which raspberry lipbalm??? Thanks :)