The Superficial

As I’m on the way to work these days, I pass by three slimming and beauty centres, three of them within two rows of shops. Every day, I will have to walk pass Bella Skincare multiple times, once when I go to work, then two times when I go to and from lunch, and finally another time when I go home. And if I go to work using the other way, I’ll pass by Marie France Bodyline nearby. The shopfronts entices people with posters of beautiful, slim models, so scantily clad that I used to wonder how they would even allow that in a country like this. Typically the models are Asian, tall, busty, fair, long hair and have long long legs, and of course thin.

Who would naturally look so perfect? It’s just illusions, skillful photoshopping and all that. However, they create an ideal that many feel pressured to live up to. Walk into any shopping mall on a weekend and take a look at what the youngsters are wearing, there are even kids who dress so scantily you might mistake them for being almost 20. Flip through a fashion magazine, do you see any models who aren’t skinny? And then that brings up all the issues about anorexia, bulimia, underweight models being banned in fashion shows. What has this world come to?

Why do we feel that we have to live up to the paragon? What is the paragon anyway? Why do I even care until I blog about this?

Well, after walking past that fateful shopfront one day, I actually felt inadequate. I know I’m not fat, but I actually felt out of shape and having the complexion of a typical teenager didn’t help. Then I realised how dangerous this really is. All my life, I have regarded these places as being for the rich, misguided souls. What if one day, I actually may buy into this hype in a moment of vulnerability?

Oh don’t get me started on all the things promising to make you a better you. The list is endless. Skincare products, food products, cosmetics, hair products…..

Oh well, what to do? Looks sells. And image and first impressions accounts for so much in this superficial world. Bleh.