my list of every process/item a woman is concerned about in her life
the list is exhaustive, yet i am certain i have forgot about a few things. i'm not saying every woman worries about these things 24/7, but i do think the average woman does at least once or often
i am not even going to even discuss why women care about these things and what influences us to care about these things because the post would be too long…
but let’s just say social media, beauty standards, external validation, and the patriarchy definitely play a role. oh and rampant consumerism & late stage capitalism. can’t forget those two.
i made this list to highlight how absolutely fucking exhausting and draining it can be to exist as a woman, simply because even if you don’t care about these things yourself, plenty of other women do, and we’re socialized to care about things like the following list.
it’s quite insane to list all of this out and realize how much shit women are expected to keep up with, buy, and maintain:
makeup
primer
foundation
concealer
setting powder
blush
highlighter
eyebrow gel
eyebrow pencils
eyeliner
eyeliner pencils
mascara
eyeshadow
contour
bronzer
fake eyelashes
eyelash extensions
lip tattooing
eyeliner tattooing
eyebrow microblading
eyelash glue
setting sprays
lip liner
lipstick
lip gloss
lip plumpers
freckles
beauty marks
facial hair
peach fuzz
shaving our face
shaving our peach fuzz
face jewels
brushes
washing brushes
if the makeup is waterproof or not
choosing the right brushes
texture of the makeup
appearance of the makeup
if the makeup photographs well
creasing of the makeup
touch ups of the makeup
removing the makeup
style of the makeup
repurchasing the makeup
discovering new makeup aka “being influenced”
if the makeup is trendy or outdated
if the makeup is comfortable
if the makeup triggers any allergies
if the makeup is correct for the occasion
if the makeup has any scent or smells good
if the makeup is the correct color or match
if the makeup is organic/free of certain ingredients or processes
if the makeup is expired
how cheap or expensive the makeup products are
how easy it is to buy the makeup (online, in store, etc.)
skincare
cleanser
moisturizer
sunscreen
under eye cream
retinol/retinoids
prescriptions
serums
spot treatments
face masks
skin cycling
facials
spa treatments
gua sha
dermarolling
dermaplaning
light therapy
pimples/acne
redness/rosacea
tiny little bumps
pore size
skin texture
how much the skin glows
how bouncy the skin is
how to layer the skincare
how many steps it is
how cheap or expensive the products are
how trendy or outdated the products are
if the skincare smells good or has a scent at all
skincare maintenance
scheduling maintenance
how easy it is to buy the skincare (online, in store, etc.)
if the skincare triggers any allergies
skin purging
skin color
fake tanning
how much your face’s skin color matches your body color
tanning mits
skin bleaching
exfoliation
brushes/towels to exfoliate
if the skincare is organic/free of certain ingredients or processes
skincare by regions of the world
prescription skincare
scarring/discoloration
body
body type
body weight
piercings
tattoos
scarring/discoloration
how we look naked
how we look in clothes
birthmarks
moles/freckles
stretch marks
cellulite
height
BMI
boobs size
boob acne
how saggy/perky our boobs are
boob hair
one smaller boob, one bigger boob
one saggier boob, one perkier boob
how soft/firm our boobs are
boob texture
size of nipples
size of areolas
color of boobs
color of nipples
color of areolas
how our boobs look in photos
how our boobs look in videos
how our boobs look sitting/standing
how our boobs look from various angles, especially during sex
how much our boobs are bouncy or stiff
how much our boobs shrink/grow/change as we get older
our waist size
our belly button
our belly button size
how small/big/low/high/weird our belly button is
our waist proportions compared to our boobs + butt
love handles
bellies
belly sizes
how our belly looks when standing/sitting/moving
body symmetry
body asymmetry
happy trails
bloating
butt size
butt shape
butt proportions
how firm/soft our butts are
butt acne
butt dimpling
how our butt jiggles when we move
how our butts look in certain angles
how our butts photograph
how our butts look during sex
buttholes
butthole color
butthole size
butthole shape
how our butthole looks during sex
arm length
arm size
leg length
leg size
muscle vs fat distribution
the size of our shoulders
how soft/firm our entire body is
how often we moisturize our entire body
vagina shape
vagina size
vagina color
shaving
waxing
trimming
laser hair removal
how often we maintain our body hair
ingrown hairs
what creams/gels we use to shave
what tools we use to shave
how expensive/cheap the tools and products we use to shave are
if our body smells good
body odor in general
how much we sweat
where we sweat from
what we smell like when we sweat aka how sweaty we are/become
how athletic we are
how capable we are of using our body for certain tasks in bed, aka riding
all the other shit
hair style
hair color
how often we get our hair done
going to hairstylist vs doing yourself
how cheap/expensive it is to get hair done or maintain it
hair length
hair texture
hair dryness/oiliness
how often to wash hair
how to style hair
sprays
creams
gels
perfumes
extensions
wigs
sideburn
bangs
straighteners
curling wands
blow dryers
microfiber towels
hair rods
hair rollers
clips
brushes
combs
hair care routine
shampoos
conditioners
hair masks
brand loyalty
lip fullness
lip wrinkles
lip texture
lip color
smile
smile size
teeth size
teeth color
crooked teeth
gaps in teeth
periods
pads
cups
period panties
lip injections
fillers/botox
plastic surgery
cosmetic procedures
tweezing
tweezers
razor burn
hand size
feet size
ear size
forehead size
cheekbones
face shape
hairlines
baby hairs/edges
fingernail size
fingernail color
fingernail length
fingernail designs (fake nails/painting)
toenail size
toenail color
toenail length
toenail designs (fake nails/painting them
clothing style
clothing colors
our color analysis (in general)
clothing that fits our body type
clothing that aligns with our color palette (same for makeup)
accessories
shoe size
size of our clothing items
cost of our clothing
cost of our shoes
cost of our accessories
trendiness of our clothing
trendiness of our shoes
trendiness of our accessories
the cost and maintenance that comes with everything i just said
if it exhausts you to just read that list, imagine caring about it or simply living in a world where people try to get you to care about all of those things all of the time.