Salty: a kind-of beauty blog

If we were actually happy with ourselves in the west, then consumerism would cease to exist.

You knew that already, but I wanted to reiterate.

I was on a walk with my best friend today. We were complaining about the laundry list that the modern woman is saddled with. What kind of shampoo should she buy? How often should she shave? Should she try pilates? Should she meal prep? Should she buy supplements? It's exhausting, honestly. Nevertheless, it inspired me to write this.

In high school, I had low self-esteem. As far as I was concerned, I was unattractive. I was pudgy, dorky, and had horrible acne. No matter how hard I tried to fit in with the popular girls, the closest I'd ever get to one of their hangouts was through their Instagram stories. I wanted to, at least, chat to the boys I fancied at parties. But I never got a second look.

Since then, I have landed on my feet. I am happy with who I am.

To an extent.

It's impossible to be happy with ourselves when, each day, we are told that we are not pretty enough, skinny enough, or cool enough. We are beholden to thousands of extremes online -- internet personalities who seem to have all the answers. Who do we trust?

Could it be the fitness guru who's pedalling her workout app? Or is she secretly abusing steroids? Could it be a member of the body positivity movement? Or, are her ravings about self-acceptance actually a mask for the things she thinks she lacks? Could it be the beauty queen who's pushing products left, right, and centre? Or, does she just want to please the brands that flood her inbox?

If scrolling through #beautytok gives you a haemorrhage, then you are not alone. That is precisely why I have started this blog.

My goals are simple:

A) I want to identify which tips and tricks belong in the beauty canon. In other words, what are the bare minimum of products and procedures that we need to feel good about ourselves every day?

B) I want to simplify beauty. How can we spend more time living our lives and less time fussing in front of a mirror?

C) I want to redefine what beauty is. How can we transform beauty from an incessant pursuit of worldy standards into the physical evidence of self-acceptance?

I'm not a beautician. I'm just that modern woman who wants to spend her time wisely. After all, marathon training and a full-time job in advertising is already a full plate. If my beauty routine doesn't fit neatly on it, then why bother?

To finish off this article, I wanted to define what this "physical evidence of self-acceptance" looks like. This is the bullseye that we are aiming for.

A) A Salty girl doesn't have to wear makeup to feel beautiful.

B) A Salty girl knows her self-worth has nothing to do with how attractive she is.

C) A Salty girl feels comfortable in her own skin.

D) A Salty girl doesn't feel the need to compete or compare herself to women around her.

E) A Salty girl feels little or no desire to try new beauty fads - she has an armoury of products that work for her.

F) A Salty girl believes that exercise is the reason and the reward. She likes the feeling of the sun, the wind, or the rain on her bare skin. She likes the taste of salt on her lips. She likes the way it makes her feel.

G) A Salty girl loves healthy food. She also loves a treat every now and again.

If this is something you're on board with, be sure to check my story every week. I will do my best to post articles that are timely, scientifically-backed, and straight-forward. If you ever have feedback, please reach out. I'd rather "Salty" be a dialogue than an avenue in which I impose my own views.

Cheers,

MJ