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BEAUTY INSIDE AND Ou

One of the largest money-makers in North America, but is it necessary?

By Stephanie Trembath,
Life and Style Editor

or the last thing you do before you go to bed? For most

women and men alike, the beginning and ending of the day
is signified by rituals pertaining to daily grooming or personal
upkeep including brushing teeth, combing hair, perhaps
flossing, washing, applying face cream, or removing makeup.
These routine tasks have become so automatic that we notice
them in their absence rather than in the action of performance,
I mean if you forget to brush your teeth or shave for a few days
someone is bound to notice and comment on your lacking of
attention to personal hygiene.

The beauty industry is one of the largest and wealthiest
markets in North America, thanks to excessive consumer
conditioning and customer loyalty. Despite the ongoing
recession and budgets tightening due to an overall lacking of
funds, the U.S toiletries and cosmetic industry still made a profit
of ten billion dollars last year. Brand Keys, a UK company
associated with the evaluation, assessment, and examination
of brand labels and customer loyalties, put together a 2010
Loyalty Leaders report which showed that customers develop
an emotional bond to their cosmetics. Regardless of price,
consumers will choose more expensive cosmetics and stick to
their brand label to protect their self-image and that of their
preferred brand, so while a drugstore lipstick may cost $4,
women who have a resolute attraction to MAC cosmetics will
spend $22 on their lipstick to have a MAC label.

Much of our spending comes down to labelling and
branding, but the cosmetic industry has gone above and beyond
in conditioning society in believing they “need” to purchase
their product; in 2005 the average age for teen girls to begin
using cosmetics was seventeen, today the age has been reduced
to thirteen years of age. The cosmetic industry has expanded
to include lip-glosses, clear mascara’s, and eye glitter so that
young pre-teen adolescents can practise and use makeup just
like their older sisters, mothers, and friends. Similarly, products
for mature men and women have expanded to include creams
that de-age, de-wrinkle, and postpone cellulite. These “youth
elixir’s” are initially purchased to attain the ideal image of
beauty and likewise become an addition to the rituals of
personal hygiene and health care.

The cosmetic industry alone has women of North America
by the balls; I personally could not go a day without applying
face cream, moisturizer, concealer, and mascara, and I must
admit that I am dedicated to my own brand labels which
include MAC and the Benefit line. However, while the cosmetic
industry is guilty of consumer conditioning, toothpaste,
shampoo, conditioner, and other products which promote
personal hygiene and body care are equally responsible for
social conditioning and the promotion of products that are not
necessary or good for you.

Je think; what is the first thing you do when you wake up,

Toothpaste contains artificial sweeteners, synthetic
coloring and flavours which are usually carcinogenic. Many
toothpaste brands including Crest contain fluoride, which is
now considered a potential toxic drug by Canada’s Federal Drug
Administration. The FDA has mandated that all toothpastes
containing fluoride must come with a warning label on the back
reading; “WARNING: Keep out of reach of children under
six years of age. If you accidentally swallow more than used

for brushing, seek PROFESSIONAL HELP or contact

a POISON CONTROL center immediately.” While
fluoride prevents tooth decay as it helps fight plaque and
cavities, too much use of fluoride may lead to fluorosis;
which is the discoloration of tooth enamel, and is also
dangerously toxic if swallowed.

It’s difficult to avoid, and a hard habit to kick if
you want to quit; disengaging from the beauty mantra
that is force fed all over North America is one thing,
but making a decision to use toiletries that are better for
the environment and for your body is an even tougher
trend to follow. If it’s easy, breezy, and beautiful (a la
Covergirl), these products come in bigger, cheaper,

lfFC ana SCYIE

economy size bottles and tubes that suit the student
budget, while products that are healthier for your body
and the environment are either more expensive, or
impossible to find.

I’m not suggesting that you start brushing your teeth
with baking soda (which is an eco-friendly alternative
to name-brand toothpastes) but I am suggesting a more
thoughtful approach in beauty bound purchases; it is
incredibly alarming that despite the recent downsize in
the economy, women and men alike are still splurging
on beauty products that are unnecessary and mindlessly
used in our daily routine.

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