So many thoughts came rushing through my mind when I saw ‘Mask Layer’, lensed by Donna Trope for ‘Under the Influence Magazine’. Models Holly Rose Emery and Samantha Gradoville confront the concept of self-improvement and plastic surgery in the Winter 2014 issue. Masha Orlov styles ‘Mask Layer’ with Georgina Graham on makeup and Rominana Manenti on hair.

Several months ago I was contacted by a prominent plastic surgery group about promoting their research on AOC. Their research confirmed that procedures among teen girls are rising faster than ever, driven largely by Selfies. Couple this reality with a leveling off of the market among middle-aged and older women — driven largely by the economy, I assume — and it makes sense that beauty businesses plant more doubts about real beauty among our young women to keep the cash register ringing.

Make no mistake — as I explained to the West Coast professionals — I have used Botox and fillers and will do so again. I’m not anti-physical enhancements and particularly when they look natural. What I flat-out reject, though, is the website message that greeted me, when I took a look at the firm’s research. To paraphrase:

‘We Can Make You The Woman You Always Wanted To Be’

I explained tactfully that under no circumstances could I embrace such a message to AOC readers because I don’t believe that cosmetic procedures have much relevance at all to my essence as a woman. Rather, the issue is my grace, empathy, intelligence, creativity, conscience, and a host of other factors that have nothing to do with needles and injections and the perfect pout.

I referred them to two earlier articles written about cosmetic procedures and plastic surgery. You might enjoy them, too ~ Anne

Read on:

Beauty, Plastic Surgery and Self Esteem

First Impressions: Women and the World of Plastic Surgery