Vanity of Vanities

"If I walk outside without lipstick, I feel naked." (Sofia Vergara) The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found that 400 popular lipsticks contained trace amounts of the toxin. The worst offenders on the list were Maybelline’s Color Sensation in Pink Petal, which had 7.19 parts per million of lead, and L’Oreal Colour Riche in Volcanic, which had 7 parts per million. Several other brands, including Cover Girl and Nars had products hovering in the 4-to-5-parts-per-million ran ge.  So what does exposure to lead means? Time.com states that exposure to lead can cause learning, language and behavioral problems in children and has been linked to lower IQ; exposure in pregnant women can interfere with development of the fetus. According from Forbes:  "To put the latest lipstick lead levels in context, the EPA’s maximum allowable lead level in drinking water is 15 parts per billion. The EPA’ goal for lead in drinking water is zero, which is what consu...

Yesterday, I happened to encounter an illustration depicting the benefits of beauty to one's career, studies and life itself. Somehow, this illustration has truth in it, yet, I guess there is something missing with the facts given on the said illustration. Take a look: via I love the  comment  given by one of the readers (a woman wearing  lab coat  and in fact a nurse) with regards to the above infographics: "Tsk tsk. This illustration somehow makes unattractive people a mess when it comes to career as well as having a bad life, yet the fact is, it's not really the issue of beauty but the issue of confidence and courage when it comes to facing challenges in life like school, working environment, family and even the society's prejudices. The issue is not about beauty per se, but about the confidence to go on living a good life and pursuing what we really want. Beauty, I believe is only a factor, but somehow, we still have choice to be confident and...

There’s no getting around it. In this world, you’re better off being good-looking. At all ages and in all walks of life, attractive people are judged more favourably, treated better, and cut more slack. Mothers give more affection to attractive babies. Teachers favour more attractive students and judge them as smarter. Attractive adults get paid more for their work and have better success in dating and mating. And juries are less likely to find attractive people guilty and recommend lighter punishments when they do. ( Psychological Science: Beauty is in the Mind of the Beholder ) Beauty is one of the world’s greatest motivations. Men and women struggle to be attractive since this world is a visual world and what you see (especially if it is pleasing to the eyes), is the one that you want to get.  Being beautiful has so many advantages. A recent study of the University of Texas-Austin found that attractive people are generally happier and make more money than their mediocr...