Why Do Women Do It?

It's amazing what some women go through each and every day of their lives.  I don't mean the very task of being a woman and dealing with double standards an inequality each day.  I mean the optional struggles that some women have.

Makeup.

It's a billion dollar industry and I'm sure that it will be a trillion dollar industry by the time Millineals reach my age.  And don't get me wrong.  I won't be naive in acting as if I don't understand the concept.  I truly do.  Makeup is an enhancer for most people who use it.  But like most things in society these days, it's on another level and has reached the point of ridiculousness.  The cost for eye brow shaping, hair coloring, weave, lipstick, fake nails, nail polish, and more has reached astronomical proportions, but women seek these services more than ever these days.

Why do women do it?  It's very expensive and extremely time-consuming.  I've had multiple women tell me because it's the only way a man will look at them.  That's not quite true, but I can see how some women think that.  Men do tend to pay attention to shiny objects when we walk into a room.  That's only natural.  It doesn't mean we want those women though (at least not long term).

The best way for me to put this from a guy's perspective is like this: If I see a red Corvette driving down the highway at 70 mph, it's going to get my attention.  I will stare at it and want one.  Maybe even "rent" one some day just to say that I had it.  But, when it comes to what I park in my driveway, it will be something a lot more sensible.

Comparing women to cars may be a bad idea, but analogies are funny like that.  All I'm trying to say is that if you're looking for a guy who only likes fast cars, then by all means primp away.  But, there are many reasons that very few guys own Corvettes: they are expensive to acquire, the maintenance is even more costly, they will always draw attention (good or bad), your mom won't think it's safe, and it's not practical for kids.

So many of you ladies are beautiful as you are.  Stop letting makeup companies trick you into thinking that spending hundreds of dollars to look like someone else is the only way to get a man.  And no, I'm not anti-makeup by any means.  I just hate when pampering becomes tampering.  Where you draw the lines is subject to debate, but some sort of stance needs to be taken.

Look at it this way: you may get him, but you won't keep him.  Not on false pretenses.  Because at some point the cosmetics have to come off. 

All I'm asking for ladies to do is be original.  Stop looking like everyone else.  I've always come down on guys for buying Jordans and certain designer clothes because it makes all of those guys look like clones.  I want the same individually for women, too.  Find something and make it yours!

When "Pampering" Becomes "Tampering"

Okay, ladies, some of you go too far. Some of you go to the salon looking normal and come back looking like Mimi from "The Drew Carey Show". Whatever you do, please don't overdo it or you'll just end up being another case of "When Pampering Becomes Tampering"...

So, you've all seen "When Animals Attack" or "When Keeping It Real Goes Bad" and the likes, but this is different. I'm going to share a story for you of a young lady who tried to enhance her look, but had an epic fail.



I'm at a Walgreens pharmacy to pick up a birthday card. I go to this Walgreens every blue moon, but enough to recognize employee faces when I see them. One of the employees is a young, black woman around her early 20's. She's of average build and caramel-colored complexion.

Now, she usually is working the "Plain Jane" look whenever I see her with little-to-no makeup and short hair pulled back into a knot (that's right a "knot"--- not enough hair for a ponytail). Although she's basically a "Sally Housecoat", she's still a cute young lady.



Well, I get into Walgreens on this faithful day and I see someone who resembles her walk around the corner. I almost dropped my phone. This same lady went from "the girl next door" to Lil' Kim overnight.

She looked like the survivor of an explosion at a Mary Kay factory. "'What in the Wide World of Sports' did she do to herself?", I asked. (For those of you not paying attention, that quote was from "Blazing Saddles". You need Netflix in your life!)

Her eyebrows were shaved and painted back on, her lipstick was a "shade of hooker", her hair extensions would make Predator jealous, her fingernails were long and pointy enough for her to climb glass and her makeup was so thick that you can see the outline underneath her chin from where it ends and skin begins.

"Why?", I asked myself. "Why did this young lady feel the need to take a good thing and tamper with it? What possessed her to overdo her look and go from a normal young lady to a Muppet?"



Ladies, whatever you do... if you want to pamper yourself... please don't overdo it like this young lady did. Don't let your "friends" tell you that purple weave is cute or fingernails long enough to fish a dime out of a 16 oz. bottle is sexy.

Be reasonable with your appearance unless you're planning on hanging with Dennis Rodman. Don't let your pampering become tampering.