Self Maintenance Between the Sexes

Men have it pretty good when it comes to the minimal things they have to do to keep their physical beauty. Women on the other hand have to do a whole lot more. It can be exhausting. We have to shave(or wax) many more parts than men on a regular basis. We get expensive haircuts, color our hair, wear makeup, get facials and lets not forget the mani-pedi's. We spend a ton more on basic maintenance. (So, all you men out there, make sure to tell your girl how good she looks!) Even though many men would say that we do all of this nonsense only for other women not men. Not sure I completely buy into that theory.

I mean, seriously, men are visual beings. They say that men "fall-in-love" with what they 'see', and women "fall-in-love" with what they 'hear'. This is why you tend to see a whole lot more attractive women with not-so-attracted men but rarely see the other way around. Now that's for another blog discussion another day. So based on that, can men honestly say they would be just as attracted to a woman who did not shave? Who did not wear makeup ever, even the slightest mascara? I'm sure keeping my grey hair would not turn heads!

I read a hilarious article from blogger, MasonsMom who wrote about counting how many shower products she uses on a daily basis.

"In the shower alone, there sat seven brightly colored bottles of sweet-smelling goo that I consider to be a regular part of my showering routine. The shampoo, conditioner, shaving gel, facial cleanser, body wash, eye makeup remover, foot scrub with pumice.

"I then looked over to my husband's corner of the shower. There was one lonely bottle. The plastic was black, as if to imply that it was a very masculine bottle, brimming with testosterone and manliness. In big, bold letters it stated: The Ultimate Clean, Hair and Body Wash."

Boy, is the bath/body and cosmetic industry sure making a butt-load off us women! No wonder we need the men to pay for our dinners! In an article from Riin's Rants, she states that "Women spend $45 billion a year on cosmetics in the US". And that's just cosmetics. Also take into account that women also only still make 76% of what men earn. Frightening numbers.

How all this happened, I sure would like to know. How did it become so unequal that women spend and do so much more than men for self maintenance? And men hardly do much at all? It sure would be nice to even out the extremes a bit.

I know us women do not need all the products we use. And there are many women out there that won't even walk out the door without any makeup on. I am definitely not one of those. But on the other side, there are some men that need to step-it-up a bit.

For example, I do have to say I really appreciate a man with nice feet. I don't really have a foot fetish, but I do notice. Most men could use a pedicure once in a while as part of their routine. (And boys, I don't mean color, just clean-up!) Living in California, I tend to see men in flip-flops a whole lot more often, so I'm very aware! So don't feel weird walking into a nail salon, it makes me smile to see men taking care of themselves. You never know, you just may meet a really hot single woman sitting next to you!

Secondly, men could also trim their "privates". Women spend some major money (and usually pain is involved..) to keep their privates cleaned up. So I believe it is only fair for men to do the same. Wouldn't you agree? (I give points to the last man I was dating because he did both.)

SO HOW ABOUT THIS..all of us women will cut back on our craziness of what we actually need and all the men will step-up their routine a bit. Then we may just even out, if just a little bit!
 

photo: katysabrat on flickr

category: general
tags: attraction statistics women

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