Removing The Masks: Shocking Perspective | A Spin Doctor Special

[Previously on Removing The Masks: The cosmetics industry was invented and promoted by a bunch of men back in the 50s and 60s — men serving on the boards of corporations looking for new markets to break into, new products and industries to launch.]

First target, the women! Fresh off the war effort, during which they’d kept the country in operation, helping it achieve victory, they were long overdue for some good old relaxation and pampering. Strong and proud, yes, and eager to feel beautiful again, they were primed for a return to normality, in fact, a leap into a new world, one which acknowledged their worth. Time to take care of themselves, feel good and confident again — in other words, prime candidates for an all-out marketing offensive involving the emancipation of looks, the revolution of appearances, the unleashing of sexual prowess and all that came with it.

And so it went. With TV came everyday glamor, and with it came the thirst to look awesome every day, like an actress in a show, everyday of the week and thrice on the weekends and holidays.

In time, the need to look fresh and youthful followed, the need to eliminate wrinkles, to look younger than one was, to constantly fight time and one’s body, oneself, anything to look like a star and beat the competition.

In the process, women beat themselves up, looking like a million bucks on the outside, laying waste to their interior frameworks.

The men watched, half in awe at what went on, half in terror at the transformation taking place. Something was reaching inside the hearts of women, especially younger ones, even children, turning them into beauty-product junkies.

The older generations, on the other hand, were turning into a carnival show. The fish lips became a thing, as did the lizard face (as beauty products combined with cosmetic surgery) and the men watched from the sides, cheering and cringing at the same time.

Little did they know, these elated-slash-horrified men, that their turn would come, after the female market would be broken into, the trend of obsessively-catered appearances established.

A shocking perspective, I know and very cynical, but worth considering. The idea of looking great ‘because you’re worth it’ etc, may have been — and still is — a rallying cry for most women, representing female power and sexual liberation, among other things. But the sad truth is that it was originally devised by a bunch of dicks-and-balls playing games around a conference table, snorting whiskey and/or coke, exchanging kiss-and-tell stories, sharing their exploits with each other while figuring out how to objectify female beauty at a price, raking the cash in.

And the women of the world fell for it, fueling a multibillion dollar industry, setting the stage for an ever-growing appearances competition, out of which the metrosexual male rises, completing the makeover takeover.

So when you watch this video again, think about how the cosmetics industry started off, keeping in mind the loud laughter behind the closed heavy wooden doors, inside those sticky board rooms with their leather couches and ficus plants and concealed decanter bars. Think how happy those champs were when they came up with their golden idea, and how lucrative their decisions have been.

Part 4 to follow

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For the video, see below

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