Dear Men, It’s OK To Want To Look Pretty (Or Your Best) But Here’s Some Advice – An Open Letter
Dear Men,
Well, it has finally happened. You have discovered that you aren't as naturally good-looking as you thought. Thanks to the pandemic, you now know you could use a little work, right?
Apparently, you don't feel like you look good on Zoom calls and other forms of video communication. Isn't that sad? (insert sarcasm). You mean after all this time you finally know what it feels like to be judged by your looks and feel insecure? How will you ever deal with such an emotional blow? (insert MORE sarcasm)
Does this mean you will have to take time before a virtual meeting to not only prepare for the meeting but put your face on too? What's next, making sure your hair looks good? Do you have enough time in your day for all of that prep work? You better schedule plenty of time on your daily calendar for that kind of maintenance. Don't even get me started on how much you are going to have to budget for all of the expensive and overpriced products you will need.
By the way, there's no guarantee those expensive products will work with your skin tone. You may break out with acne or have an allergic reaction. Just so you know, all of that is normal. But, take some advice from someone who has used skincare products and some sort of make-up for 40 years, always purchase your products from a place that takes returns after use, like Ulta.
Instead of opening up the can of worms that is wearing make-up, have you considered just using a filter? Trust me, women have not only demanded but perfected the use of filters. Filters are available on Zoom and most virtual apps. It's super simple, and trust me, cuts down on the advanced prep time. Plus, you'll look great. Look at Ryan.
Seriously, you don't want to go down this road. Let me let you in on a little secret. Come here, get closer. I'm gonna whisper it. Are you ready? Ok. NO ONE IS CONCERNED WITH HOW YOU LOOK. I know that you were expecting a whisper, but I need to have your full attention.
I know that you've spent so much time on video that you are concerned, but you don't have to be. Your co-workers don't care. Women don't care either. We all would rather you be great at what you do. We want you to be a good leader, or an awesome, creative, and friendly co-worker.
Stop worrying about how you look in photos and videos. Trust me, you do not want to start that kind of self-criticism. Women have been trying to get out from under that kind of pressure and self-loathing for years. We wish that we didn't feel like we have to wear make-up. We wish we had more people telling us that we don't have to, that we look good without it. We wish we had people giving us the same advice I'm giving you. Don't start something you might not be able to stop. And don't worry about how you look, focus on the inside.
Sincerely,
Leslie XO