We are biologically programmed to see and analyze in milliseconds details of a person. Such as clean hair, hydrated skin, neat nails, clean teeth. And we don’t do it frivolously, but within a context of survival. Since for our brain, these neglected aspects are signs of possible disease or even mental issues. It is what we today “red flags”. If they are also accompanied by an unpleasant character or other behavioral signs, we tend to feel rejection. It is not about discriminating, since given the situation, you can and should adjust your response respectfully. We are talking about what we feel inside, the initial sensation that it causes us, that is very real.
A good appearance is an important. First impression is a quick way to create social ties. It is not about being more beautiful, slender, thin, or muscular. But rather about a visible hygiene of the hair, the skin and the body in general.
Lack of bodily care in people with high degrees of dependency, either due to physical problems such as illnesses or psychological problems. Mental health and hygiene are aspects that feed into each other. When we are in a bad mood, we stop taking care of ourselves, whilst stopping taking care of ourselves influences us to be in a worse mood and more depressed. Good hygiene reduces stress and anxiety, with the simple fact of washing up and wearing clean clothes improves our mood and self-esteem considerably.
Cosmetics today are considered frivolous and superficial. On the one hand, due to the massive medical interventions by celebrities, making beauty standards increasingly unattainable. And on the other hand, due to the great influence of social networks where we are bombarded with edited or idyllic images of bodies, lives, and expectations of how our bodies and lives should look like.
The purpose of cosmetics should not be to “fix” something about us nor changing something that is part of us, but about having a routine where a few minutes a day we spend pampering ourselves, our skin, and thus our mental health. It also represents the maintenance, a record in how we take care of ourselves daily. It is not a magic ingredient, but an everyday habit, a little by little that we do something for ourselves. This is what generates that self-love.
