Why Talk About Beauty?

“What? Times of Israel is letting someone blog about beauty? Why? What does that have to do with Israel or being Jewish?”

This might (or might not–I don’t know yet) be what a lot of you are thinking. In any case, I want to outline why I–and, presumably, TOI–think that this is a relevant topic for readers today.

1. Beauty is universal. It is something that, genetically, we are predispositioned to notice. Even religious men notice beautiful women–trust me, I see it on the bus all the time. I also feel that it’s extremely important to state that it is not wrong to pay attention to beauty.

2. In fact, I think that ignoring the reality of beauty, and the effects that beauty has on both individuals and society, is dangerous and short-sighted. If we cannot have open discussions about beauty, and what it means to be truly beautiful, we will only further push the agendas of eating disorders, dangerous diets, and poisonous additives found in many skincare products today.

3. Lastly, It’s no secret that we feel better when we look better, and, much of the time, the healthier we are, the better we look. Yes, true beauty does come from within, but at the same time, the true beauty that comes from within can be stifled if someone is in a bad mood–caused by, among other things, a breakout or bad hair day.

I’ve learned so many tips, tricks, and secrets of the beauty industry over the past several years, having been immersed in it since 2001, that it would be a shame to not share this information. This is not a blog about looking 18 when you’re 50, or about “getting skinny,” and I will NEVER advocate anything similar to an eating disorder. In fact, I have many friends who have suffered from eating disorders, and I have seen their destructive and truly ugly effects many times over. Instead, when I do write about weight, I want to focus on nurturing a healthy body image, and engaging in a truly healthy lifestyle that leads, over time, to a beautiful, healthy, and manageable body.

This is also not a blog that will give you miracle cures to everything that ails your skin. Yes, I am a professional skincare consultant, and have many articles on skincare planned. Yes, there are both a right way and a wrong way to care for your skin, and skincare is extremely important, but so is aging gracefully, and so is looking your best at every age.

There is so much more to beauty, however, than a woman’s pant size, or how few wrinkles she may have at any given age. This is the most important thing to remember. A woman can look 20 years younger than her actual age, but if she is a miserable or unpleasant person to be around, is she still beautiful? Physically, certainly, but what’s the point of being physically beautiful without a personality that matches? Self-love is a topic that I’m particularly excited to write about, especially since it’s something that most beauty writers won’t touch.

Look forward to some great beauty and lifestyle tips when you read my blog, and by all means, feel free to ask questions and suggest topics. Above all, however, please remember that, more than anything else, it’s what’s inside that counts.