Mirror Mirror...

Vanity of the heart...

Botox, Juvederm, Restylane and all sorts of new fangled poisons or cosmetic tinkering are not that abnormal when you consider human history. The sacrifice of a few weeks, even a few months of pain are considered well worth it if you gain admiration from others. Putting your "best face" forward so to speak. Oprah Winfrey was crucified for an episode that featured women around the world... and when she got to Korea she targeted their rampant obsession with plastic surgery. I was a bit surprised when it was stated that about 80% of the youth have gotten or would like to receive the eye surgery (the creation of the second lid). Well it's not much different from the popularity of rhinoplasty in North America, I can't say any of us our better.

Here are a few extremes that our forefathers/mothers have clung to for the price of beauty... all over the Globe...

The Corset

A literal reality of "Slim fast". A garment worn by both men and women to mold and shape the torso to a desired size, and the cause of many "fainting" spells. In the 1800s, wearing a tightly-laced corset enabled the double X chromosome pop to reach a size of a mere 40 to 43 centimeters (16 to 17 inches)! If you were incapable of such perfection you would have to make do with anything under 50 cm (20 inches)... you don't want to be hideous! If you want someone to blame, the first would be Catherine de'Medici, the wife of King Henry II who enforced a ban on thick waists at court in the 1500s. The world has never been the same since then...

Lead Face Powder

Used in the 18th century in England and France, a thick white coat of face powder was used to hide skin disfigurements (small skin craters) often left from the Smallpox. The side effects of Lead (recipe: do not recreate!... as if anyone would) would cause head pain, nausea, dizziness, bowel problems, blindness, and even death.

Chinese foot binding

A custom practised by young girls beginning in the 10th century China. First practised among the elite and wealthy, it would showcase well-born daughters as being above any form of manual labor of the lower classes. By the 17th century, the Han girls of all economic levels began to be subjected to this painful practice until the Communists outlawed the tradition. I makes you think ballerinas have it good.

Neck stretching

The Paduang and Kayan tribe of the Karen people at the region of Myanmar and Thailand are known to customarily introduce girls to the process at age five. As they grow, more and more rings are added. Considered the ideal of beauty, their shoulder's are pushed down as a new ring is added, also indicating a level of family wealth.. In reality the weight of the rings twists the collar bone and upper ribs to a 45 degree angle lower than normal giving the illusion of a giraffe like neck. A fully stretched neck usually reaches to about 10" - 15" and if a women ever offends or embarrasses a tribe her rings would be cut off as a sign of shame. The girls of the Ndebele tribe of South Africa wear the rings to signify a union of marriage.