Hidden Price of Femininity
Image Courtesy: Lifestyle Asia
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, or in the form of a wallet. But don't we look pretty?
High-maintenance, needy, too much or, dare I say, expensive. These are all phrases' women have heard, often in response to the time, money and effort they put into themselves. What might seem like a harmless comment can carry a deeper frustration: Why are women criticized for the very upkeep that so often comes with the expectation of looking good?
People underestimate how much it truly costs to be a woman. And it's not as though we invented every standard we're expected to meet. As we grow older, our needs evolve, our routines change, and our ideas of beauty and wellness become more personal. From skincare and haircare to hygiene and health, everyone has their own standards for what feeling and looking their best means. But regardless of what those standards look like, there's often one thing attached to them: a pretty penny.
The world has launched so many different tactics to target what makes us uncomfortable. Take laser hair removal, for example. For many, body hair is a nuisance that can even be painful. For some, like myself, there are skin disorders that laser hair removal can help address, while for others, it is simply a cosmetic choice. But before I disclose a price, please take a guess. The cost of this treatment can reach hundreds of dollars, depending on the area being treated and the number of sessions required. Now imagine spending hundreds of dollars to remove body hair that society has taught us should not be there in the first place.
This is one of the many expenses that can drain a woman's wallet. Working hard, paying bills, and buying necessities are already part of everyday life. Yet, alongside these responsibilities, women are often expected to maintain an appearance that looks effortless, as though the time and money behind it do not exist.
Social media and beauty standards have raised the stakes, flooding our feeds with comparisons and new ideas of what it means to elevate our appearance. Everyday women are exposed to countless products, treatments and services promising to make them look or feel better. As these standards become more normalized, the gaze of others changes with them. What was once considered an extra can gradually begin to feel like a necessity.
Of course, women can pick and choose what makes them feel beautiful. Not everyone wants the same treatments, follows the same routines or shares the same standards. But choosing to invest in ourselves does not erase the financial reality of doing so. Consider a simple breakdown of the expenses women may take on:
Nails: $110-$130
Lashes and eyebrows: $125
Laser hair removal: $300+
Facials and skin treatments: $200
Hygiene products: $100–$200
Makeup: $100–$200
The figures vary depending on the services, products, and frequency of appointments, but even the possibility of these expenses puts the cost of beauty into perspective. For women who choose to maintain several of these routines the total can quickly add up. That means more money to earn, more expenses to budget for, and more decisions about where a paycheck goes.
And the pressure does not stop at financial costs. There is also the expectation that women should look naturally beautiful, even when achieving that appearance requires time, money and effort. We are encouraged to look polished but not appear as though we have tried too hard. We are expected to look good but can never complain or disclose how we achieved our appearance.
The double standard deserves to be called out. I cannot recall many moments when someone questioned why a woman looked beautiful, with or without makeup. People admire the finished product, but how often do they consider what it took to get there? A woman can be appreciated for looking well-kept while simultaneously being criticized for the purchases that seem outrageous.
No one should be so quick to tell a woman that she does not need skincare or that she does not need to purchase bras. These are only a few examples of the expenses that can be dismissed by people who do not have to consider them in the same way. Down to the garments we wear, everything comes with a price. And for many women, these costs are not simply about vanity. They are connected to comfort, hygiene, and the standards they navigate every day.
This expectation is nothing new. Let's travel back in time and peek into the early 1900s.
Women have spent centuries investing in the clothes and appearances that help them establish themselves in society. Ladies would visit a modiste, or dressmaker, to have garments made for them. A dress that cost around $13 at the time could represent more than two weeks of wages for a woman earning about $6 a week. Even then the cost of presenting oneself in a certain way could represent a significant investment. The fashion and beauty industries have changed, but the relationship between appearance, money and social expectations has stayed.
So, rather than complaining that women are high-maintenance or a nuisance, perhaps we should recognize the resilience it takes to provide ourselves with such care. Women work, save and budget for the things that make them feel comfortable, confident and beautiful. Some expenses are necessities, others are personal choices, and many fall somewhere in between. But the decision to spend money on ourselves should not automatically become a reason for judgment.
Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but maintaining it often comes down to the wallet. The next time a woman is called expensive do consider what that word actually means. Is she asking for too much or is she simply navigating a world that puts a price tag on comfortability?
After all, we do look pretty. But looking pretty is rarely as effortless as it seems.
Strike out,
Sofia Ortiz
Boca Raton
Sofia Ortiz is a South Florida writer and media student with a love for fashion, pop culture, travel and all things that make life a little more fun. Her writing explores modern womanhood, self-discovery and the culture shaping young women today. To contact Ms. Ortiz you may reach out to her email sofialortiz04@gmail.com or Instagram Sofiaa_Laurenn .
