Bring on the Confidence!

‘There is no such thing as an ugly woman. – Vincent Van Gogh’

Exactly. Thank you, Mr. Van Gogh. You’ve been way ahead of your time in eradicating body image issues and establishing a sense of ‘beauty in all sizes’.

Women are beautiful; and most of the time we know it too. And the days that we don’t feel so, we resort to other methods and make ourselves feel beautiful – after all, beauty has to come from inside out, right?

Like most girls, I simply love shopping for clothes as well as dressing up. Any upcoming event sets me on a frenzy of deciding what to wear, the accessories to go with it et al. And then the day arrives, I follow my dressing plan to the T and look into the mirror, extremely pleased with myself when – horror of horrors!! Is that a hairy arm coming out of those delicate chiffon sleeves?? Oh no!!!

Needless to say, that is more than enough to ruin the entire outfit, and subsequently my entire day. As is for everyone else, there is nothing like a good outfit and the feeling of looking good to perk up a lousy day for me. But how is that possible if I look like I’ve just emerged from the caves of Sudwala??

Any stylist worth her salt will tell you that grooming is the first step to looking polished and well dressed. This usually includes a clean body, neat nails, frizz free hair and last but definitely not least – removal of unwanted facial and body hair, which is what takes up most of a woman’s time, especially since she has to first choose from the myriad options available for hair removal.

I never was one for the whole hot/cold wax thing. I found it too messy to do at home and I didn’t want to take the trouble to go to a salon. What about hair removal creams, you ask. You can smell that stuff from miles away – Ugh!!

Along came the electrical devices. Battery happy machines don’t really contribute to a pollution free environment. And think – just when you’re getting ready and notice stray hair, the power goes off. There goes your day too!! Don’t even get me started on laser hair treatments – each sitting costs a bomb!!

My best bet as a busy modern woman is the humble razor. Available in any city in India, it is your best friend while travelling. And the cost – just a tiny part of your grocery bill!!

What’s more, its completely hygienic since you change the blades regularly. No chemicals involved so no bumps, rashes or reactions of any kind. My bathroom doesn’t end up smelling like a gutter, either .

The best part of using a razor is that it’s completely hassle free. No worrying about charging your device or running out of batteries that eventually end up on a landfill. What’s even better is that you don’t need any expert to help you – you are ready to be hair free in the privacy and comfort of your own room!!!

True, there is nothing as pleasing as the sight of a bright, well groomed and confident woman. And this confidence comes from knowing that you are ready to face the world, no matter what your financial status/marital status/job/whatever. So even if you don’t own the latest designer duds, you can always look well groomed and bright. Especially since considering that most of us share a common constraint – time – the need for instant solutions are essential. Enter the razor – ready to use at all times!! The easiest step to a smooth, well groomed look. A few tips suggested by experts include shaving in the direction of hair growth, exfoliating prior to shaving and using moisturizer afterwards.

Now that I’m armed with my razor, I’m ready to wear what I like, when I like, wherever I like. C’mon world, I’m ready to take you on!!

Fabida Abdulla is a former software engineer turned stay at home Mother Lion to her four year old son, whom she calls ‘The Cub’. She blogs about her crazy life at Shocks and Shoes.