I have a Soviet propaganda poster I bought in Moscow in 1983. It shows a smiling woman wearing a hard hat and dusty work jacket. The Russian caption translates to “Beauty comes from hard work.
” Communist doctrine couldn’t save the USSR but I like the message that character and not cosmetics is the foundation of attractiveness. I feel lucky to live in easygoing Summit County where the natural look is always in style. My youthful glow had long faded by the time I moved to Breckenridge, but I find that in our mountain town wrinkles are a badge of honor, evidence of many days enjoying the outdoors.
Perhaps if I had instead moved to Aspen, social pressure would have compelled me to do regular “Brotox” and don a cowboy hat from Kemo Sabe. Unfortunately, research indicates that at lower elevations, looks do matter. Psychology Today reports that numerous studies show “attractiveness is positively related to employment opportunity, wages and performance evaluations.
” More concerning to me, a German study reported in The Guardian found that bald-headed job applicants were significantly less likely to be called in for an interview than their hairier peers. So, it may be worthwhile to invest in eternal youth. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons reported a 19% increase in cosmetic procedures between 2019 and 2022, perhaps boosted by COVID stimulus money.
There were 72,000 facelifts performed in the U.S. in 2022, costing $7,700 to $11,800.
Please, tell me I look younger!.
