Taking The Mask Off: Beauty and Living Beyond the Glitter
- Genelle Holub
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
In a world flooded with perfect imagery from magazines, TV shows, and social media, it is vital to look beyond the surface and recognize the reality often hidden underneath. The stunning visuals of spotless kitchens, flawless makeup, and immaculate fashion that we admire might not reflect the truth of our everyday existence. From the false eyelashes to fake hair, is that person really perfect? These curated images set unrealistic expectations, leading to a sense of inadequacy for both ourselves and our children. I know I've struggled with this.
This post will explore the gap between these idealized images and real life, sharing personal experiences that demonstrate the importance of embracing a messier, more authentic way of living.
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The Illusion of Perfection
Let's go beyond the beauty. Consider the woman you often see showcasing her pristine Texas kitchen while promoting kitchenware on Amazon. It’s easy to get caught up in the allure of her perfect home (room). Yet, it’s crucial to remember that what you see is her highlight reel—carefully selected to maximize appeal and sales.
Perfection is not the standard we should hold ourselves to. Life is often chaotic—children leave toys (or friends) scattered everywhere, dirty dishes pile up in the sink, and that beautiful kitchen? It may not always look so glamorous.
In my many years in the beauty industry, I have assisted countless women in achieving their ideal looks. Behind the scenes, it's a different story. During photo shoots, moments are meticulously arranged, and everything appears perfect in front of the camera. But off-screen? It’s a different world entirely.
The Many Faces of Reality and Beyond Beauty
I looked at my first fashion magazine a couple of decades ago, I was awe-struck how perfect everyone looked, and it really stuck with me. Not only did I have fashion magazines in my childhood, but my mom was the same but with Better Home & Garden. I was obsessed with how my face or clothes needed to be perfect at the age of 14, even though my room was a pig-stye (drove my mom crazy). It became such an important concept, because I’ve always struggled with wanting to look perfect and wanting everything around me to be perfect. I’m not sure exactly why. Maybe it comes from my childhood, where my mom always expected our home to look perfect or my dad had all of his cars always looking polished and perfect, making them a priority or maybe when we were at church my parents expected me to be perfect. Or maybe it comes from all my years in the beauty industry, helping women achieve their goals, doing makeup for shoots.
On news sets, there was always a prop stylist, or some type of stylist, and every detail was meticulously arranged so the finished product looked flawless. Thinking back on the 24-hour film projects I did, it was all exhilarating and exhausting at the same time. I look back on that now and wonder, did it really need to be that way? For my job, yes, but not for my own lifestyle. I knew nothing is flawless, but I loved how perfect it seemed. IN fact the perfection of it all made feel great but not relaxed.
The Influence of Stylists and Filters
As I progressed in my career, I found myself in the midst of film projects where stylists painstakingly arranged every detail of a scene for it to appear flawless on-screen. While I admired their skill, I often felt the pressure this perfection placed on our everyday lives. I look back on this and it was actually the pressure I put on myself.
As we develop visual content, we must realize we are crafting an image—one that often deviates significantly from real life. Simple props or perfect lighting can dramatically change a scene's appearance. It often begs the question: should this relentless quest for perfection seep into our personal lives, where authenticity and imperfections are usually much more relatable?
This leads us to a crucial realization: Perfection is not necessary for happiness. A little chaos often signifies growth and authenticity and is way MORE fun.
The Reality of Imperfection
In our pursuit of perfection, we frequently overlook a key truth: life is messy and beautifully flawed. The images bombarding us through social media or television represent curated moments, not an unfiltered view of daily life.
Excessive exposure to images of ideal beauty can create a damaging cycle of comparison. It isn’t just adults who suffer; kids are equally vulnerable, as I was. They witness their peers or influencers reaching seemingly unattainable heights. The pressure is just too great and comes at a cost. One effective way to combat this overload of unrealistic visuals is to highlight authenticity in conversations and role modeling.
Detoxing from the Overload
Breaking free from the cycle of comparison and unrealistic expectations is possible. Here are some actionable strategies to help detox from the barrage of curated imagery:
Limit Exposure: Cut back on time spent on social media platforms that promote unattainable ideals. This will facilitate a healthier self-image and probably save you money.
Curate Your Feed: Support local entrepreneurs. Choose to follow local accounts that value authenticity. Seek out those that celebrate imperfections, showcase real-life challenges, and encourage meaningful discussions about beauty and success.
Prioritize Real Connections: Focus on building in-person relationships. I challenge you to be makeup free when going out or have messy hair and letting it all go! No one cares. They just want to see you!
Involve Your Children: Help them recognize that life’s beauty lies in its messiness. It's okay. Encourage creativity without strict guidelines to nurture their individuality.
Create a Messy Home Space: Allow your home to reflect real life. Embrace laughter, creativity, and even the chaos that accompanies growth. And I challenge you to not "pick-up" your home when a friend is coming over. Let it be spontaneous and real! I was very good at building forts with my kids.
Practice Self-Compassion: Understand that perfection is a myth—not true for influencers, celebrities, or ourselves. Be gentle with yourself during moments when perfection feels out of reach because you'll be reaching for something that does not exist.
Embracing Life's Imperfections
Looking back, I now cherish my evolution from striving for perfection to embracing authenticity. While my beauty industry career demands attention to detail, my personal life can let go of that pressure.
Above are some photos from my 90's portfolio, with each image requiring at least two hours of makeup. Pay attention to the eyebrows, lips, and everything I work on—it's all done with precision. In the top right photo, the photographer requested bold, strong strokes, so I used only lip liners and eyeliners for her makeup, including the eyeshadow.
Being a visual person, I developed a habit of analyzing a room (or person) and immediately noticing what looks “not right” or being in the presence of someone and noticing within seconds how I could fix their eyebrows, lips, or cheek color. Being in an elevator with me is what someone once said to me was “nerve-wracking.” Even though I see what's not really “right,” I just know I could help.
So now, I’m in my empty nester stage of life, after everything I have experienced I am embracing imperfect being beautiful. I leave dishes in the sink, shoes at the door and rarely feel the urgent need that it “has” to be done. Now it's driving my husband crazy!
The Takeaway
I’ve always noticed the beauty in others, the beauty that you have and believe everyone has beauty, while helping them find it for themselves it’s been harder with myself. I think I’m not alone on this journey and embrace it with you! I encourage you to see your beauty in all stages of your life, and your children's. Having the imperfection is the perfection.
Genelle Holub
Makeup Artist & Esthetician
Face It Skin Founder
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