Mothers are often the first to encourage self-love, teaching us to appreciate our unique characteristics from a young age. They convey the importance of recognizing that beauty comes in various shapes, sizes, colors, and features. By embracing their own beauty, mothers demonstrate the importance of accepting oneself wholly.

Both my mother and grandmother kept an active beauty routine. My mom’s beauty must-have was her L’Oréal lipstick in Golden Peach. As for my grandmother, the matriarch of the family, her beauty routine would begin on Saturday evenings before church. She used a small black comb to cut the deep side part of her hair and applied Dippity-Do to set it, along with bobby pins to secure her pin curls to her silver cut while she slept.

To take care of her weathered farm skin, she would apply Ponds cold cream after a hard day’s work. My grandmother took me to the Merle Norman store to teach me about makeup and the importance of skincare, while my mother sent me to Elizabeth Arden’s The Red Door event.

Perhaps one of the most remarkable traits we learn from our mothers is grace. Whether through maintaining a poised demeanor, treating people with respect, or standing tall in our beliefs, the elegance we inherit from our mothers undoubtedly contributes to our understanding of beauty. When life rears its challenges, it’s our mothers who we call–even as adults. They teach us to hold our heads high and keep calm and carry on even when it’s hard to crack a smile. 

Our mothers’ influence on our relationship with beauty is immense, shaping not just our self-perceptions but also the way we navigate the world. By loving themselves and encouraging us to love ourselves in return, they are instrumental in creating a healthier and more accepting view of beauty. This Mother’s Day, let’s honor and appreciate our mothers and grandmothers, the original beauty influencers.
xx
-CC