I Want Smooth Skin, Mommy

Last night, as I was putting the finishing touches on a refinished dresser, my oldest daughter, Eden, slipped into my room and sat on my bed without me noticing. I was intently focused on my straight paint lines and wasn't paying much attention to the Project Runway episode in the background, but I did notice when Eden commented on a commercial.

"I want smooth skin, mommy!" A tiny voice says while its owner peaked out from beneath the covers.

Suddenly, I became aware of my surroundings and realized that a commercial for L'Oreal's Collagen Moisture Filler was just ending. At Eden's prompting, I heard the words "smooth skin" and "younger looking" as the ad faded to black.

"Eden, you have the most perfect, beautiful skin I've ever seen," I reply, thinking that would be the end of the conversation.

"But my skin isn't smooth like hers," she continues.

Ut-oh...here we go. Eden is only FIVE, yet she is made to feel inadequate by the marketing "geniuses" behind this powerhouse beauty brand. I know L'Oreal is not alone. They all survive on making us (women...and apparently young girls) feel like they must measure up to the image on the screen or in the magazine. As a mother and woman in her early 30s, I AM SICK OF IT. The saddest part is, while I am torn apart by my daughter's words, I feel like there are ad executives in 3-piece suits jumping for joy because they see yet another young girl hooked.

"Eden, that woman is nowhere near as beautiful as you." I respond, sitting down next to her on the bed. "And, it really doesn't matter if you have smooth skin. There are alot of great people in this world who don't have smooth skin, but they are still beautiful."

Not good enough.

"But, mom, that lady has the nicest smooth skin and mine just isn't as good," she says above the sound of my breaking heart.

I was hoping this uphill battle against the mighty beauty industry would wait a few years, at least until she is, I don't know, seven maybe. But, no. It's here and I'm ill prepared. Is it a futile battle? I'm praying that it's not...that somehow I can arm her with the self-confidence and courage to stand up to the constant barrage of belittling messages. It sounds so cliché to say that beauty is on the inside. I probably would have scoffed at this statement as a young girl (certainly as a teenager) but I guess as a parent, it takes on a whole new meaning.