When I was a teenager I stopped reading “Dolly,” “Cleo,” “Cosmo,” and all the rest because every time I picked one up, they made me feel bad about myself. They would feature the most beautiful clothes – which I could never afford – and if I did manage to get anything even remotely like the magazines (usually from Target or second hand shops), I certainly didn’t look like the models did! These magazines focused on every single square inch of womanhood and told you what each should look like, feel like, be like and if it didn’t, well you just weren’t perfect.

This shit plays with your head now matter how old you are and as a rebellion, I went out, got a Mohawk and started body building – I certainly didn’t look like the models then!! In fact, the men were competing with me for thigh strength and size instead and that made me much happier. It certainly wasn’t a “beautiful” time in my life, but I was having more fun than I would have playing the teenage girl game of primping and preening myself for the boys! I am thankful for that time because I realised my brain was more important than my looks and I focused on filling my head with as much knowledge as I could get – it’s done alright by me over the years!

The only magazine I subscribe to now is National Geographic and I love when it turns up every month – much more interesting than how my tits should look in a halter top – which I’d never wear anyway because big tits and halters don’t go together – apparently.

But if you’re interested in this world, or just want to get a glimpse into a profession you don’t know anything about, or if you’re in this world and are curious how an insider sees it, then this is a very good book! Mia also has a Website for those interested in relevant beauty stuff.

I really enjoyed it!

Yours, without the bollocks
Andrea