Motherhood and Magazine Subscriptions

When my daughter was born I cancelled all my magazine subscriptions. ALL OF THEM.

I was a devout reader of Allure, InStyle, Vogue, Shape and of course, US. When the magazines were delivered, they held sultry promises of long limbs, smooth skin, style and naturally, how to have the best orgasm ever.

I would set aside time to read them cover to cover. The advertisements sold me...The how to’s taught me…The exposés showed me... And the features… ohhhhh, the features. Glimpses into the impossibly gorgeous world of the cover girl, held my attention. The features left me feeling like I knew “Her” a bit better, like “She” was a friend in my head.

When Sofia was born, I gazed at her fresh perfection and I knew I had to get rid of the magazines. If she grew up seeing those shiny pages, I would be teaching her that the doctored images were the beauty ideals women should strive for. For the first time in my life, I asked myself, “What do I really think makes a woman beautiful?”

My answers surprised me. What I found beautiful wasn’t featured in my beloved magazines.

There were no articles about the gorgeous lines on a woman’s face earned by experience, worry and wisdom. No articles on women who were driven by purpose or service. No pictures of flushed faces and messy hair from a satisfying work out. No features on the kind of women i admired.

I got rid of the magazines. Now, instead, the photos of women in my home are of the most beautiful women we know and hope to know: Our matriarchs, my best friends, artists, scientists and authors. These photos will be a part of Sofia’s beauty ideals. More importantly they will be a part of forming her very own definition of beauty.

At Luminous, we are intentionally magazine free. YOU ARE OUR BEAUTY IDEALS, so Luminous mirrors only you.

In perpetual awe and celebration of you,

e

“ What I found beautiful wasn’t featured in my beloved magazines. There were no articles about the gorgeous lines on a woman’s face earned by experience, worry and wisdom. No articles on women who were driven by purpose or service. No pictures of flushed faces and messy hair from a satisfying work out. No features on the kind of women I admired. ”