Some women go to great lengths to look a certain way, while others just toss on some lip gloss and call it a day. Beauty routines are highly personalized and can vary depending on income, geographic location, employment and personal preference. Your routine may contain all or none of these practices.

Makeup

Makeup is a common beauty practice that can get downright expensive. While some women use makeup to change their appearance, most use it to enhance their existing features. For example, women wear lipstick to color, shape and bring attention to their lips, or eyeliner to make their eyes appear larger, brighter and more dramatic. Makeup also covers skin imperfections and can help boost confidence.

Hair Care

Hair care is a big part of beauty. Women commonly cut and style their hair as a part of their beauty routines. Many women indulge in chemical hair treatments like perms, relaxers or dyes to change the shape, color and texture. At home, women brush, curl, flatten and shape their hair into preferred styles.

Body Hair Removal

Body hair removal is considered a beauty treatment for some women and basic hygiene for others. There are a few types of hair to remove and a variety of ways to remove it. Some women pluck their eyebrows and shave their legs and underarms. Others wax away leg, underarm, chin, lip, brow or even pubic hair. For permanent hair removal, the FDA has approved electrolysis. Laser hair removal also offers long-lasting results.

Beauty Treatments

Spas and beauty treatment centers offer facials, skin rejuvenation, manicures and pedicures. Some spa beauty treatments, like chemical peels, are a step down from plastic surgery, but others are mild, like skin cleansing, softening and mud treatments and exfoliating scrubs.

Wardrobe

For some women, clothes are intimately tied to their beauty. Different hair or makeup looks accompany different outfits and change, depending on the time of day or occasion. Some women shop for clothes that fit and feel comfortable, while others shop for the top designer brands as a way to participate in the glamorous world of fashion.

Cosmetic Surgery

Cosmetic surgery is the ultimate beauty sacrifice. Women go under the knife to try to beat the ticking clock of aging. Others find aspects of their body dissatisfying, like their nose or breast size, and have them surgically altered.

Weight Loss

Unfortunately, weight and body size play a big role in what the culture considers to be beautiful. Many women — even women who aren’t overweight or obese — spend a good deal of their lives dieting or trying to lose weight to achieve this ideal, sometimes unattainable form beauty.