Dear Pete2444,
I hope this column finds you well — or at least better rested than you seem most Sunday mornings. You appear to have permanently taken up residence on the wrong side of the bed … so I wanted to check, Pete2444, is everything OK?
I have done my very best to bite my (perfectly lined) lip. I know the golden rule: ignore and rise above. “Never respond to the trolls, it’s what they want,” is the general advice you’re given when you write a column or appear on live television. But enough is enough. Last week it was: “How vain and self-obsessed can you be to talk about make-up all day?” The week before you put caps lock on to troll my frizz column: “NONSENSE! DRIVEL! WHO CARES!” Pete2444, you are so very mistaken — so many people care and it’s time I explained why.
Did you know that the beauty industry supports about 700,000 jobs in the UK, Pete2444? Let me spell that out a little clearer: Seven. Hundred. Thousand. Did you know that it has a larger workforce than real estate, publishing, utilities or telecommunications? Did you know that beauty contributes more to the economy than car manufacturing? And did you know that the number of beauty businesses on Britain’s high streets has increased over the past few years while retail has declined? I’m not finished, Pete2444. Did you know that those beauty businesses — whether salons or clinics or shops — are hugely responsible for bringing people to the high street, which in turn drives spending in surrounding businesses. It is estimated that for every £1 spent on hair and beauty, another is spent elsewhere, on things like coffee, lunch, books, parking. You’re all very welcome. It’s our pleasure to keep high streets alive.
Pete2444, I studied politics at university. I can happily have a sit-down at the pub if you’d like to debate the state of democracy or Trump’s tariffs — but I’d rather discuss your night-time skincare regime. I think you could do with a bit of self-care — perhaps some face massage or an extra-frothy bubble bath. It would do you the world of good. I’d like to book you in for a deluxe pedicure or maybe a beard reshape. On the subject of beards, barber shops are the fastest-growing high street businesses according to the Local Data Company — so it’s not just fluffy, frivolous stuff “for the ladies”.
Yes, Pete2444, I choose to talk beauty because I have the privilege of seeing the power of what it does for people first-hand — and not just on the surface, but at the very core of a person.
I see it when I visit the Future Dreams House, a sanctuary for women with breast cancer where drawing on brows and hydrating women’s chemo-ravaged skin feels sacred and vital. I see it in Finn, a teenage boy who wouldn’t leave the house because of his angry red acne — until I worked out a skincare routine with his mother. I now see him out and about with his (spot-free) chin up and his shoulders back. I see it in my own reflection after a long week pretending I have it all together — how a great hair or skin day builds my confidence and makes me feel like I’m in control.
A few other requests while I’m here, Pete2444. Please stop chastising me for recommending products that are out of your personal price range. This column is read by people across the country, from teenagers to grandmothers. Sometimes I’ll suggest something that’s more of an investment because I know some readers devour those recommendations too. I cannot and will not be able to please everyone all the time.
Oh, and about your grandmother, who you once told me looks fabulous at 120 from using nothing but soap and water: I love that for her. Truly. But most of us will need more than that if we want to tackle skin concerns, and that help often comes in the form of retinol. And SPF. Yes Pete2444, you do need to wear SPF.
I’m tired of the self-deprecation I hear when someone is complimented on their hair: “Oh no, it’s awful. I look terrible.” Why are we conditioned to feel ashamed of putting effort into how we look and how we present ourselves? Why do we belittle care as vanity? I think that may have something to do with you, Pete2444, and the way you make us feel. It is not vain to focus on your appearance. It is not vain to spend time investing in your reflection. So stop calling me vain — and pass the mascara.
Best beauty wishes, Sarah
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