Beauty Treatments: A thing of the past?

I have been reading Esther in the Old Testament with my girls community group and I have learned that a lot has not changed since it was written. In Esther 2, the women who are to see King Xeres must go through a year worth of beauty treatments. Interestingly, they also state that these women were beautiful to begin with. Here's how I felt (and Beth Moore felt): "So, you're telling me that I'll never be beautiful enough- I'll always need more".

Beth Moore also conducted a questionnaire with various women from the U.S. She asked them, "What's the hardest thing about being a woman?" Several women said this (or something to this effect): "Being too much and not enough at the same time". Man! I feel the same way constantly. I don't want to be either of those things but it seems I am both.

The one thing I like about Esther was that when offered "extra" treatments before seeing the king, she denied them. She knew she was enough.

I feel like I like to shop and buy things that will make me "more beautiful"...as if I wasn't already. I feel like the clothes make the woman, not that the woman makes the clothes. I do think that buying things that flatter your figure or fit you is something that is important- just as important as modesty. However, I don't want my beauty to be defined by what I wear.

As Gretchen Wilson put it in Redneck Woman (Preface- don't take this out of context):
"Victoria's Secret
Well their stuff's real nice
Oh but I can buy the same damn thing on a Wal Mart shelf half price
And still look sexy"

It's not the clothes that make the woman, it's your inner beauty and own natural beauty that makes the clothes look nice. Esther was enough, and God created me to be enough too.