2011: New Year's Revolution

No, that's not a typo.

New Year's is all about new beginnings; out with the old and in with the new, vowing to do all of those things that you never got round to last year like losing five pounds or start training for a triathlon or taking up knitting. You know, the usual.

Unfortunately for most of us, by March, life has gotten in the way and all of those grandiose plans to bring radical sweeping changes to our lives are gone like so much Christmas chocolate and silver tinsel. Packed away till this time next year, when the vicious cycle of making promises you can't possibly keep will start all over again.

But not this year. It's time for a revolution. 

Delacroix - Liberty Leading the People

 

Perhaps not quite as bloody as the French Revolution depicted here in this famous painting, nor the coups staged by America or Russia after it, but a critical shift in the way we think and do things is definitely in order. But let's start with something simple. Something a little easier to tackle than the current political regime.

I'm talking about a Beauty Revolution.

Here's how it works, based on my limited knowledge of revolutionary protocol:
It starts with a statement of intent - a declaration if you will - which details the what and why of what you're attempting to achieve. After that, you just need to get enough people to hop onboard your train of thought and let its momentum do the rest. Before you know it, your idea has taken on a life of its own and suddenly - voila. You've made a change. How it happens and where it could lead, well...you won't know that until you get there.

So here goes nothing. Here is my declaration of Beauty Independence:

When in the course of retail events it becomes necessary for a People to 

dissolve the chains which have bound them to the big beauty businesses;

Those stuck-up corporate suits whose sole purpose is to dictate 

what one should buy and how one should look. 

    To those who want nothing less than to keep us held hostage 

by their narrow and damaging viewpoints, we will stand together today and say 

No More.

No more empty promises.

No more ingredients that are either irresponsibly sourced, 

potentially harmful or entirely unnecessary.

 

No more shall we conform to their cookie cutter concept

of what it means to be beautiful.

We, the self-appointed Representatives of a new kind of Beauty ideal,
do solemnly pledge

our allegiance to a new way of shopping for makeup and accessories.

One that stays true to its word and delivers the results it claims.

One that will not further damage our environment, 

our community, or ourselves.

One that supports independent thought and creative small business

over corporate greed and cosmetic autocracy.

And for the support this Declaration, with a firm belief in the Divine power 

of the Internet and its ability to spread a message, 

we mutually pledge to each other 

this commitment to finding a better way to be beautiful.

 

Okay, so maybe I got a little carried away there. Maybe I got inspired by the founding fathers of our neighbour to the South, themselves no strangers to the revolutionary concept. And yes, maybe I did directly plagiarize some parts of a Declaration they once committed to and signed on a piece of parchment. Isn't imitation the sincerest form of flattery? 

Whatever. What I want to know now is, who's with me?