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Clothes and make-up have played a large role in how human beings present themselves to the world for a very long time. We know that the ancient Egyptians make up, and it has been used in different countries in different ways, and sometimes with different meanings, throughout the ages. There have been times in European history when men have spent as much time and effort on their appearance as women (if not more!).

People have always been interested in how they look and have made efforts to improve their appearance in a number of ways. Clothes, hair, make-up, tattoos, surgery, and even deliberate facial scarring have all been ways in which we influence how we appear to the world.

Walking around certain shops, watching TV and looking through magazines, it seems as though there are more and more products available to improve our appearance. Some are supposed to improve what we've already got, like creams, lotions, spot zappers, shampoos and conditioners, and others seem to invite us to change or add to what's already there, like hair dyes and make-up. There are also more specialised products, like skin camouflage.

Most products and advertisements these days are aimed at girls. Though modern boys and men who use cosmetic products tend to be exceptions (think of David Bowie, Mark Bolan, Boy George and Marilyn Manson), advertisers are now trying to persuade more and more boys that products designed to enhance how they look are just as relevant to them as they are to girls. The benefit of this is that boys are beginning to be ‘allowed' to use products that have tended to be considered ‘girlie'. The potential drawback is that this change tends to be linked to a growing self-consciousness for boys about how they look. A recent edition of ES magazine had an article describing how more and more boys and men are worried about how they look. They are more likely to suffer from anorexia than ever before, and are choosing to use more and more products to enhance their appearance (using surgery to make their muscles appear bigger is an extreme example of this).

If we were to follow the advice of every magazine article and advertisement we ever saw, and spent all our time doing things to improve our appearance, we would have no room in our bathrooms, and no money to spend on other things - like food, clothes and travel for instance.

So how do we make decisions about how many products we want to buy and how much we want to use them?

At Left Clip, we believe that the answer lies in what makes you feel good, and what's FUN! Some people hate the idea of using any kind of make-up or other fancy products, whilst others enjoy the whole process of choosing what to use and then using it. Using a good conditioner to make your hair shine, mascara to darken your eyelashes or aftershave to smell good are all ways in which some of us enjoy using cosmetic products and walk out of the front door feeling good about ourselves. They go hand in hand with eating well, taking exercise, and choosing clothes that we feel comfortable and attractive in.

How we feel about ourselves, what we wear and how many cosmetic products we use might vary from day to day. What's right for one person on one day, may not be right for another - or even the same person on a different day. At Left Clip, we believe that these sorts of choices should be a pleasure rather than anything else, and that the choices you make are to make you feel good, no-one else - and please don't forget the fun factor in dressing up and going a bit mad with how you look from time to time - even if it's only in private or at home with friends!