Monday, October 15, 2012

Out, damned spot?


I got my November issue of Real Simple in the mail tonight. As I was perusing the pages, I noticed in the beauty section an article about minimizing discoloration in your skin--freckles, age spots, that sort of thing. There was a sidebar highlighting products with the title "Out, out darn spot." Hmmm, I thought. Really, a Macbeth reference? In an article about freckles? I wonder if anyone at Real Simple has ever seen or read Macbeth?

Fleeting thought--moved on to the home section, where they were advising how to clean spills from furniture, carpet, etc. And, what do you know! Right there in bold letters on the last page, suspended under a scoop of chocolate ice cream with a precariously melty drop escaping the spoon: OUT DAMN SPOT.

I have several objections. A, it's "damned", damn it. Not darn, not damn. DAMNED. Get it right, or don't do it at all. B, twice in less than six pages? No one noticed and nixed that? Weird. And C, and really, most importantly, did they just compare skin discoloration and stains on your couch to the guilty ravings of a heartless, delusional, suicidal madwoman who ruined multiple lives with her unbridled ambition?

Then I remembered that this is the magazine that thinks a $1200 acrylic coat makes life more "simple." And I thought Martha Stewart was a total nutjob. Ha, ha, ha. Still, I like the pretty pictures.

2 comments:

Heidi said...

I resent anything or anyone that tells me that my freckles are something to be ashamed of or removed. I like my freckles. Silly people.

lifeisbutadream said...

I entirely agree! Freckles are lovely and unique and charming, and absolutely perfect on you, Heidi. I have to remind myself all the time that the beauty industry has to convince us that something needs to be "fixed" in order for them to thrive. Parasites. I feel that way about my curly hair. There's no shortage of articles and advice on how to tame curls. Why would I want to tame them? Hair that falls sleek and always behaves? That would give everyone entirely the wrong impression of me. ;)