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What Meryl Streep Can Teach Us about BEAUTY #atozchallenge
Tuesday, April 2, 2013 at 5:30AM 
Skyyjohn in episode #27 of his Vlog on the "Skyyjohn2" channel.*Language Alert: This post contains some explicit language. If you are among the faint at heart or sensitive to certain words, consider this advance notice.
Hot chicks can’t act, according to popular YouTuber SkyyJohn, who names Meryl Streep as an example – suggesting “nobody wants to bang her, but look at how good of an actress she is!” -- In one of his vlog episodes.
I won’t argue in support of SkyyJohn’s claim or against it, for I’m not interested in banging Meryl Streep – I’d take Eric Dane a.k.a McSteamy, thank you very much. However, there are valuable lessons we can all learn from this actress, regarding how we measure ourselves on the beauty scale.
Lesson #1 - People tend to look their Best when they are Comfortable in their own Skin.
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Streep, who didn’t have any confidence in her beauty when she was young, believed that character acting was where her strengths lie. She even once apologized to an Italian movie producer for “disappointing” him by not being a conventional beauty. The producer insulted Streep – calling her an ugly pig when she auditioned for a role in the 1976 “King Kong” remake.
Yet today in her 60s, this Oscar-winning actress has not resorted to plastic surgery or cosmetic procedures to try and extend the “sell-by” date of her career. Streep views these desperate measures as an interruption in communication between you and the people you are interacting with. “It’s like wearing a veil – it’s not a good thing,” she says. “You have to embrace getting older,” declares Streep after evolving from an actress who didn’t think she was pretty enough while growing up, to one that is now free of the constraints of beauty standards or glass ceilings.
Lesson #2 - Real Beauty Doesn’t Always Fade…it Evolves.
If the comments on a YouTube clip of Meryl Streep’s 2010 Golden Globe interview are any indication, she is more attractive these days than ever before. Comments on that video range from naming Streep an American cultural icon to calling her a goddess, who is so gorgeous, some viewers who normally think of her talent, grace and humility say they forgot how beautiful she is. The general consensus is that Streep looks good for her age – probably because she is comfortable with where she is now and not trying to look like 20-30-something actresses.
If there is one thing to learn from the responses she gets as a 60-something year-old actress, it is that youth doesn’t automatically equal beauty and your appeal is not entirely summed up by your age. I agree with this concept based on the fact that I think actresses Helen Mirren and Judi Dench are some of the hottest and/or most attractive women over 60.
Lesson #3 - The Most Beneficial Beauty Regimens are found in Healthy Lifestyle Choices, not in a Bottle, Tube or Jar.
Although we cannot beat aging or gravity, our lifestyle habits can either slow it down or speed it up – the latter of which is found in basic shade. “I don’t like to be hot, so I don’t have the sun beating down on me,” says Streep. Many of us buy all of these creams, gels, elixirs, powders, etc. to maintain some type of youthful glow and combat wrinkles when the simplest way to do it is by not baking ourselves under the sunlight.
The funny thing about Meryl Streep’s beauty regimen is its absolutely free and when she does indulge in skin and body products, those things also come without a charge. “At the Oscars, they give you this free stuff and whatever is in that pack, I smear it on for a year,” she says.
Streep’s simple method of preserving her looks were made possible by her talents: Being a great actress gave her access to beauty products that she now doesn’t have to pay for – not because she endorses them – but because she uses the contents of her Oscar swag bag in moderation across a span of 365 days.
Lesson #4 - Tomorrow is not guaranteed, no matter how you look.
Streep got tired of spending so much of her life worrying about if she was appealing enough that she can’t even remember the last time it was among her concerns. “As there begins to be less time ahead of you, you want to be exactly who you are, without making it easier for everyone else – I have so many friends who are sick or gone, and I’m here – I’m very fucking grateful to be alive,” she says.
Meryl Streep has over 35 Oscar and Golden Globe nominations combined – more than any other actor in history. This woman is such a powerhouse of talent that comedic actresses Tina Fey and Amy Poehler joked about her doing well at having the Flu, during their 2013 Golden Globes opening monologue (at 5:17 in the video).
The seemingly never-ending amount of respect that Meryl Streep receives could be attributed to her focusing her energies on the gifts and talents she clearly possesses, making the most of her days on this earth – regardless of who wants to bed her or not.
How do conventional beauty standards affect YOUR quality of life?
Reader Comments (31)
I like the quote.: Beauty does not fade, it evolves. Nice. Thanks for stopping by my blog.
She is of epic beauty for sure!
Dani @ Entertaining Interests
#warriorminion
An epic beauty and a superb actress, great post. What I hate about "beauty standards" these days is most of them are fake and achieved by photoshop. The reason people feel they have to have all these regimes and procedures is because the beauty they wish to achieve is actually impossible. I totally believe beauty comes from within and if you're not beautiful there you're never going to be on the outside no matter what you do. A true smile looks far better than a forehead that won't move and talent shines far brighter than a skin peel.
Respectable beauty vs. fake beauty - Meryl Streep has it going on. She's the real deal and growing old gracefully truly is a thing of beauty!
What a fabulous and inspiring post. I've always thought of Streep as lovely. I like her approach--and Jamie Lee Curtis's--to getting older. We can't fight it, but we can embrace it.
Good luck with the challenge.
Cheryl
http://www.thebusymomsdaily.com/2013/04/blogging-from-to-z-april-challenge_2.html
I love Meryl Streep but I don't really know much about her. Thanks for this informative, entertaining post. :)
Accepting and appreciating yourself for who you are is definitely the key to beauty and Meryl has done both! Great post for B day.
Growing old naturally and gracefully--such a rarity in Hollywood. We're bombarded with images of older women who are still trying to hang onto their glory days, and mostly it's a pretty sad effort. Meryl proves that glory days aren't just about wrinkle-free skin and pretending you can stop the clock.
I love Meryl Streep. She can so totally transform herself for whatever role she's cast in. She sounds a lot like my aunt, who at 64 is a ski-patrol, rock-climbs, rides horses, and is a paramedic. Nothings going to slow her down.
Our society's view of beauty is so completely skewed, I don't even know where to begin commenting on that...
Great post, Nicole.
Tina @ Life is Good
Co-host, April 2013 A-Z Challenge Blog
@TinaLifeisGood, #atozchallenge
Meryl Streep becomes her characters....like a chameleon. Those actresses who have resorted to plastic surgery loose the ability to move their faces as if they are wearing stiff masks. Bravo to Meryl for embracing her life and her wrinkles. (What I would give for an Oscar swag bag!)
I find the beauty of the entire post to be the acceptance of who she is, not what others see with their eyes when they look at her or any other woman (or man). Kudos to Meryl Streep, and to you for sharing such insight. :)
#2 is spot on. Beauty evolves. It sure does! Embrace yourself at all stages of life!
Meryl Streep can and has played every character with validity. I cannot recall a role where she did not measure up to my expectations. I would compare her to Robert Duvall in this regard.
I'm not a huge fan of Streep, but I'll give her credit for not caving to the lure of the knife. I'd much rather see a natural woman then one who has had so many nips and tucks that she looks like a mannequin....a la Joan Rivers.
There are many definitions of beauty and the "mainstream" version isn't always correct.
I wonder what most of the gorgeous babes of Hollywood would look like if it wasn't for make-up and silicone?
I am all about aging gracefully! Beauty will fade and you are just left with grace!
I'm a big fan of hers...she is beautiful!
I am personally pleased you chose Meryl Streep for this post, because when I was younger, people often compared me to her. I have, sadly, "let myself go" (and not in a good way!) so the resemblance is much less subtle. But seeing how gorgeous she is at age 60, with so little assistance from magical cures and medical quackery, inspires me to be a better *ME*. In Meryl Streep, I see the physical proof of how that will turn out for me. Now, at the age of 37, I'm finally happy with who I am as an individual, and am working on toning down my weight so I can be happier with my body, too. I'm really glad to read that she, too, learned to be comfortable in her own skin. Beauty may only be skin deep, but --- *BOY* --- does it radiate outward!
I think the idea of 'conventional' beauty can be damaging but I have to say I am very lazy when it comes to all things make up etc. I like to think I have the attitude of take me how you get me but know it is nice getting compliments when I do make an effort - pity that I like using those extra few minutes for beauty sleep rather than beauty aid application.
Meryl is fabulous though. An unconventional beauty but as you say comfortable and confident in her own skin (at least on th surface),
Streep is far from my favorite actress, but she's been in some pretty good movies. Off hand I can't remember any though.
Wonderful.
I feel fabulouser than I did before I read this :) x
Thank you for writing about Meryl Streep. She's one of my favorites and it's fun to find such a nice article about her while trolling the A-Z Challenge list. You're one of the organizers, right? Thanks for that, too. I'm giving it a try. http://carolynpaulbranch.com
Thank you for writing about Meryl Streep. She's one of my favorites and it's fun to find such a nice article about her while trolling the A-Z Challenge list. You're one of the organizers, right? Thanks for that, too. I'm giving it a try. http://carolynpaulbranch.com
I find it really astonishing to believe anyone could call her an ugly pig. Wow. She's gorgeous and definitely looks amazing still today!
Hi,
I'm visiting you from the A-Z challenge. This is my first time doing this challenge. I really enjoyed your post on Beauty. I don't think beauty is defined by how "bangable" someone is anyway. True beauty shines through and Meryl Streep is gorgeous!