Welcome to the Wave's Slates podcast about gender, feminism, and what my guest wants

called the tyranny of vanity.

Every episode you get a new pair of feminists to talk about the thing we cannot get off our

minds.

And you've got me, Julia Craven, a journalist with eight years of skin in the game, who is

also a senior writer and editor in New America.

Later in the show, I'm going to be joined by Elise Hugh, the host at large based at NPR

West, and the author of flawless lessons and looks and culture from the K-Beauty Capital.

I'm really excited to speak with Elise today because her new book, Flawless, takes a deep

journalistic look at the way perfection and hustle culture and really capitalism, as

ooze over into how we perceive, care for, and present ourselves to the world.

Being conventionally beautiful is a time consuming process that takes a mental and emotional

toll on women globally.

It's also incredibly advantageous to be considered beautiful, pretty privileges a real thing.

I had a lot of questions about how we interrogate this reality while understanding that we aren't

above participating in it.

For me personally, I've been into beauty since I was a little girl, and I have very fond

memories of watching the women in my family get ready to go out, whether it be to the grocery

store, to church, wherever.

It was captivating to see my Nana, for example, apply her favorite red lipstick and jewelry,

or to watch my mom slick her hair back into a ponytail.

And I waited for the day that I would be able to do the same.

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