Even without 10 shades of makeup to parse between, consumer culture can be hard to avoid! I definitely think that women have it far worse in this regard, but I've certainly had my challenges avoiding trends. When I first had income, I went on a relentless spending spree for a whole bunch of things I didn't need. It took a good year or two to really start asking myself "Do I need this? Will it make me happier?" And almost every time, the answer is no.

Thanks for sending this one in, Ishika!