The owner of a PR firm revealed why she spends $12,000 (over ₹11 lakh) a year on beauty treatments and clothes, especially after moving from New York to Utah. In a conversation with Business Insider, she revealed that she undergoes the pricey procedures to keep up with beauty standards.
“Utah has a slower pace, less diversity, and a more conservative culture, but one of the biggest challenges is the pressure to maintain a youthful, fresh appearance. Even though NYC is very focused on appearance, it's not as bad as Utah,” Hilary Reiter Azzaretti told the outlet, adding that she felt Utah was very “beauty-centric and that a lot of people here cared about longevity, wellness, and appearance.”
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The 50-year-old explained that before living in Utah, she wore makeup and had infrequent manicures, but never had Botox or regular facials.
Why so much emphasis on beauty treatments?
“In public relations, there's an unspoken emphasis on youthfulness and appearance. When I started my agency at 34, I was in front of more people than ever. I'm the face of the brand I created. It started to weigh on me even more,” said Azzaretti.
{{/usCountry}}“In public relations, there's an unspoken emphasis on youthfulness and appearance. When I started my agency at 34, I was in front of more people than ever. I'm the face of the brand I created. It started to weigh on me even more,” said Azzaretti.
{{/usCountry}}She explained, “Half the pressure is self-induced. Outsiders might perceive younger PR people as more on top of trends, especially with social media. That's not always true, since PR is a relationship-driven business, but because it feels that way, trying to hide your age soothes your ego,” adding, “The other half comes from what you see on the job. There are a lot of influencers in Utah, so I'm inundated with images of beautiful people every day. It feels inevitable that you'll place greater emphasis on your appearance based on what you're seeing.”
How much does she spend?
Azzaretti didn’t give a detailed breakdown of her beauty expenses and shared a gross amount with the outlet. However, she revealed that she spends close to $2,000 a year on Botox and over $1,500 a year on manicures and pedicures. She also shared that she spends over $5,000 a year on her clothing. In addition, she also gets antiaging treatments a few times a year.
The PR boss explained, “I'm not sure if I'd be doing all these beauty treatments if I still lived in NYC. There's less of a focus there on obsessing about keeping such a youthful appearance, and the more humid climate is gentle on the skin.”
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Did she have plastic surgery?
Azzaretti shared that though she didn’t undergo plastic surgery, it sounds tempting at times. “I just don't think I could do it, but never say never, especially if I live in Utah forever.”
According to Hilary Reiter Azzaretti’s LinkedIn profile, she completed her bachelor's degree from Barnard College at Columbia University.