Beautiful & Radiant: Two Poems — Plus the Money Conversation That Goes With Them

Two poems first. Then a conversation about money. Because somehow they're connected.

BEAUTIFUL

I stare at my reflection, a little unsure,

Picking apart every flaw I endure.

My nose, my hair, my freckles, my chin —

Is beauty really just skin-deep within?

I scroll through pictures, perfect and bright,

Wondering why I don't look just right.

But then I remember — those smiles so wide,

Might be hiding doubts they keep inside.

I feel most beautiful when I'm free,

Dancing to music, just being me.

When I'm laughing so hard I can't even breathe,

Or helping someone in quiet belief.

It's in the books I read, the dreams I chase,

The fire in my heart, not just my face.

It's in the way I stand up and stay strong,

Even when the world says I don't belong.

Beautiful isn't in friends or trends,

It's in kindness, courage, and the love I send.

So, I'm learning to see the beauty in me,

A little raw, but perfectly free.

Because I'm more than what the world might define,

Beautiful's mine — and it shines from inside.

RADIANT

Radiance is beauty that lights up a room,

A sparkle, a glow, a flower in bloom.

But I've learned it's more than just what you see —

It's a fire inside, wild and free.

It's the way I laugh when joy takes hold,

The stories I tell, the dreams I've told.

It's the kindness I give, the love that I share,

The moments in which I show how much I care.

Radiance is courage, shining through tears,

Facing the world despite my fears.

It's the strength to stand, to rise, to try,

To hold onto hope and reach for the sky.

Radiant isn't a sparkle, fleeting and small —

It's the glow of a soul that embraces it all.

It's being myself, without fear or shame,

And knowing my light will always remain.

— Anaya Deshmukh, Daughters of India

Now — the money conversation these poems made us want to have

Anaya's poems say something radical: beauty is in kindness, courage, and the fire inside. And yet we live in a world that charges us — literally charges us money — to look a certain way.

There's something called the Pink Tax. It's not an official government tax — it's the price premium that exists on products marketed specifically to women and girls, compared to equivalent products marketed to men. Razors, shampoo, deodorant, face wash — almost universally more expensive in the 'for her' version, for no functional reason.

Research puts the pink tax at roughly 7 to 13 percent. On one product that's small. Across everything you buy, every month, for your whole adult life — it adds up to a significant amount of money.

Then add: the social pressure to buy skincare, makeup, hair products, the 'right' clothes. None of this is neutral. It's a system that tells us we aren't beautiful enough as we are — and then charges us to fix it.

What to actually do about it:

Compare products by ingredient and function, not by packaging. The men's moisturiser and the women's moisturiser with the same ingredients are the same product.

Notice when you're buying something because you genuinely want it versus because an advertisement told you something was wrong with you. That's not always easy to separate. But noticing is the first step.

Track how much you spend on appearance products in one month. Not to feel bad about it — just to know. Information is power.

You are not a project to be fixed. And your money is worth more than the beauty industry wants you to believe.

Which line from Beautiful or Radiant hit different? Tell us in the comments — Anaya is reading.

— Daughters of India 💜