The goal is simple: wipe away years of frowns, laughter, and furrowed brows, all the unabashed shows of emotion that were so carefree before the marks they left became something to be ashamed of. So bathroom cabinets are filled with serums, cleansers, balms and masks. They’ll probably expire before you can even use them all, but at least the half empty bottles strewn around the counter indicate that you are worth looking at. That you are trying.
The world tells everyone, women in particular, that in order to deserve attention they have to have clear skin, thick hair, an even tan, and fulfill countless other standards that one person couldn’t possibly hope to measure up to. But the goalpost is always moving. One moment, the fad is full glam makeup. Glitter, big eyeliner, false eyelashes, the works. Within a month, it’s become all about minimalism, with no eyeliner, subtle shades of eyeshadow, and natural brows. Influencers rave to their audience about all their “favorite” products, conveniently omitting the fact that their content is sponsored. And of course, viewers trust that their favorite content creator knows best how to look, how to act, and how to exercise.
This endless cycle of trends around beauty is unavoidable to an extent, but actually meeting these standards remains unsustainable for the average person. Most people can’t afford to buy clothes in every aesthetic, a new dress or suit for every occasion, or makeup to keep up with every micro-trend. While trends are a natural part of fashion and culture, the addition of social media has exacerbated the overconsumption of clothing items and cosmetics to a concerning degree. Everyone seems to be in constant pursuit of a beauty standard that isn’t really standard at all. It’s always moving and shifting, just out of reach for most.
From all of these differing and conflicting views of attractiveness, a question emerges: Why do we as a society feed into the idea that there is a singular type of beauty and that it fades with age? Why shouldn’t people be proud of the wrinkles that chronicle their journey through life, every joy and sadness that they’ve endured to grow into the person they are today? The expectation that people, and women in particular, make an effort to be attractive even at the expense of their own wellbeing, is extraordinarily harmful and aids in propagating the idea that a person only holds value if they are aesthetically pleasing. But because the criteria to be considered attractive is always shifting, no one truly benefits from allowing these standards to dictate how we view ourselves and determine our worth. In reality, every single person is made up of so much more than what they appear to be on the surface: little habits, dreams that they’ve held since childhood, a favorite coffee shop where the barista knows their name. These details seem insignificant, but no one needs to match any arbitrary beauty standard imposed by society. You just need to be you.
