Beauty by definition, is a combination of qualities, such as shape, color or form that pleases the aesthetics senses, especially the sight! That standard is different around the world and there are so many influences on our current beauty standards that are set by our need to reproduce, feel accepted and important.
So how does your look affect you? What lengths would you go to beautify yourself? What are the beauty standards here in America? These are just a few of the topics I will touch on in this article. It is important to know that our perception of our own beauty has a lot to do with the value we place on ourselves and our day-to-day confidence. To have a positive Personal appearance, is a way to boost your self-confidence, and reduce anxiety about being accepted. When you feel good about your outer appearance, you are more comfortable, confident, productive, and cooperative in your daily task. With that in mind, how far would you go or how much would you spend to look good? The Internet is saturated with articles and videos on how to improve your looks, advice about exfoliating your skin, growing eyelashes as well as what foods you should consume to lose weight and more.
The beauty industry brings in over $100 billion in revenue worldwide each year, with the United States generating at least 49.2 billion in cosmetic products sales, $4.4 billion on Botox injections ,$2.2 billion on lip augmentation, and a jaw dropping $14.6 billion on cosmetic surgeries. Let’s face it, beauty is a money maker, and women spend more to achieve it then men do. But what are the standards of beauty here in the United States that have women draining their bank accounts or the accounts of their significant others just to look pretty. Is it to have long hair, fluttering lashes, dewy skin that makes you attractive? Is it attractive to have a small thin frame with voluptuous assets that put a woman high on the menu for beauty here in America. Are we being groomed to be fit or look exotic, is it important to do as Beyoncé says and look like” I woke up like this “ to be sought after. Are these attributes what women are trying to achieve because they claim its what brings the boys to the yard and even money in your purse? If so, do men create the standards of beauty or is it an illusion that women have created in our mind? Do you know that what men find beautiful in women is not always what we as women find beautiful in ourselves? The research says that men find characteristics like having a great personality, confidence, a positive attitude and being cooperative is what’s high on the attractive meter for them. Men are also increasingly valuing brains over beauty when choosing long-term mates. Now there still are men who care more about physical attributes, but are those men worth your time and are they seriously looking for a long-term relationship? Could it be that women are spending all of this money, making all of these changes to their bodies for nothing? Is it worth the time, pain and money to look a certain way? Well in my opinion, both physical beauty and inner beauty is necessary in life.
Physical beauty is what attracts others to you, it’s what makes you step out with your head held high, but it’s the inner beauty that radiates the farthest. Having a good heart and being emotionally and mentally intelligent is what keeps those people that you attract around . Just being physically attractive is not enough to sustain you in this life, you have to love yourself inside and out in order to truly be fulfilled and to be fulfilling to others. Be the best version of yourself inside and out, and keep striving to be better every day that is, what’s important to have a peaceful, purposeful, joyful life . Now yes, I say keep up with your looks, but focus more on who you are, and this is coming from a hairstylist, make up artist and national pageant title holder,. Who I am inside is more important than what I look like on the outside.
Kay Chantel
