Beauty industry shapes societal ideals with unrealistic standards. This harms self-esteem and mental health, impacting overall well-being.

Unrealistic beauty standards set by the beauty industry

Saadia ghaznavi

THE UNREALISTIC BEAUTY STANDARDS CREATED BY THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY.

The beauty industry wields significant influence over societal perceptions of attractiveness, often promoting unrealistic beauty standards. Advertisements and social media platforms bombard individuals with images of flawless skin, perfectly sculpted bodies, and unattainable youth, creating a pervasive pressure to conform. These ideals are frequently achieved through digital alteration and a barrage of beauty products and treatments, fostering a culture of comparison and inadequacy. This relentless pursuit of an idealized appearance can lead to detrimental effects on self-esteem, mental health, and body image, particularly among young people. The beauty industry also promotes that Whitening creams, often marketed as essential for beauty, can deeply affect the mental state of people of color by reinforcing harmful stereotypes that equate lighter skin with attractiveness and success. This can lead to feelings of inadequacy, low self-esteem, and internalized racism, impacting overall mental health and self-worth. Moreover, the industry's narrow definitions of beauty often marginalize diverse racial, ethnic, and body type representations, reinforcing exclusionary norms. While there is a growing movement towards body positivity and inclusivity, the challenge remains to balance the aspirational nature of beauty marketing with a more authentic, diverse, and empowering representation of beauty in all its forms.

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