Demand for Beauty by Society

The psychology of beauty is complex not just because the concept of beauty is as yet undefined, but also because it is largely true that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder or how individuals perceive other people or things. The importance of beauty has been taught since the first civilizations. It is known that the cave people of the Mesolithic period (around 10,000 B.C.) softened their skin with castor oil and grease, and also used plant dyes to tattoo their skin. Lipsticks first appeared in the ancient city off Ur, near Babylon, 5000 years ago. Ancient Greek women painted their cheeks with herbal pastes made from crushed berries and seeds. A dangerous development of beauty

The idea of cosmetology and beauty was commenced by ancient tribal hunters. It is believed that they would smear ash under their eyes and use animal urine to alter their smell. This is where the idea of eyeliner and perfume originated (Schurman). Around the world cosmetology is being introduced like Egypt is suggested to be one of the most ancient culture that associates with cosmetics. Make up to them was really significant especially to the royal egyptians. Their idea of eyeliner was made up of lead, ash and mercury. The use of this eyeliner helped reduce glare, prevent any type of infection, and mostly to make their eyes beautiful (Schurman). Now the Chinese ancient culture had mixtures of natural ingredients to produce stimulating nail polish. The nail polish to these people were sign of wealth (Murphy). In ancient Rome and Greece those who could afford it would receive baths in lotions. They wore perfume, face powder, blush, eyeliner, and lipstick. During this period it was discovered that oils, lotions, and animal fat have beautification properties (Schurman).

Beauty is seen as one of the most important aspects of an individual as it the first characteristic someone notices about a person. Some are treated differently due to his or her aesthetically pleasing or displeasing face and is most evident in the book Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold by C. S. Lewis that takes place approximately in the time period 700 to 450 B.C. In the novel Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold by C. S. Lewis the three central female characters, Orual, Psyche, and Redival, are all regarded to differently based on their physical appearances and this attitude is prevalent in modern society.

There are plenty of beauty remedies ancient Egyptians used to use to keep their body looking flawless, youthful, and glowing and one person that is very famous for her looks was Cleopatra, and was due to her beauty remedies.

Ancient Egyptian religion had an effective impact on their daily life. The afterlife preparation and ceremonies was very important to the Ancient Egyptians. The afterlife took work and care but was cared for deeply by all Egyptian people. In ancient Egypt both royal men and women wore makeup in ways of their religion. Makeup in Ancient Egypt played a part in religion, makeup and cosmetics were very important because for the Royal it showed power and true dedication. Makeup was made of all natural materials and objects.They used resources that they had to make the best out of everyday life. Religion was not only for the people but also for the

Priests had to be clean for the Gods and if they did not they would get lice and/or parasites. In hot weather, Egyptians would use deodorants like we use today. When people smelled bad, they rubbed incense into their skin or they would put balls of incense into their joints. Around 1400 BC, three ladies of Tuthmosis’s III court were buried with expensive royal equipment and lots of cosmetics. Two jars of cleansing cream made with oil and lime were found in the sarcophagus with the three ladies. Since Egyptians had good diets and a lack of sugar, they had nice pearly whites. However, the peasants didn’t have good personal hygiene, so the bread that they made had little grains of sand and grit that eventually wore down the Egyptians teeth. To improve breath, Egyptians chewed on herbs or gargled some milk. When people got scarred, they would use special ointment to make the scar(s) less obvious. Both men and women wore perfumes made from cinnamon, oil, and myrrh (sap from a thorny tree called Commiphora). The most popular tool in Egypt for making people look better is the brush. Brushes were used to apply almost every makeup onto Egyptians. The most common brush was made from the Salvadorapersica (salva-dor-ra-per-sica) tree. Not only did the brush apply makeup, it was used as a toothbrush! Nobles and government officials used chalk and white lead pigments to showcase their pale skin to show position and

Ever since the finding of pigments and color in plants, plants have been used to alter the colour of people’s hair. It has been vocalized that Cleopatra colored her hair with “henna before bathing in the Nile” (Adams 1). Contrasting types of plant specimens, such as wood ash and oak, were being used to colour the different hues of hair. During the time of the Roman Empire, both men and women began to give up their customs and traditions of simplicity and frugality. Many of these men and women wanted to find ways to ornament themselves.

What makes someone beautiful? This striking question has always had a complex answer rather than simple. Society makes their interpretation of beauty with many standards that qualify for the “most beautiful people” in the world. America's picture of the perfect lady is extremely thin however full figured. America’s picture of the perfect gentleman is also thin, yet very fit. It’s always one thing or the other, never one choice. The public has their own particular rendition of what beauty looks like, yet american beauty happens to have a stance amongst the most startling standards. These standards of beauty that women see each day impact their confidence and self-esteem negatively only to push them to discover ways to fit into these unrealistic beauty criterias. Beauty standards in America are ever-changing, but society has yet to absolutely accept the average, everyday woman.

Beauty standards are portrayed everywhere: on magazines, social media, ads, commercials, and even flaunted among peers. While the ideals are supposed to promote health awareness, fitness motivation, and self love, it unfortunately results in many unfavorable consequences. Women are constantly “penalized for not being beautiful and at the same time are stigmatized, even pathologized, for not feeling beautiful, for having low self-esteem, for engaging in behaviors like dieting and excessive exercising, or for having eating disorders” (Johnston and Taylor 954). Beauty standards are unrealistic and unhealthy to pursue, and misinforms the public on what true beauty is. While not all beauty image ideals promote negative feelings and dissatisfaction, many believe that the negative effects far outweighs any positive effects.

Cosmetics, first used in Ancient Rome for ritual purposes, were part of daily life for women, especially prostitutes and the wealthy. Cosmetics were applied in private, usually in a small room where men did not enter. Cosmetae, female slaves that adorned their mistresses, were especially praised for their skills. They would beautify their mistresses with cultus, the Latin word encompassing makeup, perfume and jewelry.

Beauty sets standards for society through appearance, especially in younger generations due to use of social media and picture editing. “Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder” is a saying that has been around for ages (Plato, n.p.). It is an accurate phrase because of contrasting views within particular individuals. Beauty is present in the good deeds of community members as well as the unity exhibited through dreadful events. It is a flower bud breaking through the dirt into the fresh, spring air. To clarify how beauty is viewed, it is often times the exposure of evil accounting for the new appreciation of something beautiful. After recognizing the privileges we acquire, the existence of beauty is revealed and expressed more easily. In current society, appreciating beauty is substantial to

Beauty standards have been a major issue for many years now and women have been willing to change their bodies over and over to please themselves and others. Beauty standards are often defined in terms of hairstyles, skin color, and body size. The measures involved in having to live up to these standards are often risky in nature. For decades, what is seen as beautiful is centered around a women’s weight and size. Today, that standard is often defined as being thin. Women often resort to drastic means to attain that ideal image. However, achieving these standards can be expensive, can lower self-esteem and can be a threat to a woman’s health and life.

With the media being a very popular way of communication and self expression in today’s culture, it influences the way of younger generations to be more involved in today’s technology, and to allow them to influence the world by the press of a button. But one of the topics that is very controversial is that in today’s society is the high expectations of what they think a girl has to look like, from girls not having stretch marks or scars, to magazines and photographers using photoshop to convince readers that the model looks like that. With all of these being factors that there is pressure is high for many girls around the world, this has to resolved.

Beauty standards have been socially constructed in diverse and various shapes in every society or culture in the world, and cause people to think they are not beautiful if they do not fit the common standard of beauty that has been set by the society. Most people are pressured into the standard by the social milieu. The people who are different from the socially pursued standard of beauty do not think the standard itself is absurd, but they rather tend to be insecure about their appearance. Once people see the beauty through individual’s perspective, not through the socially constructed standard, they would realize how much they have unconsciously forced each other to be fit in the beauty standard. This is something that I have also experienced. I was not a person who fit in the standard of beauty, and that made me shy and timid. However, once I saw myself through a different perspective of beauty, I could see it as a social problem that unconsciously forces one particular standard of beauty.

There are obvious unrealistic beauty standards in today’s delusional society, which are resulting in mental and physical health problems in young girls. The media is fixated on what the perfect girl should look like and girls are practically killing themselves to look that way. Between photo shop and filters, people are able to make anyone look “perfect”. Many people in our society do not realize that the pictures they see in magazines and online are fake and photo shopped to the point where it does not even look like the same person. Girls end up doing unnatural things to try to achieve this look because, they think that’s how a “healthy” girl is supposed