What are beauty standards? Beauty standards are a set of values applied to the appearance of both men and women to be regarded as beautiful and handsome in order to rightly fit in the community. These standards are concerned with people's skin, hair, clothing, and other parts of the body.
In Summa Theologica, Aquinas wrote that beauty consists of three elements: consonantia, claritas, and integritas. That which is beautiful has proportion, clarity, and integrity.
Today's standards for women are small waists, long hair, and flawless skin. Girls are required to be this “perfect image” when nobody is perfect. They are also expected to wear makeup in their daily lives, work out at the gym, stay skinny with curves in the right places, and be young. What are Today's Standards?
The feminine beauty ideal traits include but are not limited to: female body shape, facial feature, skin tones, height, clothing style, hairstyle and body weight. In order to emulate said desirable traits, women have chosen to undergo facial and body-altering practices which range in severity.
Each woman has a different hairstyle or hair color but, in terms of facial features, a round face with full lips and high cheekbones seems to be the beauty standard, alongside a high forehead and thin eyebrows.
Oval: Your face is often longer than wide, with the forehead standing out as the largest area of your face. According to Papanikolas, this form is typically regarded as the most attractive facial shape.
In particular, the nose should be straight and balanced, the eyes should stand out, the lips and smile should draw you in, and the cheekbones should round out your face nicely. When facial features are well balanced, the face appears harmoniously beautiful.
They determine what is “beautiful”, from body shape, to facial proportions, to height and weight. Many scholars have sought to explain why they exist, yet there seems to be little consensus. From evolution, to racism, to social media, there are so many influences on our current-day beauty standards.
The number one criteria for beauty according to scientists and researchers comes down to symmetry. A beautiful face exhibits perfect symmetry. One side mirrors the other. Think proportionate when it comes to the body and face. The eyes should be proportionate to the head and face.
Toxic beauty standards are those that promote a narrow definition of beauty, often based on Eurocentric features and body types. These standards are often perpetuated by the media, celebrities, and influencers, and can lead to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem in those who do not fit the mould.
Unrealistic beauty standards
Social media platforms often feature images of people with seemingly perfect faces and bodies, often using filters and photo editing tools to enhance their appearance. This can create unrealistic beauty standards, leading to body dissatisfaction and low self-esteem in both women and men.
Korean beauty standards prioritize having a small v-shaped face, fair skin, symmetrical eyebrows, a slim body, and double eyelids. Altogether, these features create a more innocent, young look.
Our perception of beauty is guided by cultural influences and ideas of aesthetics determined by fashion dictates of that era. Women, and sometimes men, often go to ridiculous lengths and a lot of pain to achieve that elusive beauty ideal. One may ask if their idea of perfection is worth the price.
South Korea bags first place for setting one of the most dominant beauty standards in the world. Korean skincare products are today's most preferred beauty essentials to look presentable, without a doubt. The buzzing “glass skin” trend that stirred a fuss in other countries also had its true origin in Korea.
Negative body image can lead to a number of mental health problems, such as eating disorders, depression and anxiety. It can also lead to social isolation and low self-esteem. Positive body image, on the other hand, has been linked with better mental health, higher self-esteem and healthier relationships.
Sweden. The stunning Scandinavian nation of Sweden is known for surreal forests, coastal islands, glittering lakes and glacial mountains. It is also known for being home to the most beautiful women in the world. With complete elegance, sporty charm and passionately deep eyes, women of Sweden are perfect beauties.