I have to admit, I’m quite enjoying the current rebellion against the idea that every traditional beauty standard is automatically oppressive.
For a while, it felt as though every conventional idea of beauty had to be dismantled (if for no other reason simply out of spite). Wanting to be slim was problematic. Wanting to be toned was problematic. Wearing makeup was problematic because it supposedly reinforced unrealistic standards, while not wearing makeup also somehow became problematic. Wanting to age well was treated with suspicion. Caring about nutrition was treated as inherently disordered. And the body-positive movement sometimes moved so far away from body acceptance that it began treating a person’s body size as completely irrelevant to health, and don’t think that was particularly helpful. There is an important distinction between saying every body deserves dignity, love and respect, and saying every body is equally healthy. Those are not the same statement.
Obesity is a medical condition, not a moral failure. People living with obesity deserve respect, competent healthcare and freedom from humiliation. But pretending that excess body fat has no health consequences in order to protect people from stigma is not compassion. It is misinformation. And none of that tells you anything about the character of an individual person. It does, however, tell us something about the direction I would like beauty culture to move in: health should be allowed to be aspirational again. I like seeing women who look healthy because to me, and I know I’m not the only one, there is something deeply appealing about a body that looks like it is able to perform everything it was built to perform.
And then there’s another beauty trend I’m enjoying right now: the filler-free face. I am so ready for women to have the features they were born with without immediately treating every deviation from a very specific aesthetic as a problem requiring correction. The last decade gave us an extraordinary amount of cosmetic possibility. Increasingly sophisticated procedures mean that the distance between wanting to change your appearance and actually changing it has become very small. And there is nothing inherently wrong with cosmetic medicine. Don’t get me wrong, I’m full of botox and all for graceful aging: but as yourself, rather than frantically chasing the next big beauty standard just to avoid looking in the mirror and actually facing what you see, “flaws” and all. Because I think extreme cosmetic procedures are in most cases simply escapism. If an adult wants to have a procedure, understands the risks and is making the decision for themselves, that’s their business. But I do think we should be allowed to ask whether possible has quietly become synonymous with necessary, and rather ask this question: “Which inside activity is fueling this need for outside modification?”
Which brings me to another beauty trend I am very happy to see coming back:
less is more. I love skincare. I love a beautiful product and I enjoy the ritual of taking care of my skin. But I do not want my vanity to look like a lab, nor do I think more products automatically mean better skin. Dermatologists actually recommend something much less glamorous: consistency, a routine appropriate to your skin, moisturising and sun protection, with targeted treatments when necessary. Because just perhaps we don’t need twelve active ingredients going to battle every night. I’m all for the clean girl aesthetic, but when it’s actually that, and not makeup camouflaging bad habits (yes, this goes deeper than skin care).
Our inner world tends to shine through. A well-regulated nervous system, a rested, hydrated and nourished body and a calm mind will work more magic and any skin care product or procedure ever could. I don’t think anyone could convince me to change my mind about this.
One last thing I am also delighted by today is the filler-dissolving conversation. Not because fillers are inherently bad. They are medical procedures with legitimate uses, and some people are perfectly happy with their results. But there is something wonderfully liberating about seeing women choose to come back to themselves. It sends a strong message about what is going on in the world right now: women are re-claiming their power by becoming more authentic, secure and dependent only on themselves.
Perhaps the only real luxury is individuality. We should look and, more importantly, feel like ourselves. That is what I find so interesting about the current shift. The new ideal, if we are going to call it that, might not actually be another ideal at all. It might be discernment. Figuring yourself out and holding yourself accountable.
And through my eyes, that’s real power.
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