Defining beauty can be a tricky proposition. It can be a combination of qualities, such as weight, skin tone, gender, age and body shape. It can also be a combination of psychological and social factors, such as race and class. The definition of beauty varies from one culture to the next. However, most people agree that some women are beautiful.
In ancient Greece, the most beautiful woman was Helen of Troy. Her chin was smooth and round, her mouth was red and she had the perfect proportions. The Romans took up where the Greeks left off, and the science of makeup was already in full swing. In the 18th century, beauty marks were used to hide smallpox scars. The earliest known manual of beauty advice was written by the Roman poet Ovid.
In modern times, there are many beauty standards, but it seems that fashion and politics play a big role in who is considered to be attractive. For example, the 1960s counterculture emphasized feminine decorations. Similarly, the natural hair movement began in the mid-sixties. Interestingly, the Black is Beautiful movement centered around affirming aspects of blackness that white standards considered ugly.
The most obvious beauty feature in modern society is good health. The old fashion way of making this happen involved heavy layers of cosmetics to improve facial beauty. Upper class women smeared wax on their wrinkled faces to achieve the look. A more modern approach has been to use 40 foundation colors. In terms of makeup, there are more spokesmodels of color.
Another fad is the “punk” look. This is the same kind of disenchanted youth look that was popular in the German cabarets of the 1930s. Some artists, including Justin Bieber, wear voluminous blow outs and peachy-nude lips. The look has become a minority standard.
The most interesting aspect of the multifaceted concept of beauty is that the definition of the best and most effective beauty features may vary from one person to the next. This is because the same person may have different sex, age, or race. This means that the most beautiful woman may be equally as beautiful as the most handsome man.
In the scientific community, there is a growing consensus that beauty standards can be summed up in the rudimentary cognitive process that occurs early in life. Some experts believe that this process explains some of our preferences for beauty. The best part is that it is a process that is not only instantaneous but also happens to be partially driven by our physical characteristics.
The best and most obvious example of the best is the use of colour in makeup. According to one influential makeup artist, this is a step in the right direction. In addition to the usual suspects of eye shadow, mascara, and lip gloss, there are more creative, more personalised ways to accentuate your look.
Several examples of the most successful are Justin Bieber, who wore a green graphic eyeliner; Rita Hayworth, who wore a voluminous blow out; and the Virgin of Venice, whose portraits are considered to be among the most iconic in the art world.