Beauty is a complex topic. It is often a combination of factors, including race, gender, age, weight, body shape, and even popular culture. The standards of beauty are subjective, as opposed to objective, and are subject to change over time. However, most people agree that certain women are beautiful.
Historically, beauty has been an important aspect of power. In particular, it has been used to influence social status, and the perceived lack of it has tangible consequences. During the Middle Ages, a romanticised notion of beauty was commonplace. White supremacy managed to creep into this concept, and beauty became a means of white social power.
Throughout history, the ideal appearance of women has varied, and different societies have imposed different beauty standards. Some examples of these variations include the perfect Greek chin, which had a smooth and perfectly round chin, without dimples. Also, the mouth of Greeks was naturally reddish. During the Renaissance, plumpness was a sign of wealth. Women often hid their faces behind a black velvet mask and leather masks.
Another example of the evolution of the ideal appearance is the 1960s counterculture. During that time, androgynous and punk looks were popular. Many people also wanted to go out barefaced. This trend is still reflected in today’s society, as many people want to show off their skin.
Other changes have occurred in the beauty industry over the past few decades. Some of these include the opening of Black-owned businesses and better research into the consumer base. There have also been changes in the way cosmetics are packaged and sold. These changes have had a substantial economic upside for those in the industry.
Some experts believe that the definition of beauty changes over time, but there are still fundamental concepts that have remained constant. For instance, the idea that a woman with a good smile and big eyes is the ideal sex connotes that a female should be attractive to others. Attraction has been a natural mechanism of evolution, and humans have used it to select mates.
A more rational conception of beauty is a search for the essence of a beauty object and distilling that into a formula. This concept is rooted in the study of facial proportions by artists such as Leonardo. Similarly, art teacher Antoine Mengs studied the face of Greek statues to create a complicated formula to mimic the beauty of Greece. His formula determined the length of the eyes, the distance between the tip of the nose and the lips, and the size of the chin.
Another example of a conceptual beauty idea is the hedonist idea, which defines beautiful objects as objects that are both functional and pleasing. While the hedonist conception emphasizes the pleasure of beauty, the classical concept of beauty is the idea that a beauty object is harmonious.
Today, the most important feature of beauty is good health. Whether it’s a man’s or a woman’s, a healthy body is a key component of a person’s appearance.