I was scrolling through MSNBC the other day and came across three articles criticizing the now-standardized, yet artificial kind of beauty.The first was about how Hollywood casting agents are rejecting more young actresses who have had “work” done, and how older actresses are also turning away from their not-so-natural assets.
"Television executives… say they have begun recruiting more natural looking actors from Australia and Britain because the amply endowed, freakishly young-looking crowd that shows up for auditions in Los Angeles suffers from too much sameness…Sharon Osborne recently told Matt Lauer on TODAY that she was going to have her breast implants removed this summer and give them to her husband as paperweights. Lisa Kudrow, in a recent interview with New York magazine, seemed happy to own up to the fact that the face viewers saw on an episode of “Cougar Town” was hers, age lines and all.”
The second article was about Jessica Simpson’s cover photo shoot with Marie Claire magazine, where she poses without make up and natural, air-dried hair. In the Marie Claire article, she talks about the criticism she endured while not living up to typical beauty standards and discusses frankly how much faking went into her Daisy Duke look.
I have to admit – I spent my college years ogling and envying Jessica’s toned and tan body, luscious long blonde hair, and perfect glowing skin, and of course have tried only semi-successfully to emulate it via spray tans, cleavage cupcakes, and hair extensions. So, her au naturel photos in Marie Claire were startling. I had to stop myself from gasping "she's not that hot!" And yet, as unfamiliar as she looked, the photos were oddly refreshing.
It is becoming more apparent that the Hollywood stars and supermodels have their own tricks and secrets to showcasing a misleading look that is not naturally attainable. Photos of stars without make-up, Botox, add-ons, and digital edits certainly help ease the pressure. It makes me (plus millions of other insecure women around the world) feel a little bit less homely. Even beauty pageants don't adhere to natural beauty standards anymore. There is plenty of surgery and faking in that mix as well.
I love the Dove's ad Campaign for Natural Beauty, and the videos that demonstrate how much work goes into making a model Billboard-ready. I also notice more natural-looking, imperfect stars coming into the picture, like Amanda Seyfried, Blake Lively, and that girl in the Alice in Wonderland movie.
I do feel like a hypocrite though, because I buy into the faking myself, and many of my peers have freely ventured into cosmetic surgery territory (and I want to myself!) What I gravitate towards in terms of viewing myself and others as attractive is unfortunately very based on features that are often not real.
Another article sums it up with, "Looking at less-than-perfect pics of celebs makes their status "not that unattainable to those who view them...We internalize the idea that beautiful people are better in every way... and then we are told by society that we don't measure up."
The culture’s (and my) definition of “hot” and “sexy” has definitely been more Maxim/Playboy/Victoria’s Secret-influenced in my generation, but hopefully this new media push will ease us out of such a compartmentalized view, and bring us to embrace natural beauty as well.
If nothing else, it would help save my budget. Spray tans are freaking expensive!!
The articles in full are below :)
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/36697416/ns/today-today_fashion_and_beauty/
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/36276868/ns/today-entertainment/
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/36807988/ns/today-the_new_york_times/
