The demands of beauty

In all aspects of life, change remains a constant. Change is as perennial as time. The two almost go hand in hand.

To begin with, our age and its interconnectedness with time. We are born and we die. In between, we live. But in this part we call life, we change in all manners, physical change being the most visible and notable. Often one wonders why do we need to change past our youth? Why can’t we always remain in the prime of life and look the same till it is time to part ways with the world.

The decay and degeneration of the human body and at times, the mind, is it necessary? To look beautiful in our ripe old age and have the same energy and vigour is not too much to ask for. It’s a wish nobody will deny, if granted.

The wish that leads us to choose ways which promise to give an appearance of agelessness. Hark! There is a whole industry built around this wish. The beauty industry. And why not?

Attractiveness and appeal

Cosmetics and personal-care products vouch for attractiveness and appeal. They also claim to boost self-confidence and overall well-being. With these alluring incentives, who wouldn’t want to pay? But underneath the glossy products, lurks the potential dangers and risks that come with some of these products. Hence the term “toxic beauty”.

Beauty that comes with a price indeed but a very heavy price when associated with health hazards. The chemical substances used can have a very damaging effect on the health of individuals even when these products are used topically. Little do we know when we apply or take in some of the so-called beauty and personal-care products.

External beauty is sought after. Men and women alike feel the need to look attractive and appealing. While women have a bigger market for these products, an increasing number of men have embraced cosmetics and self-care products. The idea of masculinity has changed over the years and so has the industry which now churns out beard-care products, anti-age formulations, and hair and skin-care items readily available on the shelves.

Self-esteem

Women, especially, dread to flaunt their grey strands. What if a few peeps out? It can create quite a flutter amid a roomful of coloured, glossy heads.

Does grey hair reduce self-esteem? Does it make one seem sloppy, unsophisticated, inefficient, gloomy and all the negatives that one can think of? Then again, did our grannies know of manicure and pedicure? Yet, they had beautiful hands which held us and fed us. Beautiful feet which helped them accomplish a hundred chores in and around the house. We love them not for their outer beauty but their inner strength. That reminds me of nail art. And I wonder again; how do fashionable nails enhance beauty? Men are keeping pace with women in embracing grooming rituals. Such is the state of affairs that all the services which were traditionally offered to women are now in high demand among men. The grooming market for men has seen a significant rise driven by the shift from traditional masculinity. Companies have launched a plethora of products to satisfy the desire of their male consumers to look and feel good. Hairstyles giving that immaculate look coupled with a well-trimmed beard and moustache, waxed arms and chest, giving that immaculate look. Oh! How dapper he looks!

Grooming standards are followed by the young and old across genders. And who can be blamed? It has, in recent years, become an integral part of modern culture. Hence, college and university students come not only with their notebooks and textbooks but also with their style statements to the classroom. One is forced to note their well-groomed appearance which is not limited to their clothes. For the youth, appearance has become a mode of communication. It has given them a language to express themselves in their endeavour to create their self-identity.

They are indeed “powerful consumers” for the cosmetics industry which thrives on numbers. For someone who is a silent observer, I must say I miss the innocence in their look, the child-like nature which is so endearing, and the carefree attitude. Now it is a fixation on looks at a young age and an exposure to beauty products that emphasise the importance of appearance over other values and qualities. The future is going to be quite different and unimaginable if this is the “trend” or rather the “latest trend”. I shudder and rest my pen at this thought.

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