What is Beauty?

This morning as I paint on my face, literally, I started questioning our society again.

What is beauty?

Due to social media I have questioned our society multiple times before in regards to peoples actions and morals, but surprisingly, I have never questioned what the definition of what beauty is. This morning it got to me though as I dug through my make-up box for my foundation. I begin painting the foundation over my red cheeks and the scars and blotches on my forehead. Soon my face began to look like a porcelain doll. Next, I grabbed my black liquid eyeliner and began to paint it on my top eyelid to form ‘cat eyes.’ Following, I reached for two different eye shadow pallets and began brushing a smoky eye look on my eyelid above my eyeliner. 20 minutes later I finished my make-up with two coats of mascara. Not done yet though, I blow dried my wet curls. Was I done getting ready for the day? Of course not, I proceeded to backcomb my hair while using what seemed like half a can of hairspray. I stepped back and looked at myself in the mirror.

Does this look okay? Yes. Will society think this looks okay? Questionable.

I began to tear myself apart. “I need to go to the gym and eat healthier so I can lose 10 pounds. I need to re-dye my hair. I should get eyelash extensions. Next week I should go get my nails done.” I am average height and a healthy weight, so why do I feel that I need all these bodily improvements? Last night, my question was answered.

As I am getting ready for bed, my roommate yells out “Oh my god!” Quickly, I rush to her room to find out what the issue was. Now remember, last night the 2013 Victoria Secret Fashion Show aired.

“My boyfriends friend just tweeted ‘VS Fashion Show, girls take notes.’” She says to me.

We’re told to love ourselves for who we are, but how are we supposed to do that when there are thousands of other sources telling us what true ‘beauty’ is? Almost everything we seen in magazines and on TV are edited to portray an ideal beauty; however, that beauty is unrealistic. Multiple articles and books have been written explaining the use of Photoshop to edit women, yet society still views these unrealistic images as true beauty.

As a photographer I have the luxury of owning Photoshop. A few months ago a friend of mine asked me what my exercise routine and diet plan was. I responded, “Photoshop.” I then explained to my friend that I rarely workout and eat extremely unhealthy and when I take photographs of myself, I make myself look thinner through Photoshop. 15 pounds was never easier to lose.

“You ever go through Facebook and see a post of someone who lost like 100 pounds and think they need to keep going? Yeah, like this chick, check it out!” I literally just heard this comment come out of someone’s mouth as I’m writing this.

Where do we draw the line? Even Dictionary.com objectifies women.

Beauty [byoo-tee]

1.     the quality present in a thing or person that gives intense pleasure or deep satisfaction to the mind, whether arising from sensory manifestations, a meaningful design or pattern, or something else

2.     a beautiful person, especially a woman

3.     a beautiful thing, as a work of art or a building

Do I know the true definition of beauty? No. Media and others around me will forever skew my personal definition of beauty. I believe there would not even be ‘beauty’ without the influence of society and media. Each day, movies, songs, billboards, testimonials, magazines, television, friends and countless other sources influence us and adjust our viewpoints. This is inevitable.