It’s what every woman wants, at least on some level: beauty. Unfortunately, beauty itself is elusive, subjective, and what’s more, sometimes harmful. What do I mean? Let’s start with elusive. The very definition of the word elusive is, well, elusive. Dictionary.com defines the word elusive as follows:
e lu sive /ɪˈlu sɪv/ Pronunciation Key Adjective 1. eluding clear perception or complete mental comprehension; Difficult to express or define: an elusive concept. 2. cunningly or cleverly evasive: a fish too elusive to catch.
I especially like the second part of the definition that the example uses: a fish too slippery to catch. That, after all, is a lot like beauty. Just when you think you’re one step away from being beautiful, you find another area of yourself that needs “beautification.” The classic example, of course, is the woman who becomes addicted to plastic surgery: first it’s her eye that needs to be fixed, but once that’s done, she finds another part of her that needs “fixing.” Perhaps her lips now seem too thin, her chin is sagging, or there are those breasts that are doing the same thing.
While I have no problem with cosmetic surgery per se, I do believe that one should go through a mental evaluation of oneself to determine whether or not this particular procedure will have the desired effect, both mentally and physically. The bottom line is that some women feel better about themselves after a cosmetic procedure, while others are part of the “never satisfied” group, a group that certainly has issues beyond cosmetics.
Now, let’s go to “subjective”. What is the old adage? One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, or in our case, “the woman.” In other words, the idea that each woman has of what is beautiful, or how she can look better, is something highly subjective and personal. After all, we’ve all seen a person who completely defies our definition of beauty and, well, good taste, right? I mean, the TLC show “What Not to Wear” is a perfect example. Every woman on the show has been voted in by “friends” who simply believe she doesn’t fit society’s standards of what’s okay and what’s not. And I have to say, there are some women who appear on the show who, for all my own subjectivities, I can’t believe fit ANYONE’s idea of taste. However, reminding myself of another adage “beauty is in the eyes…” I am humbled by the awareness of my own highly subjective perspectives on beauty.
So what’s left? Oh, that’s right – “unhealthy”. Again, I’ll quote a definition to help clarify from Dictionary.com, as the Oxford English Dictionary is not available online:
unhealthy [uhn-hel-thee] adjective
1. not in good or normal health; in a sick, weak or morbid condition. 2. not conducive to good health; unhealthy: The air of the night before was considered unhealthy. 3. dangerous; risky.
Many aspects of the concept of beauty are, according to the above definitions, unhealthy. Few would argue that cosmetic surgeries can be risky, that many cosmetics on the market are “not conducive to good health” and that many of the worst offenders, weight-loss products, are “dangerous.” Furthermore, Americans’ fascination with thinness, and sometimes critically so, often leads to anorexia and bulimia, which is certainly not a condition that many would consider “good or normal health.”
In conclusion, while beauty is, as I believe I’ve noted above, elusive, subjective, and sometimes unhealthy, people all over the world are taking steps to make positive changes that affect conceptions, healthiness, and self-care. of the world for beauty. Some examples include Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty, companies that make dolls with normal features (and measurements) and those that offer more natural and healthier ways to enhance one’s idea of beauty. Natural beauty options have, in fact, grown in popularity in recent years. For example, Burt’s Bees has, for some time now, been offering all-natural cosmetic and personal care options, now even organic clothing is sold in retail stores galore, and cosmetic companies like Erth Minerals have started making mineral makeup made from minerals and therefore without chemicals harmful to health or preservatives. In short, the future of healthier beauty and more options to satisfy our eternal, elusive and subjective quest for beauty will continue to grow for years to come.