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Essay / Unhealthy Habits of the Beauty Industry
The standard of beauty that women are presented with every day gives them an unhealthy and unattainable goal to achieve. The effects are devastating. These impossible standards need to be stopped and the modeling industry and media need to promote healthy body image and the idea that women of all shapes and sizes are beautiful, not just women who are a size 4 or smaller. “Appearance doesn’t matter, beauty is only skin deep.” We hear these phrases every day, but we live in a time that seems to contradict this very idea. If appearance doesn't matter, why do industries and social media influencers use airbrushing to hide any flaws they may have? Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay Industry use of airbrushing is one of the leading causes of unachievable beauty standards. A former editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan magazine admitted this to be true. Many of Cosmopolitan's very thin models actually suffered from eating disorders, but you wouldn't be able to tell because of the airbrushing used to make them look good. In an interview with the Daily Mail, former Cosmopolitan editor-in-chief (Leah Hardy) said: “The models had 22-inch waists, but they also had chests and beautiful skin. They had tiny ankles and ribbon-like thighs, but they still had luscious hair and plum cheeks. Thanks to the edits, our readers never saw the downside of being skinny. The skeletal bodies of the models, their dull and thinning hair, their spots and dark circles under their eyes hidden by the magic touch of technology.” By airbrushing these images of models, the media is giving young girls the idea that this body is achievable. By trying to look like these models, young girls become just as unhealthy as the unseen models. Some companies and organizations have started taking the necessary steps to end these impossible and unachievable standards. In 2004, Dove launched their Real Beauty campaign, in which they featured women of all shapes and sizes in their advertisements without retouching the images. Dove also includes self-esteem toolkits and resources on its websites as part of its mission to help girls develop their self-esteem from a young age, so they have the confidence necessary to feel happy in themselves and reach their full potential. H&M has also joined us. the effort to promote a healthier, more realistic body image by using larger models. While most models are sizes 4 to 6, H&M models are size 12, which is the size of the average British woman. This seems like a step in the right direction, but H&M has sparked a global debate as many believe these models encourage obesity and unhealthy lifestyles. One man commented on the post about the new models saying: “Cover these fat women. It's sick. Another said it was simply an attempt to lower men's expectations of an ideal partner and that it encouraged "mediocrity, laziness and self-indulgence." These comments are exactly what is wrong with today's society and that is why things need to change. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Personalized Essay Celebrities' Eyesight Has Been Altered, They Don't Realize.