Beauty is a complex concept that changes over time, based on several factors. This includes societal and historical factors. The ideal face and body has changed throughout the centuries. In modern society, being beautiful has become a way to gain power and influence. However, it can also be a source of enjoyment and perceptual experience.
The Greeks had a perfect chin and mouth. Their chin was round and smooth, while their mouth was slightly fuller than the upper lip. They believed that the most beautiful person in the world was Helen of Troy. During the Renaissance, the concept of feminine beauty entered a new era. Various artists such as Leonardo and Sandro Botticelli painted many different faces, from the Virgin to the Madonna, which conveyed maternal tenderness.
Roman poet Ovid wrote the first manual of beauty advice. Beauty standards in the West celebrated whiteness and plumpness. During the Renaissance, plumpness was seen as a sign of wealth. Upper class women tinted their hair and smeared wax over their wrinkled skin to enhance facial beauty.
Throughout history, the concept of beauty has evolved and evolved in response to social changes, politics, and economics. As a result, the perception of what constitutes beauty has shifted from a purely aesthetic perspective to a more hedonistic one. Hedonist conceptions define beauty in terms of pleasure, value, and loving attitude.
For ancient thinkers, beauty was a sense of spirit. It was a part of divine order. Many societies saw beauty in the form of architecture. Ancient Greeks based their buildings on symmetry and proportions. Today, good health is a major component of beauty.
A rational understanding of beauty is the search for the essence that boils into a formula. The goal is to create a model that represents the essence of beauty. While these models may differ from generation to generation, the concepts of beauty remain relatively constant.
As society grew more complex, the ideal face and body began to change. Over the years, race, gender, class, and the media have contributed to the ideal look. Attitudes about beauty have changed over time, as well as the way people perceive and judge other people.
Social and racial power has been used to enforce beauty standards. In the 1960s, the counterculture emphasized social protest and feminism, and focused on androgynous looks. Even today, beauty products are marketed as empowering and individualistic. These products are sold over the internet. And the business of beauty has evolved into a more extensive area of business, including makeup, skin care, and cosmeceuticals.
Unlike most of the previous definitions, the modern definition of beauty is more akin to a big ass than an intellectual underpinning. The beauty industry has become a business based on the insecurities of its consumer base. Black consumers have limited access to quality beauty products. Most of them don’t see themselves represented in beauty advertisements.
As a result, it is important to rethink the concept of beauty. In doing so, we can better understand how the definition of beauty has changed over time.