Developing Ideals of Beauty

The ideal of beauty is defined as an amalgamation of qualities that delight the sight or other senses. More narrowly defined, beauty can be described as an assessment of attractiveness subjective to cultural standards (Alam & Dover). Beauty is said to be seen through the eye of the beholder, varying drastically across centuries and cultures. There is no specific origin of the development of the idea of beauty, but it has been noted that ideals of beauty emerged during the ancient times of the Egyptians and the Romans. As societies developed from their previously nomadic ways, a drastic culture change occurred. Civilizations expanded their focus from survival and developed social constructs such as class stratification and religious deities as well as complex forms of communication through developments in language and later in writing.

From ancient times to the middle ages, beauty developed into an ideal only attainable for those of the wealthiest classes. Ancient Egyptian women implemented kohl to enhance their lashes and used copper and lead ores to create the world’s first cosmetics (Stolnitz). In ancient Rome, berries were used as lip stains and urine was used to fade away freckles, which were at the time often considered as unappealing blemishes marring perfectly pale skin (Stolnitz). For centuries, beauty has been seen as a form of power, and not even dire living conditions could deter those set on practicing their culture’s mandated beautification endeavors. Examples of this include the Kalahari Bushmen of Southern Africa applying animal fat to moisturize their skin during famines and the 18th century French nobility powdering their wigs with flour which lead to food shortages and riots (Stolnitz).

In the past, beauty was...

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...idence and equality.

Ultimately, beauty truly does lie in the eye of the beholder. What is attractive to one person might not be to another, and what might have been attractive at one point in history might no longer be so in today’s time. The idea of unattainable beauty has continuously evolved over centuries, arguably becoming more extreme with the advancement of technology, but the definition of beauty has also evolved to mean more than just the physical appearance of a person (Alam & Dover). Beauty stems from familiarity, as explained by psychological principles such as the mere exposure effect, but it is not necessarily confined to a set social standard (Gangestad & Scheyd). There is still a long way to go in terms of how beauty can and should be defined and appreciated, but it has definitely expanded to encompass more than just a rigid proportionate standard.