Summary Of The Beauty Myth By Naomi Wolf

In many women’s lives, beauty has taken on such a big role. The way we look, dress, eat and act have become the most defining aspects of our beings. In Naomi Wolf’s, The Beauty Myth, she discusses how the role of beauty plays out in women’s lives and how women have been oppressed and forced to think a certain way about the impositions that beauty holds over them. Specifically, in this reading she talks about how beauty is relatable to religion and how in many women’s lives beauty takes on a religious role and can take over they way they view their life. To begin, as I was reading this I noticed that Wolf made lots of connections between religious items and beauty items. For example she compared magazines to the bible or “gospel of new religion” (86). By reading these fashion or beauty magazines, women are giving in to this belief that these celebrities and models, makeup products, healthy recipes, and stylish clothes are what they aspire and try to become. Wolf also compares holy oil to cosmetics. The holy oils are what make us beautiful and without them we are neglecting ourselves from looking beautiful.

For me, I do care about the way I look but not just for other’s satisfaction. I wear makeup for me. I eat healthy for me. I take good care of my skin because I like for it to be the best it can be and I do it for me. I do all of those things because I genuinely want to for my own wellbeing. I do admit at times, I’ll dress up a little nicer or put on a little more makeup to impress someone but I am completely fine in my own natural skin. It is crazy for me to think that women really do practice beauty as its own religion because it is not as important to