Branded Beautiful by Bryony Friend

BRANDED BEAUTIFUL branded beautiful

Why do we feel the need to be branded ‘beautiful’?

Bryony Friend FASH30001 N0250391 Fashion Communication & Promotion

Word count (excluding quotes) : 7,391

School of Art & Design

Declaration Form 2012/13

I confirm that this work has gained ethical approval and that I have faithfully observed the terms of the approval in the conduct of this project. This submission is the result of my own work. All help and advice other than that received from tutors has been acknowledged and primary and secondary sources of information have been properly attributed. Should this statement prove to be untrue I recognise the right and duty of the board of examiners to recommend what action should be taken in line with the Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s regulations on assessment contained in its handbook.

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CONTENTS

01 The Beauty Quest Introduction 14 - 21

02 Beauty Boom What is Beauty? Beautiful Society Digital Beauty Beauty Bloggers Facebook & YouTube 22 - 31

03 Modern Day Dolls Innocent Toys Barbie Epidemic Fashion Dolls 32 - 43

04 Plastic Fantastic Pedestal Princesses ‘The TOWIE Effect’ 44 - 53

05 The Image, The Ideal The Current The Future The Backlash Begins 54 - 63

06 The Recommendation The ‘NKD’ Truth 64 - 71

branded beautiful

the beauty quest

“Only 2% of women think they’re beautiful.” (Dove, 2012,online)

Fig.1

THE BEAUTY QUEST Introduction Identity is something we are all obsessed with, especially in a world that seems to be getting more generic and trend driven. Being unique and individual is something we boast about, and plays a high level of importance in our lives. The amount of time we spend discussing about how original we perceive ourselves to be, you would think we would practice what we preach, by being unique and different. On the other hand, maybe not. “Despite what we might like to tell ourselves about our pioneering and independent nature, most of our behaviour comprises doing much the same as the people around us.” (Graves, 2010, P.47) Identity does not necessarily mean this to everyone. In fact I have recently discovered that having an identity isn’t necessarily about having your own. It is, in some cases, about sharing the same as someone else’s. I do not mean this as literally as taking someone’s name, and address and claiming to be them. Sharing an identity can mean as little as having the latest iPhone, or the same pair of trainers as people in your group of friends. By having these belongings, it makes you feel included and part of that social circle. I want to investigate whether a women’s insecurities can affect her identity and if this can lead to her using social trends to fit in. I will apply this theory to the beauty market, to see if it has affected the growth in consumerism. Furthermore, is it feeding our constant desire to perfect ourselves? “Most Urgently, women’s identity must be premised upon our “beauty” so that we will remain vulnerable to outside approval, carrying the vital sensitive organ of self-esteem exposed to the air.” (Wolf, 1991, P.14) The amount of money women spend on the latest serum or youth generating formula, that promises to make them look ten years younger, has greatly increased. This has resulted in the beauty industry growing rapidly over the past decade, as aging in women is seen as “unbeautiful”. (Wolf, 1991) However, whether we actually believe they will work, or if instead, we have just fallen in love with idea that they might work. We are still parting with our money to buy into the beauty dream, or as it is more commonly known, the beauty myth. There is an image of an ideal inside most of our heads, that possesses what we deem to be ‘beautiful’ and aspire to be. These images may slightly differ from person to person, but more likely than not our beauty ideal will all share a few of the same characteristics. It is not surprising if our beauty aspirations do share similar traits, such as being a size eight with perfect breasts. We are all exposed to high levels of media on a daily bases that project this image to be the beauty ideal. So it is no wonder that this has the power to influences us, and our decisions, without us even realising. Additionally why do we poke, prune and perfect ourselves? Is it for the opposite sex? “Men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at. This determines not only the relations of men to women, but the relation of women to themselves”. (Berger, 1987, P.47) Or is it so that can we look better than our social group of friends? “Women are trained to be competitors against all others for “beauty”. (Wolf, 1991, P.76) Whoever it is we are trying to impress, or be superiorly beautiful to, it is a quest that we dedicate a lot of time, energy and money on.

The beauty market, and the products it supplies are changing, and due to this, so is our need to perfect, critique and compare ourselves. It is not surprising that this sense of low self-esteem among women has surfaced, at the same time as the boundaries between cosmetic surgery and beauty products have blurred. You don’t have to look very hard to find a lip-gloss that contains collagen or a wrinkle cream that promises the same affects as Botox. Some of us may be anti plastic surgery, but does that mean that we still won’t reach for a product that promises the same effects? “Beauty companies are showcasing products that offer alternative solutions to cosmetic surgery”.(Hare, 2010, WGSN) On the quest to look like the girls we see in the glossy magazines are we in fact losing our identity and all starting to look generic? Are celebrity’s just people that we admire, or are we actually starting to idolise them and their appearance, to the extent we want to replicate them?

"Celebrity-obsession has become a sign of the times" (Laub, 2007,online) Throughout this report I want to explore the effects that the beauty industry is having on our self-esteem and our, at times, obsessive need to be seen as attractive. I want to discover why we feel the need to alter, improve and protect ourselves from outside judgment. But most importantly, why do we feel the need to be branded beautiful? If offered a new way of thinking through creative outlets, is there a gap in the market for individuality to takeover the beauty world? During this report I will be covering: the rise of technology in beauty, the effects on young girls and the influences around them, the celebrity and plastic surgery boom and the backlash to beauty industry. As consumers grow increasingly savvy so does their desire to be individual. However, is there space for rebellion against the beauty industry, as the media encourage us to squash our individuality, on the quest to be branded beautiful?

Fig.2

the beauty boom

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Women will continue to use cosmetics to cheers themselves up and to help them face the pressures of prolonged economic uncertaintyâ&#x20AC;?. (Lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Oreal, 2010, P.2)

Fig.3

THE BEAUTY BOOM What is beauty?

Beautiful Society

The whole world is chasing beauty. However, with so many different definitions of what is beautiful, it can be a very confusing what it actually is? What does it look like? Can it only be found in magazines, and is beauty only defined by what our exteriors look like? Is beauty only judged upon our age, colour of our skin and body shape? The official definition of beauty is, “a combination of qualities, such as shape, colour, or form, that pleases the aesthetic senses, especially the sight”, (Oxford Dictionary, 2012,online). In a questionnaire that was conducted I asked the question, ‘Name three qualities that you think makes a person aesthetically beautiful’. I wanted to discover what qualities people prioritized when it came to identifying beauty. I was not greatly surprised with the answers I received: “Beautiful hair, tanned clear skin, slim”, “Slim, blonde, small nose” and “A nice nose, big lips, and well done hair (including eyebrows! They make such a difference)”. Nearly all the answers prioritised being slim, having small features and fantasising about having big lips for the perfect pout. There were the occasional few who mentioned having confidence, and being comfortable in ones self. However, these were the minority. “A smile, if they appear comfortable with themselves!”

Foundation, Lipstick, and Mascara. These are products that the majority of us have in our makeup bag and will use regularly, if not religiously every day. “For most women, make-up is an essential beauty requirement, especially lipstick and mascara. Few would give up these items when times get tough, ensuring good sales of the category, even in the current uncertain climate, with sales at £1.2 billion.” (Richmond, 2008, online) So it is no surprise that the beauty industry is now very lucrative and growing year upon year as we become more obsessed with our appearance. “The beauty industry is booming, with 2012 sales of prestige makeup up eight percent, to $1.8 billion.” (Krupnick, 2012, online)

Beauty is important in society. From this we can see it is culturally defined; there are different beauty ideals all over the world, with different cultures valuing different qualities. If you look at other cultures, the aesthetical features that they prioritise vary when it comes to beauty, and being seen as desirable. These features can be anything from having a long neck, small feet, large breasts or round eyes. “Mothers started binding their daughters’ feet at the young age of three in order to achieve the idealized three-inch ‘lotus foot’.”(Villavicencio, 2012, online) This verifies that wherever we are in the world we are desperate to fit in, and will undergo painful, and expensive procedures to do so. “Why do women react to the ‘ideal’ whatever form she takes at that moment, as if she were a non-negotiable commandment?” (Wolf, 1991, P.59) Whether this means being on a permanent diet, going under the knife or the Kayan tradition of wearing heavy metal coils round our necks from the age of two. Being accepted for our appearance is something that we prioritise. “Every culture celebrates beauty. That’s one thing that simply cannot get lost in translation.” (Villavicencio, 2012, online) In westernised societies, what we value to be beautiful hasn’t stayed the same and isn’t set in stone, like other cultures. We live in a consumer culture where things are constantly changing, due to new trends, social influences and what we next desire. With the rise of digital media and social networking sites causing us to constantly compare ourselves to others, what we perceive to be desirable seems to always be on the move. The ideal beauty has gone through many phases throughout history, from having a fuller figure with porcelain skin, to being a size zero with a sun kissed complexion. Alongside this we go through periods when we are obsessed with a certain look, or facial feature, whether it is the perfectly arched eyebrow, the plumped up pout or the pristine Cheryl Cole inspired blow dry. The strive to be what society considers, at the time beautiful, is an exhausting and mentally draining journey. Nonetheless, no matter where we are in the world, beauty matters. It isn’t generated as if by magic, it is culturally created and defined and surrounds all of us.

Many women may claim that they don’t care, or spend much time on their appearance. This may be true for some, but a large percentage of women do put some sort of consideration into how they look. This became apparent in one of my questionnaires, in which 0% of people surveyed said that they never bought beauty products and 46% said that they purchased products every month. This demonstrates that no matter how little or large, we all have, at some point, bought into the beauty industry and purchased products to help improve our appearance. Cosmetic brands have become very clever at manipulating women into wanting, and feeling like they need the latest self-improvement product. They do this via persuasive language; unrealistic statistics and making consumers feel inadequate.

"Somehow, somewhere, someone must have figured out that they will buy more things if they are kept in the self-hating, ever-failing, hungry and sexually insecure state of being aspiring beauties" (Wolf, 2010, P.66) This can subsequently lead to the purchasing of beauty products, just to boost self-esteem and contentment. With the amount of products readily available on the market, we are spoilt for choice. This combined with the fact that we don’t have to walk far to find our local Boots store, makes purchasing beauty products very easy. “Boots is the largest single retailer of beauty products in the UK. Its combined beauty and toiletries sales amounted to £2.1 billion in 2010/11 and we estimate beauty products could account for approximately 50% of that total.” (Monk, 2012, Mintel) All of these factors do not help our, at times, beauty addiction. The diet and skincare industries became the new cultural censors of womens intellectual space. (Wolf, 1991, P.11) As our consumption of beauty products grow, the industry expands, therefore leading to a greater variety of products to choose from.

beautiful hair tanned skin slim

THE BEAUTY BOOM Digital Beauty

Beauty Bloggers

The growth in the beauty industry has not just been initiated by the increase in media circulation or flawless models who are supposedly using beauty products to enhance their appearance. Women are also being made to feel inadequate via the pressures of social media. This is because the way we communicate beauty is also changing. We may never of thought that the beauty and cosmetics world would become so heavily linked with social media. They now place a high level of importance on interactivity and engagement with their consumer. Nevertheless, this is not surprising, as like most things in our lives, the digital world is taking over.

Purchasing cosmetics has become a considered operation, and the new beauty gurus that we have started turning to for advice and guidance is no longer just the world of celebrity. Brands are now using beauty bloggers ‘#bbloggers’, to help sell their products and narrate it in a more relatable way, to us, the consumer. “Beauty blogs are powerful entities in driving consumer trends and brand custom.” (Stylus,(A), 2012) We look to these women for advice, we trust them and we value their opinion. In some cases, their beauty identity represents our version of the beauty ideal, so our admiration for these bloggers begins to the give them a celebrity status. “Beauty experts are becoming the ‘new celebrities” (Richmond, 2008, Mintel)

"Social networks resolved a problem facing many beauty companies; a lack of direct contact with the consumer" (Tungate, 2011,P.198) We now have a completely different mindset when we think about buying beauty products: we speak to our friends for recommendations, watch YouTube tutorials on ‘How to Get The Perfect Smoky Eye’ and download beauty apps. “The 2012 survey found a more conscious consumer who thinks before she buys. She researches by giving and seeking recommendations and looks for value, style and investment in fashion purchases. Overall, she has become less impulsive.” (Rumsey, 2012, Online) Cosmetic technology is joining together with beauty brands; New York-based think tank L2 has ranked L’Oreal, Lancôme and Estee Lauder as being at the height of beauty technology. “With a strong belief that digital competence is directly linked to shareholder value, it ranked four of Estée Lauder’s brands in its top 10, including Estée Lauder itself in first, with Clinique, MAC and Aveda coming in at third, fifth and sixth.”(Ramirez, 2012, WGSN) Furthermore, it is not just leading beauty brands that are merging with technology. Even high street retail giant Marks and Spencer have embraced the new trend. They have recently unveiled their beauty hall refurbishment and virtual makeover counter, pushing them ahead of their competitors. “Bricks-and-mortar stores are fast becoming multichannel hotspots, with better customer service and enhanced user experience.” (Saunter,2012, Online). Marks and Spencer have changed their layout, added new product lines and introduced their virtual makeover counter allowing consumers to upload a picture of themselves then virtually apply makeup to help them find the perfect blush, lipstick and foundation. “We wanted to approach beauty in a different way,” Frances Russell, M&S trading director of beauty and lingerie, told WGSN. “It’s a competitive market, so we wanted to stand out.” (Yee, 2012, Online) Retailers are now jumping on the e-commerce revolution. This is just the beginning of seeing the beauty world merge its off and online channels, resulting in creating digital beauty.

Fig. 4 Victoria Price from vipxo.com

Due to this growing trend of the beauty blogger phenomenon, I felt it was essential to conduct an interview with established beauty bloggers. Therefore I spoke with Victoria Price from ‘VIPXO.com’ and Sabrina Babo from ‘alittlebitobsessed.co.uk’. This interview allowed me to further my knowledge of the pressures on the bloggers and the power that they have influencing consumer’s opinions. Victoria revealed that she did feel pressure to look a certain way as a beauty blogger, “To some extent yes, but I can’t change the way I look. I do think bloggers with a certain look are more popular and go further.” (Price, 2013, see appendix 3). Victoria also went on to elaborate that she did feel influential to her readers, “Yes, massively. Which is why I always try to featured something for everyone.” (Price, 2013, see appendix 3) These interviews allowed me to gain a unique perspective into the world of beauty bloggers. I discovered that makeup is an essential part of their image and they also have insecurities. Sabrina from ‘alittlebitobssessed.co.uk describe herself as feeling lazy, messy, unpresentable when she wasn’t wearing any makeup (Babo, 2013). Bloggers are powerful; the fact that they feel more human like and relatable than celebrities is probably the power to their success. Nevertheless, whether or not their credibility will soon run out, is unclear. “They too receive free products and invitations to chic launch parties, making them as straightjacketed as their print cousins when it comes to offering an objective viewpoint.” (Tungate, 2011,P.200) Bloggers are starting to become sucked into relationships with cosmetic brands, making the originality and personal opinion of their posts deteriorate. Potentially could we be seeing bloggers fade out quicker than we originally thought?

Facebook, YouTube & ‘Vloggers’ Brands are not only developing relationships with beauty bloggers, they are also using social networking sites like Facebook and YouTube to increase better levels of communication with their target consumer. “Facebook has evolved into a valuable customer relations marketing tool.” (Tungate, 2011,P.198). Facebook is by far the most popular social networking site. It is universally known and large majorities of people have activated an account with the site. “Every day in the UK, 59% of Brits log into their Facebook accounts”. (Anon, 2012, Mintel). Therefore, it is no surprise that brands are using this as a clever marketing tool. “15 million Brits have interacted with beauty and personal care brands online” (Anon, 2012, Mintel)

Beauty blogs and make-up artists are not the only people dominating the web ‘vlog’ industry. Cosmetic brands are also turning to YouTube to engage with their consumers. “YouTube has become a top source of traffic for twice as many brands as last year. Neutrogena, ranked at 31 with an average rating, receives the most traffic to its website from YouTube than any other brand in the index.”(Ramirez, 2012, WGSN) This is a clever way of gaining brand loyalty and advertising of products. Cosmetic brand ‘MAC’ will upload video’s featuring only their products. These include campaign videos and feature backstage coverage at catwalks, making them become a lifestyle beauty brand, creating loyal followers.

Cosmetic Brands have now turned to Facebook to open e-commerce shops, so consumers can buy their products whilst on the social site. “Facebook was found to be the largest source of referral traffic from any social platform.” (Ramirez, 2012, WGSN) Nevertheless it is not just Facebook allowing women to buy products with ease, thus making social sites such a key factor in the beauty market. The access they provide to millions of beautiful girls pictures and profiles, resulting in women comparing and judging their appearance against others, is an important factor.

The digital and social trends are merging with the beauty world. It cant be denied that this is effecting the way we think about ourselves, look at celebrities and buy products. The desire to turn to experts and be told how to look for that current season has become a necessity for the slaves to beauty. At times, it can seem like this new movement in the beauty industry is causing us to stop thinking for ourselves. The consumer will do anything that the influential cosmetic queens tell them to do. Digital beauty is feeding the hunger we have to perfect, judge and analyise ourselves. However the effects of this over

"Many are now also perfecting their

indulgence and need to satisfy our constant critical mind-set, will only result in endless insecurities, on the quest to being branded beautiful.

Fig.5

looks online, with 8 per cent of women admitting to spending at least 30 minutes a week altering images of themselves on Facebook" (Bains, 2012, Online) The ability to stalk photos of friends, and even people we don’t know has become more accessible, leading to women becoming ever more riddled with insecurities about how they look. The obsession with comparing ourselves to others and trying to look like our friends and icons is now crossing over to another form of social media, YouTube. It has become a powerful tool in the beauty industry and the term ‘vloggers’ (video bloggers), now holds more importance and relevance to beauty worshippers than ever before. “Video-blogging is a huge part of beauty blogs – many of which are supplemented with you YouTube channels where bloggers post video tutorials and guides to thousands of subscribers and fans.” (Stylus,(A), 2012) Sisters Samantha and Nicola Chapman are makeup artists, and now YouTube celebrities after the success of their channel ‘Pixie Woo’. They have received over 800,000 subscribers and over 139,000,000 video views. They are now one of, if not, the most powerful beauty ‘vloggers’ going. The beauty duo are most popularly known for their celebrity make up tutorials, helping followers achieve the look of their desired celebrity. The highest-ranking videos they have on their YouTube are on how to look like, Jenifer Lopez, Angelina Jolie and Kim Kardashian. “Video blogging or ‘vlogging’, is strongly linked to beauty commentary and blogging, as it allows step-by-step demonstrations on how to achieve particular looks.”(Stylus, (A), 2012)

modern day dolls

“The shocking truth is that never in modern times have girls been more insecure. And that’s because, despite 40 years of feminism, their strongest interest can now be encapsulated in just one question: ‘How do I look?’” (Biddulph, 2013, online)

Fig.6

modern day dolls Innocent Toys? The effect that toys like Barbie, Bratz and Disney Princesses are having is starting to be questioned. These once, innocent toys, are now being blamed for girls warped vision of beauty and the role that they grow up believing they have to achieve, in order to fit into society. “Not only that, but the range of what constitutes an attractive appearance has grown narrower and more sexualised with each passing year.” (Biddulph,2013,online)

"The result is that body image has become nothing short of a world wide obsession." (Biddulph, 2013, online) Belle, Cinderella and Ariel, all have beautiful hair, slim figures and represent an ideal gender role of being feminine, innocent and attractive. Over time, the Disney princesses have faced a bit of a makeover and in recent years have become increasingly sexualised. “For instance if you compare the image of Disney’s Snow White, created in 1937, to Cinderella, created in 1950, you are moving from a young girl in a high-necked dress to a Barbified blonde. But then if you move on to Ariel created in 1989, and to Jasmine created in 1922, the type has become more exaggeratedly sexy.” (Walter, 2010, P.69) Aside from having attention put on them because many speculate over their negative effects, the Disney princesses have recently been in the spotlight, when they graced the Harrods iconic Christmas display, in 2012. The versions of the Disney Princesses used in the windows were designed by big fashion names including Versace, Valentino and Roberto Cavalli. Disney princesses are just not respected and envied by young girls, they have connotations of luxury, femininity and possess an ideal that women and girls all respect. Disney is widely distributed over the world, and as an established brand they have a responsibility to promote a positive version of the female body from. However it seems that no matter how old we are, the majority of us will always be wishing that we were a Disney Princess. The crowds outside of Harrods, awing over their beauty, just reinforces this. It’s not just Barbie and Disney Princesses who are getting regularly criticised. There is a new doll on the top of everyone’s Christmas list. ‘Hooker dolls’ and ‘Miss Bimbo’ are just some of the names that have been used to describe the new doll on the toy scene. Most importantly she is Barbie’s arch nemesis, the Bratz doll. These wide-eyed dolls are not known for being subtle or promoting a natural image. With their promiscuous looks and raunchy outfits, they represent a new generation of dolls, created for the young girls of today. “With their pouting lips and over-defined sleepy eyes, their bling and miniskirts and heels, Bratz dolls look like the young women at Mayhem’s Babes on the Bed night club.” (Walter,2010, P.63) Bratz dolls have not had a warm welcome by the parents having to part with their money to purchase them. Alongside this Mattel hasn’t been happy since they stepped on the scene and knocked Barbie off her shiny pink throne. “These outsell Barbie dolls in Britain by two to one and come dressed in miniskirts, fishnet stockings and feather boas.” (Womack, 2007, online) Panic has set in that The ‘Bratz’ could cause detrimental effects on the young girls that buy them, watch their films and embrace the ‘Bratz’ lifestyle. “As Lisa Shapiro, who is in charge of licensing for ‘Bratz’ in the UK, said in an interview with the Guardian: ‘We want the girls to live the Bratz life – wear the mascara; use the hair product; send the greeting card… Bratz is about real life. It has to be’.” (Walter,210, P.63) 38

As young, impressionable girls embrace the lifestyle and look of their favourite playthings, combined with toys becoming overly sexualised, this could potentially mean that the quest for beauty is casting a shadow over a younger, innocent generation. The need to be branded beautiful is already a desire facing young girls. Walter goes on to state that young girls are being expected to devote energy to dieting, grooming, and shopping. The ever-growing dream to be branded beautiful is worrying, and causes concern that this could result in a new generation of increasingly plumped up plastic looking, mini Bratz running around, unless something changes in the beauty industry.

Barbie Epidemic If Barbie was to made into a human being she would be completely unachievable. Her body proportions are unrealistic and she would have to walk on all fours because her body would be so top heavy. If she was to be scaled up to human proportions she would be 6ft tall with a 39” bust, 18” waist and a 33” hips. “Narrow waist, slender of hips, and generous of bosom, she was the ideal of postwar feminine beauty.” (Lord,2004, P.4) Barbie’s figure is not in anyway replicating the average size of a womens bodysize in the UK, which has, “grown from 12 to 14 in just over a decade.” (Mullen, 2000, online) It is suggested that the unrealistic image she is promoting is influencing girls from a young age to strive to achieve a body shape that is physically impossible.

"I have always liked the doll-like image because its feminine." Valeria Lukyanova, 2012 (Mundy,2012, P.53)

Barbie is iconic. She is a universally recognised image and most women have owned this long legged doll at some point throughout their childhood. “Mattel calculates that every second, somewhere in the world two Barbie’s are sold.” (Lord, 2004, P.7) But does Barbie hold the attributes that many people consider to be the perfect woman? For example being slim, long blonde hair and breasts that defy gravity. “It often seems now that the dolls are escaping from the toy shop and taking over girls’ lives. Not only are little girls expected to play with dolls, they are expected to model themselves on their favourite playthings.” (Walter, 2010, P.2) Taking these factors on board, it needs to be considered if the consumerism of what was once seen as a harmless toy, is now doing more harm than good. Barbie now regularly gets criticised for setting a bad example to young girls with her unrealistic body shape, which is portraying an idealistic image and lifestyle to impressionable girls. There are examples the obsession with Barbie going beyond a healthy level, as girls turn to this doll for the perfect role model because they brand her beautiful. “The actress and singer Hillary Duff has said, ‘When I was younger, I was so inspired by Barbie. She has been a role model for my friends and me. I love her style and spirit!’.” (Walter, 2010, P.3)

"With their pouting lips and over-defined sleepy eyes, their bling and miniskirts and heels, Bratz dolls look like the young women at Mayhem's Babes on the Bed night club." (Walter,2010, P.63) Fig.7 Charlotte Free at Jeremy Scott

Fig.8

Fig.9

MODERN DAY DOLLS Barbie Epidemic Valeria Lukyanova has had a lot of press attention recently due to her obsession and uncanny likeness to that of a Barbie doll. “Barbie has an athletic stature and many women would do well to lose weight.” (Lukyanova (2012) in Mundy, 2012, P.54) Due to cosmetic surgery, Valeria now has very little resemblance of her former self, her identity is now that of a living doll. Physiologist Linda Blair believes that Valeria is trying to satisfy an image that is not realistic and could be dangerous for her health. (Blair (2012) in Mundy) Valeria is a 21-year-old girl from Ukraine, who started posting pictures of herself online a year ago. She has now acquired the title ‘The Human Barbie Doll’ as her appearance is strikingly similar to that of the famous plastic blonde. When images of Valeria first surfaced, there was speculation whether she was actually a real person. This was because the way she looked seemed unrealistic and unattainable. “I have never wanted or sought to be a Barbie, but when people call me that, I like it, because she is the prototype of the perfect girl.” (Lukyanova (2012)in Mundy, 2012, P.54) However Valeria is real. She shockingly has an 18inch waist, which she achieves by eating only liquid food, never drinking alcohol and going to the gym every other day.

This displays that she is well respected, by some of the most prestigious fashion houses in the world.

"Valeria's obsession with her image is a response to societal pressure to be liked and attractive, but warns taken to an extreme this can be destructive." (Blair (2012) in Mundy, 2012, P.54).

Valeria isn’t the only case of young girl’s mimicking this doll-like aesthetic. Dakota Rose, who goes by the name Kotakoti, and Olga ‘Dominica’ Oleynik (Valeria’s Barbie twin) are two other Internet stars due to their appearance. Dakota Rose receives compliments daily on her website from fans praising her on her appearance, “daisy-st-patience asked: Why don’t you enjoy being thought of as a living doll? In a sense, it could be the ultimate compliment because dolls are made without imperfections”. “Mywoundedrhymes asked: you are the cutest thing I have ever seen, like a living doll!!!” The praise that these girls are receiving is worrying as many admire their transformations. “It’s a worrying trend that’s been dubbed the ‘Barbie epidemic’ – young women dramatically altering their appearance to make themselves look like human dolls.”(Mundy, 2012, P.53) Is this ‘Barbie epidemic’ a desire to mimic the doll like appearance, or really just a cry for a new identity? Could it be revealing that many young girls are insecure about their appearance? “Teens and young adults are often searching for a sense of identity this can mean trying to be unique”. (Blair(2012) in Mundy, 2012, P.54) This is the only image of beauty young girls are being offered, if potentially offered something new this could change their outlook on the beauty ideal.

Barbie Meets Fashion To understand how big the Barbie doll phenomenon has become, I decided to look into if Barbie has also found her way into the Fashion world. Barbie has been collaborating with brands and designers as if she was a real life human celebrity. With brands like Mac Cosmetics, Sister by Sibling and Louise Gray all teaming up with the unstoppable blonde. “It’s been interesting inviting Barbie into my world”. (Gray (2012) in Alexander, online) Joe Bates of Sister by Sibling said Barbie was very easy to work with, “This is our first experience of working with a supermodel! Barbie is the consummate professional, punctual and polite. Barbie has previously been dressed by fashion houses from Givenchy, Versace, to Chanel and Dior.” (Bates (2012) in Milligan, online) 42

Fig.10

Valeria Lukyanova, ‘Real Life Doll’

Barbie is not only making her mark within the fashion world, by influencing the looks coming down the runway. With many designers now using the doll like features and typical beauty traits on the models wearing their collections. Exaggerated eyelashes, blonde pigtails and a highlighted cheekbones have been seen going down the runaway at Jeremy Scott’s A/W 11/12 collection and her doll like innocence was seen in Louis Vuitton’s Spring/Summer 2012 collection and print campaign. Alongside this, shop mannequins have taken on a doll like charm, for example H&M’s mannequins are now representing a statement red pout and cartoon like eyelashes. The doll like appearance is not just about playing homage to our favourite blonde. It has become a beauty trend and these can be swallowed up and consumed quickly by impressionable young girls and women keen to get their next fix. Even if the trend is replicating that of a toy.

"I have never wanted or sought to be a Barbie, but when people call me that, I like it, because she is the prototype of the perfect girl." (Lukyanova (2012) in Mundy, 2012, P.54)

plastic fantastic

“The web ensures that we are drowning in visuals: we’re no longer comparing ourselves to our friends, instead we’re comparing ourselves to social-networked strangers, celebrities, and to photoshopped images of which we see around 5,000 a week.” (Acred, P.5, 2012)

Fig.11

Plastic fantastic Pedestal Princesses

IDOLS, ICONS, ARE PEOLPE WE ASPIRE TO BE Idols and icons are people that we at times aspire to be, and want to look like. Without even realising it, celebrities hold an aspirational power, which influences the majority of us, especially when it comes to the way we look. With so many different media platforms surrounding us; it can be hard to not absorb these, judge yourself and put celebrities and beauty ideals on a pedestal. Every day we come into contact with magazines, adverts, and films full of beautiful people. This combined with the recent surge in reality makeover programs, pointing out imperfections and showing surgery as the quick fix option for the everyday woman. “The trend for television makeover shows, such as 10 years younger and make me beautiful please, which encourage the views of surgery as an easy fix for self-improvement.” (Walter, 2010, P.68) These programs encourage the quest for exterior self-improvement and feed the theory that you shouldn’t be happy, unless you fit into society’s beauty mold. These influences in our beauty-obsessed culture help create insecurities or magnify the ones we already have. “One concern about these programs is that they actively promote the idea that a “perfect body” is attainable.” (Mazzeo,et al, 2007) So do we hate our bodies because of reality tv? Plastic surgery has now become a social norm and celebrities have helped this along the way. “Plastic surgery has been boosted in recent years by the rise of stars such as Victoria Beckham or Jordan who are obviously reliant on the needle and the knife for their transformations.” (Walter, 2010, P.68) It has now become acceptable to undergo, or consider a procedure, without having the shock factor that use to be associated with going under the knife. “In diet, skin care, and surgery features, it sells women the deadliest version of the beauty myth money can buy.” (Wolf, 1991, P.69 ) Women’s self esteem seems to be at it lowest ever in history, as more women opt to undergo plastic surgery to achieve their desired beauty. “More of us than ever hate the way that we look. It makes us anxious, unhealthy and disempowered.” (Acred, 2012, P.4) One of the questions discussed in a primary research questionnaire was, ‘Are you influenced by the way celebrities and reality TV stars look?’ Over half of the respondents said ‘yes’, they are influenced, sometimes without even realising it. One answer read, “I think subconsciously I am. I see how amazing these celebrities look and how pretty they are, in the way they do their make up that I want to do the same”. Another wrote, “I think everybody naturally socially replicates what they see others do.” I also asked ‘Who is your beauty icon?’ Many famous names were mentioned including: Kim Kardashian, Britney Spears, Sienna Miller and Jennifer Anniston. “Does a women’s identity count? Must she be made to want to look like someone else?” (Wolf, 1991,P.71) What I found most interesting was the fact that only three out of those surveyed said they didn’t have a beauty icon. Maybe this question was unfair, as it didn’t seem obvious that you didn’t have to provide a name if didn’t have an icon. However only three felt strongly enough to state that they didn’t have an icon. This is a worrying sign that there is a lack of individual thinking amongst young women and that those who took the survey displayed a conformist attitude towards beauty trends. Identity should be about who we are as individuals, but as the rise in celebrity obsession grows, we consume their lives by following them on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and watching Youtube tutorials on how to look like them. “Fads and fashions evolve from this aspect of our desire to mirror others.” (Graves,2010, P.145) Is the desire to look like someone else the biggest beauty trend going?

Fig.12

Plastic fantastic

Do you think the rise in people buying prod-

"BEYONCE KNOWLES"

ucts such as fake tan, fake eyelashes and hair extensions is causing girls to look more doll like and lose their individuality ?

"KIM KARDASHIAN "

yes

73.5%

.5%

" Britney spears "

? .5%

.5%

Who is your beauty icon

"AUDREY HEPBURN"

Do you think peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s individual identity can be lost by fixating on trying to look like celebrities ?

YES Are you influenced by the way celebrities and reality tv stars look ?

YES 60% NO 40% 52

The ‘TOWIE Effect’ It’s not just the A-list celebrities that influence us. Even those who may not be considered to have actual talent, or status are starting to have an impact on us. They influence our view of the beauty ideal, and what should be considered a normal part of our cosmetic routine. The rise of the reality TV star allows women to relate to people she can identify with. The fact that they are considered a ‘celebrity’ but contain a sense of normality, makes their look seem achievable. The Only Way is Essex is a popular reality TV show, which has now been shortened to the abbreviation ‘TOWIE’. It came on to our screens two years ago in 2010 and since then has left an unexpected impression on our image and economy, so much that the term ‘TOWIE effect’ has been coined. The ‘TOWIE Effect’ seems to be so powerful that there have even been claims that TOWIE has helped to get us out of a recession, by increasing women’s expenditure of beauty products. “The ‘TOWIE effect’ is having a bigger impact than the Duchess of Cambridge.”(Hamilton, 2012, online) This demonstrates that the show, much to many of its critic’s dismay, has to be doing something right to have beaten the 1 billion sales boosted by Kate Middleton, claims Hamilton. In the quest for women to look like the mahogany tanned, plumped up, and in some cases, plastic looking stars of the show; dramatic increases in cosmetics has been noticed, in an attempt to mirror the look of the girls on the show. So what are the most popular products to fly off the shelves on the journey to look like the popular ‘TOWIE’ stars? Amy Childs and Lucy Mecklenburgh hold the most aspirational looks. It isn’t surprising if you are a viewer of the show to discover which beauty products have been the bestsellers in our local supermarkets and drugstores. Fake tan, fake nails, and hair extensions. Sales have all been boosted since the start of the show. Yes, these are allegedly the saviors of our economy. I don’t think many of us would have believed it if this was predicted a few years ago. Nonetheless, this just shows how powerful the beauty industry is and how much money people will spend on the journey to look like what society perceives to be ‘beautiful’.

Popular high street department store, Debenhams, has been seeing the impact of the ‘TOWIE Effect’. They say there has been a massive increase in customers requesting dramatic false eyelashes. “False eyelash application is up 249 per cent, while fake tanning - the other TOWIE staple - is up 136 per cent”. (Arthurs, 2011, Online) This isn’t the only thing Debenhams has seen increase in sales. Instore makeovers are also booming, with girls bringing in party dresses to match their look. Tesco has also been benefiting from the program. “Tesco said sales of its £3 Soleil Suncare bronzing spray rose 150 per cent due to the show, which returned to ITV2 for a fourth series last night.” (Hamilton, 2012, online) It’s not just fake tan and eyelashes flying out of the shops, the sale of ‘vajazzles’, which was a beauty treatment featured repeatedly on the show are on the up. Hamilton goes on to say that the ‘vajazzle’ crystals have had a boost, with Vajazzle. me having an increase of nearly 400 per cent since they were made famous from the show. The list of products benefiting from an increase in sales due to the show is endless. Examples of products that have had a lift in sales include: watches, hairdryers, white stilettos, eyebrow treatments and sexy underwear, but why? Why are we investing so much money and time in these beauty rituals? “Such media encourages young girls to believe that good looks rather than good work are at the center of the good life.” (Walter, 2010, P.66) In a questionnaire I asked ‘Do you think people’s individual identity can be lost by fixating on trying to look like celebrities?’ 93.5% of people surveyed said ‘yes’. This was an overwhelming percentage and is, at large, amongst the majority of young women who took my survey. It has been bought to my attention that programs, like TOWIE can play a big part in influencing young women’s beauty aspirations.

the image, the ideal

Women might not have control over what happens with national economics, but they can take charge of their personal appearance.â&#x20AC;? (Richmond, 2012, online)

Fig.13

THE IMAGE, THE IDEAL The Current 2012 has been the year of over the top beauty trends, so unsurprisingly subtlety hasn’t played an important role. If anything, the bigger, bolder and generally more in your face make up you have, the better. Key trends that seem to have been seen heavily on the high-street, are that of the statement brow, bold lip and thick lashes. WGSN stated in their ‘Global Make up Trends of 2012’ report, that the top five looks of 2012 are that of the, intricate lashes, offbeat lips, embellishment, bold brows and full-colour lips. “Matte black lips and intricate paper lashes were the directional looks spotted on the street, while red lips and bold thick brows remain classic favourites.” (Yee, 2012, WGSN) The red lip has been an iconic look that has been around for years. Many celebrities have embodied this look from Marilyn Munroe, Madonna and more recently celebrities like Rita Ora. This is a beauty trend that never seems to be particularly out of fashion. This lipstick colour can be found in the bottom of most women’s makeup bags. But recently this statement lip has come back into the spotlight. “The new red lip, flame tones are seen in strong pigments. Colour range from true red to orange. Matte finishes are most popular.” (Coupland, 2012, WGSN) As well as being seen on beauty bloggers and celebrities in magazines, the red lip has also been spotted on the autumn/ winter 2011/12 catwalks.

Bold and groomed eyebrows are a big trend.

Additionally another beauty feature that has become highlighted is the eyebrow, paying tribute to the 1980’s beauty style. This trend has been one of the biggest of 2012 and will more likely than none carry on into 2013/14. “Bold and groomed eyebrows are a big trend, with heavily pencilled-in and angular shapes popular. Some displayed squared-off brows at the inner corners for a 1990s vibe.” (Coupland, 2012, WGSN) The eyebrow icons that have been inspiring girls this season, have been Cara Delevingne, Grace Jones and Kate Middleton. The ‘Kate Middleton Effect’ has even been named as the reason for the increase in eyebrow implants, and women seeking a fuller set of brows. “The British woman’s lust for the fuller brow is yet another Duchess-driven craze, this time brought about by the former Kate Middleton’s predilection for hearty, well-conditioned eyebrows.” (De Lacy, 2012, Online) The eyebrow has varied in style and shape. With it’s look wavering from arched, to elongated, and the famous scouse brow, there has been a wide assortment of shapes seen framing the faces of many young women in 2012. “Led by the likes of Hannah Marshall in London and Gianfranco Ferré in Paris, the fixation with strong brows is gaining ground at the youth end of the market and we predict this look to overflow into commercial beauty trends.” (Mackenzie, 2009, WGSN)

Fig.14 Eyebrow Icon - Cara Delevinge

The eyebrow has been so iconic in 2012, that it is no surprise that there has been an increase in products on the high-street to help us fill in, shape and tame our brows. Alongside this, there has been a heavy influx in brow bars available in beauty departments. “The introduction of more treatment services, for example, with the arrival of Blink Lash and Eyebrow Bars, looks like a good move.” (Monk, 2012, Mintel) Even beauty and health retailers, like Superdrug, are adapting to the surging brow trend. Steve Jebson, Superdrug’s Commercial Director, told Mintel, “Having nails professionally painted or eyebrows threaded is something that our customers have come to expect as part of their beauty routine but as purse strings tighten a trip to the salon can be pricey. This is where our in store services step in offering a great value, easy way to have a beauty treat”.(Monk, 2012, Mintel) Beauty trends are becoming an effective way to identify whether women are dedicating time to their beauty routine, and if they are purchasing what is currently hot. Therefore it is important that retailers adapt to their consumers needs. “The average British woman devotes 91 hours a year to applying their make-up - that is 43 weeks a lifetime perfecting her face.” (Bains, 2012, online)

"The average British woman devotes 91 hours a year to applying their make-up . that is 43 weeks a life time perfecting her face." (Bains, 2012, online)

THE IMAGE, THE IDEAL The Future Beauty predictions for 2013 and 2014 have already started to appear. After a year of extreme glamour becoming the norm for everyday wear, could the next beauty trend be about to give a nod to a softer, minimal and more reserved look dubbed ‘The New Minimalism’, “Minimalism ruled during New York Fashion Week, ushering in plain ponytails and face contouring.” (Ellenberg, 2012, P.66) ‘The Blues Project’, ‘Contour De Force’, and ‘Supergloss’ are just some of the key looks that we could see emerging over the upcoming seasons. This implies that the fashion industry is taking note that natural beauty may be the way forward, as all of these trends incorporate minimal features. Style.com magazine predicts that we could be seeing the black eyeliner, that has become known for the signature feline flick, start to get toned down into a navy blue, ‘The Blues Project’, altogether making the look much softer. With Creative Makeup Director Tom Pecheux for Estee Lauder saying on the look, “It’s so chic”, (Ellenberg, 2012, P.68) Contouring, sculpting, defining all fall under the trend ‘Contour De Force’. After defined cheekbones and minimal make up were seen at Rag & Bone, Victoria Beckham and Jil Sander, this look could potentially start to get picked up by the beauty and fashion gurus. “Trends in make-up are not influenced by celebrities. Fashion is a greater influence.” (Richmond, 2008, Mintel) The minimalism trend is also set to tone down the massive blow dries and extension full hair doo’s that have been a big look of 2012. ‘Come As You Are’ is set to see us wearing effortless nineties inspired hairstyles, a potential backlash to the rollers and backcombing. Redken creative consultant Guido Palu said, “Something just feels right about minimal.” (Ellenberg, 2012, P.77) If minimal and natural is the next big thing, and that is what society considers to be beautiful in 2013 and 14 could be the polar opposite to 2012? As trends change, so does the way we look, dress and paint our face.

Fig.15

Something just feels right about minimal. 62

The Backlash Begins

supergloss contour de force the blues project

Am I Ugly?’ The need to be confirmed as ‘beautiful’ is growing. “A disturbing trend for young girls and boys to post videos of themselves asking ‘Am I Ugly?’ is sweeping the internet.” (Acred, P.9, 2012) These videos seeking clarification of attractiveness, combined with the fact that those uploading them are as young as eleven, just shows how levels of self esteem have decreased. The beauty market now needs to change as the need for reassurance is ever growing. “The pressure to be beautiful is felt by women around the world. (Dove,2012,online) Signs of the beauty industry rebelling against the need to be perfect have already begun. This has been achieved via revolting against using advertisements full of airbrushed, unrealistic, ideals of beauty. Alongside this, it has also shown that there is an appetite for individuality, and we need to develop this by encouraging women to embrace this. Examples of where individuality has won through are the Dove campaign, the Olympics and the Milk campaign. Dove have become known as the ambassadors for ‘real women’ with their campaigns promoting all types of beauty, encouraging women to embrace the way they naturally look. Dove wanted to create a dialogue with their consumer, which brought back a sense of self-esteem. “They entered the market at the perfect moment; women were tired of being made to feel less than beautiful in order for a company to sell their beauty products. Dove became the trendsetter, innovator and a breath of fresh air in the beauty industry”. (Brodbeck, 2007, online) When Dove first launched their campaign, they gained a 600 percent increase in products that were featured in the adverts. Alongside this they received over 650 million impressions during the summer of 2005. Thus proving that there is a market out there for individuality and real beauty, if consumers are offered the opportunity. (Brodbeck,2007). Dove’s most recent conquest has been in educating young women and girls, with their 2012 self esteem program, the adverts carry the strapline, “Together we can make a difference. Dove Brings self-esteem education to girls.” Doves program has helped to install positive thinking into young girls, as they run their program in schools engaging with more than 800,000 people in the UK .(Acred, 2012, P.33) . Alongside this, the 2012 Olympics, that featured 4,847 women competing, has become a significant milestone. The event became a platform to showcasing females in a positive light. This has resulted in many women now looking up to them as aspirational role models. “The female role models in this year’s Olympics have influenced our young female generation in a positive light.” (Keating, 2012, online) Women are now not just turning to the typical, generic celebrity for inspiration. The desire for icons that are relatable and have credible achievements are being sought after. “The sense, among ordinary women, that we have a new generation of role models to aspire to, whose bodies are revered for their physical abilities and not just their aesthetic qualities.” (Day, 2012, online) The snowballed effect, from these powerful, and successful women has resulted in them become the faces of the Milk Campaign, as they are used to emphasise a healthy image, diet and lifestyle. Women are starting to rebel against the beauty industry. This is due to the growth of strong female role models, a better education and understanding of the beauty world. Consumers have grown an increased awareness of what is going on around them and they can see when a woman has been falsely enhanced or perfected by the use of photo manipulation and airbrushing. “84% of young women know what the term ‘airbrushing’ means.” (Acred, P.24,2012) The consumers of beauty are wising up, and as this movement continues, so does the beginning of the backlash towards the beauty world. Women are growing tired of seeking reassurance on whether or not they are attractive and the previous case studies have supported this. When provided with more tools, positive role models and a relatable voice there are successful outcomes, showing that there is a place in the beauty industry for individuality.

recommendation

N a K

e D .

THE IMAGE, THE IDEAL The Future

The research gathered throughout this report, indicates that the individuality has been stripped out of us from the beauty market and the social influences around us. On our quest to be branded beautiful we have forgotten who we are and become absorbed with what other people think of us. The media has become successful in encouraging us to squash our individuality. This has resulted in a constant need to be reassured and told that we are attractive. Follow-on effects from this have been low self-esteem, and a generic sense of the beauty ideal amongst females. As previously mentioned, Dove has stood up to unrealistic images and demoralising messages of beauty. This combined with girls becoming increasingly educated in the world of beauty, airbrushing and unattainable imagery. This portrays how here has been the beginning of a successful movement in the beauty market. However, even though women may be aware of what is going on around them, it still doesn’t mean that they don’t feel the need to conform and therefore resulting in the process the loss of their individuality. The success of the Olympics and previously mentioned campaigns, show that when offered the right creative tools, and tone of voice, women will fight away from the beauty mold. One of the biggest influences upon young teens is the images they see in magazines, featuring models and celebrities. They are all beautiful and possessing a product covered face featuring what is currently ‘hot’. Beauty features are common in the majority of magazines aimed at women and young girls. Nerveless stand-alone beauty publications are a fairly new, and untouched territory. There are few readily available on the market. Combined together as one, the beauty and publication industry feels stale, generic and untouched. Teenage girls are one the biggest consumer buyers of beauty products and magazines. However, what if there was a new, fresh, exciting and current beauty magazine that spoke to them In a different tone of voice. “Empathy is the watchword: consumers want to be treated with more sensitivity, transparency and intelligence. The rise of new feminist voices ensure it’s even more of a priority for brands and media to engage with women in smarter ways. (Stylus, (C), 2013) From the research conducted a recommendation is being made for a new beauty magazine to be launched. This would step away from the generic mainstream ideals of beauty and translate an innovative, current and fresh perspective, of what it means to be beautiful. The magazine would translate messages of individuality and uniqueness, breaking away from the mold of the now, lack luster, glossy publications, telling us where to the get the perfect lip-gloss. “Magazine culture is moving in bold new directions in response to more sophisticated consumer needs” (Stylus, (A), 2013) This proposed magazines target consumer would be aimed at the ‘idiosyncratic beauties’. These consist of teenage girls between the ages 13-18.They have interests in beauty, fashion and culture. These girls possess flairs of individuality and creativity. They are intelligent, constantly on the look for new stimulants to feed their curiosity and knowledge of what is going on around them. It still matters to the ‘idiosyncratic beauties’ how they look, they take care of their appearance and want to feel attractive, but they do it on their terms, with their own style. The magazine would be titled ‘NKD’ this is a play on the word naked; the vowels have been removed; however the word is still recognisable. This is a suitable name as it hold the connotations of being stripped back, natural and undressing the beauty world. ‘NKD’ would cover mainly beauty-based topics, still focusing on trends, but also offering positive thinking, and creative pieces providing a new tone of voice compared to the generic marketing tone. “The best magazines understand their consumers, but they also understand storytelling. Those values can move smoothly across different platforms and contents formats.”(Stylus, (A), 2013). The magazine would be a free publication distributed biannually amongst teenage girls in schools.

Magazine culture is moving in bold new directions.

Fig.16

Fig.17

Fig.18

Fig.17

NKD’ could potentially be a stand online publication that is distributed amongst schools, or an extension off the brand, Dove. They have already started targeting girls in schools, educating them and motivating them with positive thinking for their self-esteem campaign. As a brand they represent natural beauty and not conforming to idealistic images. This publication could easily be a natural brand extension for them, as it is in keeping with their brand message. This would potentially help Dove to tap into a new target consumer age group, that they have not yet focused on. Therefore, expanding them as a dominant brand, on the beauty market. Future recommendations could involve rolling the magazine out into a whole campaign for individual beauty. The magazine could even host its own YouTube Channel, similar to that of Hunger Magazine, who now have both print and video platforms with their video channel, Hunger TV. With consumers becoming so technology savvy, it is essential to offer multi channel platforms to keep levels of engagement high. The videos featured would focus on celebrity-endorsed content, showcasing models off the runway and celebrities baring their natural faces. Alongside this there will be tutorials on natural beauty and how to install positive thinking and self-esteem. Alongside this, the ‘NKD’ campaign could evolve into a roadshow, that reached out to hundreds of schools across the UK, educating them on how to be individual and have an open-minded perception on what is branded beautiful. ‘NKD’ has signs of longevity and expansion. Furthermore, and most importantly, success in establishing an influential movement for the beauty industry. Individuality needs to be brought back into the beauty world. The consumption of celebrities has resulted in a generic ideal of beauty, sweeping over young women and girls. In a research survey the question, ‘Do you think people’s individual identity can be lost by fixating on trying to look like celebrities?’ was asked. A unanimous 93.5% said yes. ‘NKD’ is a way of embracing natural beauty and revolting against teaching young women they need to wear makeup, or conform to a certain ideal to be beautiful. It is time for the beauty world to change. We need new creative outlets to freshen up our perspective of what is beautiful and install positive thinking into female race again, paying particular attention to that of the younger generation. The desire to be beautiful and feel attractive will never die. Women will always love to hear that they are beautiful and be desired by men and envied by women. But alongside this, the beauty industry will always tell us to look younger, be thinner and conform to the ideal beauty at that current time. Unless a sense of positivity is installed into society, most importantly teenagers, the effects could be detrimental. “2013 is all about making a positive difference in troubled times.” (Stylus, (B), 2013)

The beauty backlash is already emerging. It is time to stand up, express our individuality and not let the media chose whether or not, to brand us beautiful.