société BEAU TY I
ISSUE
1
SI
esthète
N
TH
E
EY E
OF
TH E
BE HO
LD ER ?
Beauty defined.. THROUGH THE AGES.
T
he concept of beauty is a very abstract one. It is a word known by one and all, but what exactly is it? Everyone has their own perception of what is beautiful and
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what is not. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, or so the saying goes... Has beauty always existed, even before the dawn of man, or does beauty exist only when it
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is experienced and perceived by the human eye? It is a curious and thought-provoking question that cannot be easily answered.
..
“ Beauty is
the eye of the beholder.”
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Skin Deep
B
eauty is often said to be skin deep. What this phrase means is that a person’s character is more important than and not determined by one’s outward appearance: one’s beauty. However, in today’s society, physical beauty is given a lot of importance, and this has lead to the colossal success of the beauty industry.
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“ B eauty
is often said to be
skin deep.”
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?
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6
Embrace natural beauty, beauty and let your true self shine outward... 7
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TheCosmetic Industry T
he cosmetic industy involves the production and promotion of beauty products such as make-up, skincare and haircare products, among others. The use of cosmetics to enhance one’s physical beauty has been around for thousands of years: think of early homo sapiens and tribal
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body art, or the Ancient Egyptians and make-up. Cosmetics have continued to develop, along with scientific advancement and knowledge. However, science was not solely responsible: culture also had a significant role to play over the years. With make-up 8
and skincare trends constantly changing, cosmetics are becoming increasinly difficult to live without.
“ Cosmetics are
becoming increasingly difficult to live without.”
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Searc N
ature, beauty’s first inspiration... Long before homo sapiens came along, beauty already existed in its many natural shapes and hues. However, there was no one there to admire it. Thousands of years later, we now look to nature and not only see beauty but make it: from our art that is inspired by it, to our cosmetics that contain all of its rich benefits. Beauty’s secret ingredient will forever be nature.
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10
ching for beauty
& DISCOVERING IT WITHIN NATURE
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12
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Balance & Har FINDING BEAUTY & PEACE WITHIN.
H
uman beauty should not be considered only in the physical sense. Internal beauty - including psychological wellbeing and self-care - is also important and an integral aspect of what constitues raw & real human beauty.
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14
rmony Finding balance and harmony is not always an easy task. One way that can help in achieving internal peace is by spending time in nature, and as a result find balance with and within nature. There is a lot that can be said about the efficacy of this - people have been seeking balance in nature since the very beginning...
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Art,, Cult Art
National Museum of Archaeology
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ture & Heritage T
hroughout the eons man has tried to capture beauty and use it to adorn his temples in praise of a higher being... This is evident in our cultural heritage from the beautiful designs of our prehistoric temples, to our richly ornate Catholic Churches.
MUŻA
Beauty is also present in our vast collection of art, both classic and modern. More importantly, we see in it the colours of our everyday Mediterratean traditions.
Rhytmii Vitae - the rhythm of life
Self-portrait
Antonio Sciortino
Isabelle Borg 17
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Architecture T
here is a stark contrast between the artistry and structure
of classic and modern architecture -
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therein lies the true beauty...
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I
n the first page of this publication I asked a very pensive question: whether beauty simply exists... Through the rest of the publication, one gets a glimpse of the answer to that question. However, this is only my perception, my subjective opinion of what I believe and perceive to be beautiful in the world around me. The bottom line is that beauty is too abstract to define, even though philosophers have attempted to do so in their study of Aesthetics. Beauty truly thrives when it is experienced in everyday moments through its presence in all the facets of society: an attractive person, a beautiful soul, art, music... We can all state with conviction when we see someone or something that we deem to be beautiful.
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WHERE
Beauty & Society MEET
“ By beauty I mean that quality or those qualities in bodies, by which they cause love, or some passion similar to it.” Edmund Burke Woman with mask Antonio Sciortino 21
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Contents
BEAUTY IN NATURE P. 10
SKIN DEEP P. 4
BEAUTY DEFINED P. 2
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COSMETIC INDUSTRY P. 8
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ART & CULTURE P. 16
BALANCE & HARMONY P. 14
SOCIETY P. 20
ARCHITECTURE P. 18
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KG