The changing face of beauty.

• Author: Lewis, Wendy
• Position: Medicine & Health

WHEN IT COMES to beauty perceptions--and habits--there long has been a great cultural divide. Yet, with the globalization of the media, one wonders how these cultural differences affect what is considered beautiful, whether all women strive for the same beauty goals, and if there is one universal image that ranks the highest across cultures.

According to an international study of men and women's beauty perceptions and grooming routines, women want to look good for their age--not necessarily younger. Whether you hail from Los Angeles, London, or Lyon, these findings suggest an important trend in the perception of beauty and attractiveness. We are witnessing a backlash to the era of the extreme, tightly pulled, overenhanced look. Could it be that the quest for wrinkle-free perfection soon may be coming to an end?

Sander Gilman, a medical and cultural historian from Emory University, speaking about Aesthetic Anthropology--which examines the cultural differences in beauty and grooming perceptions and habits--explains that there is no single standard of attractiveness across cultures and the image of beauty has changed over time and throughout the world. Yet, all countries share some similarities. One constant is that balance and symmetry, radiant skin, and full contours are considered beautiful. Since the dawn of history, human beings have been looking for ways to slow or halt the aging process. Our dissatisfaction with our looks motivates an entire list of behaviors, including losing weight as well as employing moisturizer, hair dye, and nonsurgical injectable products--and, in some cases, having surgery. The desire to improve one's self is a natural consequence of living in an image-conscious society. Ultimately, cosmetic enhancements offer what many cultures value most: aesthetic improvement and the preservation of youthfulness and vitality.

According to Gilman, we have entered an "Era of Glamour," in which it is accessible and publicly accepted for everyone--from Hollywood's A-list to the Midwestern soccer morn to look glamorous, but perhaps not in the usual sense of the term. Gilman notes the Era of Glamour started with the Botox Cosmetic Revolution, during which nonsurgical options to diminish facial lines became accessible, affordable, and provided a natural, relaxed look without the long recovery time of cosmetic surgery. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surety (ASAPS), in the handful of years since receiving...