Elaine Smith

Definition Essay

October 1, 2020

Natural Beauty

Smeared mascara and lipstick covers the bathroom countertop as a young girl is

perched over the sink in distress. Visions of models with “perfect” facial structure and rosy red

cheeks cloud her head and make her vision blurry. What does it take to be pretty? Many define

natural beauty as a face without make up that just so happens to fit the harsh beauty standard

created in their head: full lips, shiny, smooth skin, long eyelashes, slim face. However, features

that delight oneself could differ from the next person. Everyone has natural beauty, even if it’s

hard to see.

Natural beauty stems from the idea of captivation. To be captivated is to be wowed, to

be swept up off one's feet, and to be unable to focus on anything else but the captivator. Some

people get captivated by looks, some by personality. Everyone has their own perception of what

beauty is, but they seem to struggle with projecting themselves in a way that would have others

agree with their point of view. That is because it has been a concept widely argued about

throughout time, and there is no distinct definition. This is where the toxicity comes from. People

fight and scratch for the newest product which will make them fit in and attractive, only to have

their new looks ​go out of trend​ in the next week. In this day and age, it seems as though body

types are a trend. Whether it be a woman with a slim waist and thick thighs or a man with a

sharp v-line, it is guaranteed that not everyone will find that attractive, and the majority of those

who do will simply move on once the next feature becomes popular.

Two models stand in a room, one with make-up caked on and the other with nothing but

bear skin. The show features a natural look, but they still chose the model whose appearance

does not coincide with their message. Why is that? Natural beauty is something everyone

wants. It comes from the idea that one is just as pretty without makeup, but this has only led to
 Smith 2
more negativity than there was before. They chose that other model because you simply can’t

tell which is which. The warm tones and natural colors used in the palette lead one to believe

that that person was born flawlessly like that, only leading to competition and self hatred.

Natural beauty is a toxic ideology.

Beauty comes in many shapes and forms, not all physical. Someone who radiates

positivity, kindness and caring coursing through their veins, is undoubtedly beautiful. A person

who has nothing but negative input and is a raging pessimist is less likely to be seen as alluring

to others. Interior attractiveness is far more important than what looks have to offer. It’s also

much more stable and predictable as everyone has relatively the same definition: kind, caring ,

funny, outgoing, etc. The realm of inner beauty is uplifting because it shows how one’s natural

side is so important to others. Sadly, society has decided to focus less on the inside and more

on the outside.

Natural Beauty is a subjective term that creates a toxic environment for everyone

involved, whether it be male or female. However, it is no doubt the female community is held to

much higher standards. Too much makeup and they're trying too hard, too little makeup and

they're lazy, too skinny or too fat and they’re unhealthy. However, no matter what one looks like

or feels like, there will always be that one person who finds them absolutely stunning, inside and

out.