Natural Beauty vs Cosmetic Beauty
The recognized standards of beauty differ from country to country and from one time period to another. Beauty was subject to trends and formed by the public opinion. Every new historical époque brought changes to the perception of beauty. Some attributes were becoming symbols of aristocrats, while others demonstrated peasant origins. Modern culture and lifestyle also dictates some canons of beauty. However, there are those who intentionally try to avoid following them, and by doing this they try to reject being associated with the traditions and views of the masses.
Today, the withstanding of the advocates of natural beauty and cosmetic beauty became more noticeable. Natural-looking and subtle tones are dominant in makeup trends of 2016 (Hayes). However, cosmetics industry progressed so much that it can really outperform nature in terms of making real beauty. Therefore, even the term of natural beauty is little bit misinterpreted now. According to our logic, it is defined as a beauty that was endowed to a person by nature. An individual must seem beautiful without wearing any makeup or other things. At the same time, cosmetic beauty is a beauty that can be created with different cosmetics substances and tools.
However, some people say that “there is no one who can tell you what natural is. Natural beauty is defined by what you feel is most natural for yourself” (Delfine). In these terms, it is wiser to talk about natural look and what people should do to maintain it attractive. First of all, it is wrong to think that natural beauty is a complete absence of cosmetics. People should care about their skin using professional medical cosmetics. It only enhances natural beauty. Moreover, professional treatment is not only possible; it is suggested for those who prefer their natural look.
Sometimes advocates of natural look may also refer to cosmetics, but is does not lead to change in their preferences. People may have naturally flawless skin and they can stay makeup-free, however, others do not have such a luxury and they need some certain products. The use of them does not mean that natural beauty has lost to cosmetic one. Many actresses and famous people do not wear make-up during the day, unless they have special events. This can certify their position about embracing their natural look. They believe that “it’s so sad when people hide themselves behind too much makeup” (Delfine). However, cosmetics take a large part in their arsenal of beauty, as they use lots of different things before they appear during special events. Makeup is an important tool for creating a new image and establishing new character. Some people cannot image going out without makeup.
Cosmetic beauty can also be different. It may be directed on emphasizing the natural beauty that practically makes people more attractive. Some women say that they feel more confident, if they have some makeup on their face. However, it still may look natural. At the same time, there is an aggressive way of applying makeup that could be seen in magazines, at fashion shows, etc. This beauty is designed for drawing attention and is rarely seen on the streets. Some great supporters prefer such kind of beauty because it adds new features to the common complexion of people and creates a new image. People have a chance to look much more different from one another, showing their uniqueness and being extraordinary. Such abundance of cosmetics often creates additional mysterious aura around a person adding more to his or her appearance (Stryker).
Therefore, it is quite difficult to distinguish a clear watershed between where natural beauty ends and cosmetic beauty begins. It is quite normal that natural beauty requires treatment that also includes cosmetic substances of pharmaceutical and medical nature. They may consist only of natural ingredients and add no makeup to a person. At the same time, cosmetic makeup can be directed at maintaining natural beauty or literally “painting” natural beauty on the face. A person who is not a professional in this can hardly distinguish what is natural and what is not then.
Therefore, I think that due misinterpretation of concepts and their mutual relationship, it is difficult to determine what features exactly differentiate natural from cosmetic beauty. It makes the entire withstanding of these two concepts everlasting, because no one knows for sure how to distinguish between them now. Personally, I think that a person should accept their natural look and only slightly make it better with the assistance of some cosmetic tools. Some flaws can also be corrected thanks to the modern cosmetic developments. In general, people should not refuse all contemporary developments in the sphere of beauty just to keep in line with the ideal of natural beauty. One should understand that natural beauty is an ideal that we are endowed by nature, but we can slightly improve it by using things developed for the common good. Thus, natural look should be the main look, but one can add little bit perfection to it.
Works Cited
Delfine, Elle. What is Natural Beauty? She Said Beauty. She Said Beauty, 17 Jun 2012. http://blog.shesaidbeauty.com/2012/06/17/what-is-natural-beauty/
Hayes, Miki. The Biggest 2016 Makeup Trends, According to Celebrity Makeup Artists. Bustle. Bustle, 14 Dec 2015. http://www.bustle.com/articles/129038-the-biggest-2016-makeup-trends-according-to-celebrity-makeup-artists
Stryker, Lori. Natural Beauty: What Is It Really? DibDabDoo. DibDabDoo, n.d. http://www.dibdabdoo.com/articles/health/247/natural-beauty-what-is-it-really.html
