• About Nicole Groch
  • Contact Me
  • The Difference
  • Product Reviews
    • natural baby product reviews
      • Organic, Natural, Safer Children’s Toothpaste by Baby Organics Review
      • Eco Craft Fun For Kids With EnviroBlox
    • natural cosmetic reviews
      • Adorn Natural Mineral Cream Blush Review
      • Amazing, All Natural, Living Nature Liquid Mineral Foundation, Tinted Moisturizer & Concealer Review
      • Cruelty-Free, Vegan Nail Polish By Kester Black Review
      • Debee Natural Ethically Sourced Lip Balms
      • Ere Perez Chamomile Eye Palette
      • Finally A Natural, Vegan, Waterproof Mascara, Thanks Ere Perez
      • Furless Cosmetics Professional Vegan Cosmetics Brushes
      • Sienna Byron Bay Vegan Safer Nail Polish
      • Soy Vegan Nail Polish Remover By Sienna Byron Bay
      • Synergie Skin MineralWhip Foundation
      • The Best Pressed Powder Organic Foundation By Zuii Organic
      • Vegan & 100% Natural Lipsticks – Meet Neek
      • Zuii Organic Eyebrow Definer
      • Zuii Organic Lip Tints, Stunning, Cruelty-Free Lip Glosses
      • Zuii Organic Sheerlips Lipstick Review
    • natural hair product reviews
      • Everescents Organic Fresh Mint Shampoo and Conditioner
      • Organic Colour Systems Permanent Hair Colouring Review
      • Organic, Natural, Dandruff & Hair Treatment Shampoos By Ausganica
      • Plastic-Free Natural Hairspray By EverEscents Organic Hair Care Review
    • natural skin & body care reviews
      • Best Natural Body Oil & Bath Oil’s – Review Of Be Genki’s Tranquility Oils
      • Best Natural Vegan Eye Cream
      • Eco Tan Natural Coconut Sunscreen Product Review
      • Fruit Enzyme Exfoliator by Planet Eve Review
      • Jaliis Hemp and Lemon Myrtle Vegan Hand Creams
      • Joli Natural Fluffy Lime Vegan Eye Cream
      • Kelapa Organic Coconut Face Moisturiser With Sunscreen
      • Lhami Coffee Cream Body Scrub Review
      • Lhami Pomegranates & Rose Serum Natural Skin Rejuvenation
      • Natural Makeup Remover & Cleanser By Blossom Eco Review
      • Natural Ways To Get Rid Of Cellulite -Review Amaris Botanicals Detox Blend
      • Organic Night Serum By Joi Pure Review
      • Organic White Chocolate Truffle Moisturiser by MULONDON – Good Enough To Eat!
      • Savi Organic Hemp and Coconut Facial Scrub
      • Soak Society Wellness Bath Soak Set Review
      • Solid, Natural Perfumes By Pacific Perfumes Review
      • Soothe with Coconut Tree’s Coconut plus Paw Paw Balm
      • Spearmint Crush Organic Coffee Scrub by Handmade Naturals
      • Two Winged Fruit Natural Ethical Skincare Review
      • Uni Organics Good Day Face Hydrating Cream Review
    • health & personal care product reviews
      • A Natural Deodorant That Actually Works
      • Miessence Tahitian Breeze Natural Deodorant
      • Natural, Safe & Non-Toxic Insect Repellent Review
      • Organic, Natural Toothpaste & Mouth Wash by Riddells Creek Review
      • Benefits Of Testing Your Body’s pH Levels Using An EASYpH Home Test Kit
      • Riddells Creek Organic Whitening Toothpaste
      • Squatting Is A More Natural Way To Use The Toilet
      • The Benefits Of Using A JuJu Menstrual Cup
      • The Most Effective Natural Deodorant, Meet Fresca
    • natural cleaning product reviews
      • Natural Disinfecting Products By CitroLife Review
      • Natural, Safe, Vegan, Euclove Cleaning Products
      • Natural, Safer Liquid Hand Soap By Ecostore Review
      • The Natural Cleaning Power Of Soapnuts
    • Eco home & kitchen product reviews
      • Certified Organic Cotton Bedding By Organature Review
      • Goodguts Probiotic Organic Teas
      • Hemp Gallery Hemp Curtains Review – Chemical Free Curtains
      • LovEarth Natural Rubber & Jute, Eco-Friendly, PVC Free Yoga Mats
      • Healthy Safe Seaweed Products From Clean Ocean Areas By Power Super Foods
      • ECOtanka Stainless Steel Bottles & Covers Review
      • Organic, All Natural Chewing Gum – Meet Chicza Gum!
      • Relaxing With Joi Pure Essential Oils And The Benefits Of Using An Electric Oil Burner
      • Reusable, Eco-Friendly Food Covers By 4MyEarth
      • The Health Benefits Of Sleeping On A Pure Earth Organic Buckwheat Husk Pillow
      • The Incredible Health Benefits Of PH8 Natural Alkaline Water
      • The Vitamix 2500 A Truly Amazing Blender
      • Totally Gorgeous Eco-Friendly Stationery By Earth Greetings
      • Why I Choose To Sleep On A Certified Organic Mattress
    • natural pet products reviews
      • Meet the EGLU the best Guinea Pig & Rabbit Outdoor Runs and Hutch by Omlet Australia
      • The Healthy Benefits Of Organi Pet Natural Dog Grooming Products
  • Safe Shopping Guide
    • Babies & Children
    • Cosmetics & Hair
    • Skin, Scent & Personal Care
    • Health & Safety
    • House & Garden
    • Food & Kitchen
    • Pet Care
    • Animal and Ethical Australian Charities
  • Podcasts & YouTube

Living Safe

Helping you live a healthier, safer and more natural lifestyle.

  • Baby & Child Safety
    • Baby Safety
      • Healthy Baby’s Room
        • Mattress Wrapping Prevent SIDS
        • Keep Baby’s Room Healthy
        • Chemicals In Baby Mattresses
        • Toxic PVC In Plastic Toys
        • Dangerous Toys and Toy Recalls
        • Eco, Safe Wooden Toy List
        • Toxic Foam Playmats
      • Babies Children & Dogs
        • Teaching Children Dog Safety
        • Why Dogs Bite Children
      • Baby Proofing The Home
        • Baby Proofing Your Garden
      • Baby Skin Care Ingredients
      • Driving Safely with Babies & Children
      • Safest Nappies For Baby
    • Healthy, Safer Kids
      • Raising Eco-Minded Kids
        • Eco Craft Fun
        • Eco Healthy Kids Party Ideas
        • Eco Outdoor Fun For Kids
      • Cyber Bullying & Sexting
      • Kids Safety Mobile Phones
      • Face Paints Ingredients & Bacteria
        • Safer Face Painting
      • Kids on Antidepressants
      • Kids Health As Vegetarians
      • Kill Lice Safely, Naturally
      • Risks of WiFi to Children
      • Teaching Stranger Danger
      • Teenage STD’s. Teach Safe Sex
      • Toxic PVC School Supplies
      • Vegan Kids B’day Cake
      • Treated Timber In Playgrounds
      • Why Kids Should Meditate
  • Safe Pregnancy
    • Keep Baby Safer In Your Womb
    • Pregnancy, Babies & Cats
    • Safer Pregnancy Beauty Treatments In
  • Safe Personal Care
    • Unobtainable Beauty Standards Are Too Much Pressure
    • How To Embrace Eco Friendly Beauty
    • Cosmetic Safety
      • COVID19 Hygiene Protocol For Freelance Makeup Artists
      • Applying Mineral Makeup
      • Become A Cruelty Free, Natural Makeup Artist
      • Correctly Clean Makeup Brushes
      • Cosmetic Testers. Sharing Makeup
      • Mineral Makeup Is Better For Your Skin
      • Mineral Makeup Tips
      • The Harmful Effects of Lipsticks. Finding Safe Lipsticks
      • Understanding What Eco Beauty Really Means
      • Wearing Too Much Makeup It’s Not Pretty or Healthy
    • Hair Care Safety
      • Chemicals Hair Dyes. Colour Safely
      • Chemicals & Plastics in Hairspray
      • Chemical Hair Straightening
      • Organic Colour Systems Permanent Hair Colouring Review
    • How to Tan Safely
      • Chemicals In Sunscreens. Safer Alternatives.
      • Spray Tans, Solariums & Tanning Lotions
      • Safer Ways to get Vitamin D From Sun
    • Skin Care Safety
      • Botox.Not Safe. Not Cruelty Free
      • Plastic Microbeads in Cosmetics
      • Synthetic Perfumes
      • Tattoo Ink Is It Vegan, Safe & Cruelty Free
    • Manicure Safety
      • Manicure Dangers, Shellac, Gel & Polishes
    • Hygiene
      • Triclosan in Antibacterial Product Dangers
  • Healthy Home & Garden
    • Healthy Home
      • Cleaning naturally
      • Checking For Asbestos Before Renovating
      • Clothes Dryer Health Hazards
      • Keep Your Home Toxic Air Pollutant Free
      • Scent Your Home Naturally
      • Toxic Chemicals & Fire Retardants In Mattresses
    • Organic Gardening
      • Natural, Humane, Snail And Slug Control For Seedlings
      • Start Your Own Organic Veggie Patch
  • Organic Vegan Recipes
    • Natural Nutrition
      • Activated Nuts Health Benefits. How To Activate Nuts
      • Buckwheat Health Benefits
      • Curry Recipe with Tempeh
      • Growing Sprouts & Micro-Greens
      • Green Food Health Benefits
      • Healthy Chia Seed Facts
      • Healthy Chocolate. Raw Cacao Benefits.
      • Healthy, Lauric Acid In Coconut Oil
      • Hemp Seed & Hemp Oil Health Benefits
      • Making Activated Buckinis
      • Quinoa Health Facts
      • Safely Dehydrate Food In A Dehydrator
      • Sprouts & Micro-Green Health Benefits
    • Gluten Free Flour Recipes & Info
      • Is Gluten Our Enemy?
      • Guide To Gluten Free Flours
      • Make Your Own Gluten Free Flours
    • FODMAP Recipes & Info
      • High FODMAP Food List
      • Why We Suffer From Fructose Malabsorption
      • Activated Buckinis Clusters
      • Baked Rice Balls
      • Banana Spice Choc Chip Quinoa Cookies
      • Choc Nut & Seed Clusters
      • Coconut Oil, Cacao Raw Bubble Slice
      • Dark Chocolate With Chia Seeds
      • FODMAP Friendly Bliss Balls
      • FODMAP Friendly, Vegan, Choc Chip Cookies
      • FODMAP Friendly Vegan Choc Mint Energy Balls
      • Low Fodmap Raw Vegan, Organic Choc Mint Protein Slice
      • Orange Loaf Recipe
      • Pumpkin, Sunflower Seed Clusters coated in Dark Choc
      • Raw Chocolate Buckwheat Crunch
      • Raw Coconut Cacao Bliss Balls
      • Raw Choc Nut & Coconut Truffles
      • Raw, Chocolate Nut Slice
      • Raw Choc Protein Spread
      • Raw Vegan Hemp Protein Bar Recipe
      • Refined Sugar Free Low Fodmap Vegan Choc Toffee
      • Rice Bran Toffee Recipe
      • Sugar Free Quinoa Porridge
      • Toasted Quinoa Raw Chocolate Seed Bar
    • Vegan Recipes
      • Brown Rice, Almond, Chickpea Salad
      • Cheesy Vegan Spelt Biscuits
      • Choc, Spelt, Quinoa Cookies
      • Chocolate, Choc Chip Spice Cookies
      • Cinnamon, Sultana Oat Cookies
      • Coconut Oil, Nutritional Yeast & Sunflower Seed Spread
      • Choc, Banana, Coconut Ice-Cream Popsicle’s
      • Crunchy Cinnamon Cookie
      • Dark Choc Coconut Covered Bread Sticks
      • Dark Choc Covered Banana Popsicles
      • Fruit & Veg Icy-Poles
      • Garlic Free Hummus
      • Healthy Banana, Cinnamon Breakfast Cookies
      • Oat & Quinoa Choc Berry Balls
      • Organic Fruit Slurpee
      • Quinoa Cinnamon, Coconut Baked Banana Balls
      • Organic Green Bean, Avocado, Carrot and Almond Salad
      • Quinoa Salad With Pomegranate Seeds & Walnuts
      • Raw Macadamia Nuts In Cacao Toffee
      • Spelt Cinnamon Banana Cake
      • Tofu, Chickpea Burger
      • Vegan Seeded Coleslaw with Zesty Miso Dressing
      • Vegan Sushi Roll Recipe Using Radiation Free Nori Flakes
    • Vegan Natural Cake Decorating & Cake Recipes
      • Beetroots – Natural Red Food Colouring
      • Carob, Almond & Coconut Kisses
      • Colouring Fondant Naturally
      • Choc Quinoa Cupcakes
      • Easy Choc Mud Cake
      • Natural Fondant & Cake Icing
      • Natural Healthier Cake Decorating
      • Healthy Vegan Banana Choc Cinnamon Cake
      • Spicy Vegan Ginger and Cinnamon Banana Bread Recipe
      • Vegan, Kids Birthday Cake
  • Health & Safety
    • How To Disinfect For Coronavirus Correctly
    • How To Cut Down On Vegan Junk Food
      • Sugar Addiction. Causing Obesity & Disease
      • Additives & Preservatives In Food
    • Natural Health
      • 10 Reasons To Meditate
      • Top 10 Uses For Raw Coconut Oil
        • About Coconut Oil Pulling.
      • 10 Fantastic Uses For Salt
      • About Apple Cider Vinegar
      • About Pilates Healthy Benefits
      • Avoiding Food Poisoning
      • Best Health & Environmental Docos
      • The Hype About Turmeric Get The Facts 
      • Leaky Gut, SIBO and Food Malabsorption
        • Diet Related Causes of Gas & Bloating.
      • Naturopaths & What TheyTreat
      • Organic Food Really is Healthier.
      • Osteopaths & What They Treat
      • Rice & High Arsenic Levels
      • Testing Your Body’s pH Levels
      • Why Yoga Is Good For Our Health
    • Living Safely
      • BPA Free Plastic Dangers. Using Safer Plastic
      • Non-Toxic Labelling. The Truth
        • Partial Disclosure Product Labelling Misleading
      • Swimming Pool Germs & Chemicals
      • Synthetic Air Freshener Dangers
      • Toxic AZO Dye in Clothing
      • Travel Vaccinations My Bali Rabies Story
      • Unhealthy New Car Smell
      • What Contains BPA
      • Why I Choose To Sleep On A Certified Organic Mattress
        • Kapok Pillows Are A Healthier, Eco Friendlier Way To Sleep
      • Why We Should Choose Non Toxic Wooden Furniture
    • Radiation In Imported Products
      • Japanese Foods. No Testing For Radiation
      • Sushi, Seaweed and Fukushima Radiation
    • Minimizing EMF & Radiation
      • About Building Biologists
      • Cesium In European Jams
      • Radiation Hot Spots In The Home
  • Healthy Pets
    • Keeping Cats Safe Inside
      • Keep Cats Safe Outdoors
      • Foods To Never Feed Cats
    • Alternative Pet Therapies
    • Animal Fostering Benefits
    • Are Ready For A Pet?
    • Before Getting A Dog
      • The Dangers Of Off-Leash Dog Parks
      • These Foods Can Kill A Dog
      • Why Dogs Bite Children
      • Spoiling Your Dog Why You Should Stop It
      • Choosing The Right Dog
      • The Toxic To Dogs List Including Foods and Essential Oils
      • Safe Driving With Dogs
      • Important Dog Safety Tips At The Beach
    • Rabbits. Are Your Kids Old Enough?
      • Rabbits Not For Young Kids
    • Toxic Ingredients In Pet Grooming
  • Cruelty Free Living
    • Animal Agriculture Is Causing Environmental Disaster
    • 10 Easy Ways To Become An Animal Activist
    • Choose Cruelty Free Merged With Cruelty Free International
    • Choosing Cruelty Free Cosmetics
    • Cows Milk Is Anything But Healthy
    • Cruelty Free Labelling of Cosmetics The Truth
      • How To Shop Cruelty Free
      • Live A Cruelty Free Lifestyle Checklist
      • Vegan & Organic, Not Always Cruelty Free
      • PVC Options For Vegans Are Not Cruelty Free
    • Eating Meat The Unhealthy Truth
    • Is it Real Fur or Fake Fur?
    • Jane Goodall and her Roots and Shoots Youth Led Program
    • Jane Goodall – Peter Singer – Patty Mark
You are here: Home / Uncategorized / Unobtainable Beauty Standards Are Too Much Pressure

Unobtainable Beauty Standards Are Too Much Pressure

January 6, 2022 By livingsafe

Unobtainable Beauty Standards Are Too Much Pressure

Since the time of Cleopatra, and no doubt way before, we humans have painted our faces and bodies. Throughout each era we have coloured our hair and adorned ourselves according to what was considered beautiful, but now we are going too far! As a professional hair and makeup artists having worked for 30 years in the fashion, advertising and music industries, I felt it was high time that I write this article. I unequivocally believe that today’s unobtainable beauty standards are too much pressure for anyone to bear. We need to help each other navigate out of this minefield of Botox, fillers, plastic surgery and retouching apps.

Firstly, hats off to the cast of Emily In Paris! I just finished watching Season 2 and was delighted and also very surprised to see wonderfully expressive faces.  It was rare and delightful to see wrinkles &  brow furrows on all the female and male leads. It seems the French actors and Lily Collins don’t care for Botox and find expressive faces beautiful, which they absolutely are!

This is wonderful news, not just for those of us embracing out natural faces, but for animals too! Did you know that every batch of Botox is animal tested to the death to ensure its’ stability and safety. Read this Botox Not Safe, Not Cruelty Free

I have to admit, as I was watching the show with my 14 year old daughter, I did repeatedly comment on all the lines and wrinkles I was seeing on the actors foreheads. My daughter said, “but mum you hate the look of Botox!” I replied I know, but it is just so foreign to see a show where everyone’s foreheads actually move, but I love seeing this!

Body Dysmorphia has a new cousin Beauty Dysmorphia

As a 51 year old, mature aged mum of two, I am incredibly concerned for the younger generation, where the pressure to look perfect is seemingly only gathering more and more momentum.

How, unless you have oodles of money and spare down time, can the average person even afford to smooth and fill out every line and crevice in ones face, thicken and lengthen ones lashes, brows, hair and nails with extensions, while constantly keeping up ones fake tan year round? How can the average person afford to zap away fat and cellulite, implant boobs and butts, puff up lips, contour down their nose and hollow out their cheekbones? There is simply no way that most  people will be able to meet the criteria of what is today’s overly excessive standards of what is considered beautiful.  No wonder Body Dysmorphia is so huge now.

I attribute much of this to social media and the pull of shows like the Kardashians,  along with the clever invention of phone app filters that not only airbrush faces to perfection, but allow one to change the shape of any body part they are not happy with before posting. These are tools that used to be only able to be done by highly skilled digital retouchers. This is not beauty reality, but pure deception.

Do I retouch my own portfolio of hair and makeup work on my Instagram page, yes sometimes I do, every artist does, but… I am so light-handed and very subtle and only retouch when absolutely needed. When I work, one thing I never do is make the person look unrecognizable and you will never see me overly reshape or hide someone’s face with heavy-handed contouring and coverage.

Even working in the industry, I myself do not wear much makeup if any. I never wear foundation. I show my lines, my freckles and my sun spots, as this is me. The only thing I do is colour my grey hair! I do this using Tints of Nature, as it is again  more natural, vegan and cruelty free.

I remember saying to one of my friends who indulges in Botox, that I have never had Botox as it is animal tested, to which she replied without thinking, with not an ounce of  malice, “I can tell!”

Around all my friends smooth faces and working in the industry that I do, it is hard not to succumb, but I stand strong on the stance of not wanting to hurt animals and trying to fight my own vanity, which is not easy.

If adults like me, are teetering on the brink of being swayed, then how on earth are younger people meant to navigate this world of unobtainable beauty standards.  Body Dysmorphia is massive and I believe it now has a new ugly cousin, called Beauty Dysmorphia, which I would define as… you don’t see yourself as beautiful unless you have completely metamorphosized your features into something else using makeup.

I would describe Beauty Dysmorphia as completely changing your eye shape, lip shape, brow shape, face shape using makeup. So much so, that when you take a photo of yourself with makeup and without you look like two completely different people.

 

Unrealistic Beauty Goals

Don’t compare yourself to others, as you will never be happy.

Even the most stunning model is not happy with herself!

We absolutely should never compare ourselves to the images of models and celebrities we see.  Firstly, models are a tiny percentage of the population. 99% of us do not have the features of a model and that is why we should never aspire to look like them. If I compared myself to the thousands of models I have worked with over my career, my self-esteem would be in the gutter.

Models are used to sell you beauty products and it works very well. Also even models photos are highly retouched and often they use filters on the selfies you see on their instagram accounts to make them more flattering.

If you see a celebrity who wears a lot of makeup up close, I can guarantee you if you saw these highly made up faces in real life, you would not find it pretty or flattering. You would want to pass them the makeup remover pads pronto!

We also can’t compare ourselves to women and men who make a living off their faces and selling beauty for a living. Or celebrities like the Kardashians, these people spends hundreds or thousands of dollars to maintain such perfect appearances, and the pressure on them to keep it up is not something you would want to endure.

Less Is More With Beauty

Less makeup is more!  There is nothing wrong with a little hair and makeup, but anything in excess is never good.  

Practice going out without makeup on and get used to seeing and embracing your face fresh and free!

Stop posting photos of yourself on social media unless you really have a story to tell.

We post photos of ourselves all filtered and retouched in order to get attention/compliments from others to bolster our feelings of self worth. Your self worth should never be defined by likes and compliments. This is only a quick fix, a temporary ego boost and it can lead you down a rabbit hole, like a junkie who never has enough to feel good. Stop posting, do a digital detox on posting. You will be surprised at how good you feel if you disengage from your phone and do things like charity work and helping others.

Helping Our Teens Navigate Beauty Standards.

Lead by example! Teach them about superficial beauty.

Show your teens French movies and TV! 🙂

I often show my kids how I retouch my own work. I want them to see that yes models too have large pimples, dry skin on their lips, dandruff, unwanted facial and body hair and large pores.  I want them to see what a real model looks like before all the retouching.

I find photos of celebrities that haven’t been retouched, or been posted with a filter. Then I show them the filtered shot of the same person.

Praise the bravery of actors and actresses that are not sculpting and smoothing their way to perfection.

Show them models who are not a size 6,  but a healthy, beautiful and curvy women, or man who looks healthy and fit but doesn’t have a six pack.

Explain to them the dangers of being swayed and brainwashed by society’s unobtainable beauty standards and to embrace that they are truly special and beautiful just as they naturally are.

I teach them no matter how beautiful someone is on the outside, if they aren’t a nice person they will begin to look ugly, so far better to work on being a kind, happy and loving person, than just making sure your exterior is perfect.

Beauty is not one shoe fits all. Beauty is different for everyone and we need to kind to ourselves and to each other!

 

Before you leave, if you enjoyed this article sign up to LivingSafe and stay informed! LivingSafe helping you live healthier & safer.

Some other personal care articles you may find interesting are;

Mineral Makeup Benefits vs Conventional Makeup

Health Risks Of Using Cosmetic Testers, Old Makeup & Sharing Your Makeup. What You Can Catch!

Animal Testing Of Cosmetics Do Your Part To Stop It

 

 

 

Filed Under: Natural Makeup, Personal Care, Uncategorized Tagged With: Beauty Dysmorphia, Beauty in Society, beauty standards, Beauty Trends, Body Dysmorphia, Botox animal tested, Less is More, Less Makeup, Teen Body Dysmorphia, Teens and Beauty, Unobtainable Beauty Standards, Unobtainable Beauty Standards Are Too Much Pressure, Unrealistic Beauty Goals

A little about me

Nicole Groche - Founder Living Safe I'm a mother and I want to ensure a safe and healthy environment for my children. I also strive to be an eco minded and responsible human being, living an [Read More]

Subscribe to Stay Informed.

[mc4wp_form]
10 Easy Steps Toxic Free
organature mattresses



Tints of Nature

Copyright © 2022 · Lifestyle Pro Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in