“a natural beauty!”
a few months ago, an influencer and co-founder of a fashion brand hosted a pop up event. there were plenty of posts on instagram from people who attended the weekend shindig. it looked beautiful, a 70s vibe, referencing their recent promo video, which itself was super 70s Bond with a The Last Shadow Puppets-esque cherry on top.
one of the stories posts from an attendee I saw boggled my mind though, and I cant shake it. something along the lines of "a natural beauty!" - I wish I'd screenshotted it now - the exclamation typed over a zoomed-in video of said influencer / co-founder.
this person is among the more "responsible" when it comes to being open about what "beauty" procedures they've had. she talks about it often actually, and even tags her favorite clinic on instagram. the botox, the lip filler, the acne medication regime. the like... weird vibrating-or-whatever sculpting butt thing? wholly manufactured, far from “natural.”
as I mentioned, she’s open about her procedures. while the transparency is helpful, it doesn't last; the injections themselves last infinitely longer than it takes for the disclaimer to dissolve from memory. the fan who posted that instagram story is case in point.
I understand the dire “need” to shape-shift into the newest ideal, but it’s futile. the argument of “expression” always comes into play, but that is futile, too. If the expression upholds standards that one has yet to strip away, it’s not an expression at all. the act of these procedures is just falling into line, becoming defeated by the system, and in fact, reinforcing it. i’m not saying it’s easy to push against, but what’s the point of life if not an opportunity to question and push back on what constricts us the most?
this is less a moral judgement on anyone than it is a poke and prod at our ideas of transparency and disclaimers about beauty procedures. I question whether or not we should let people, especially those with large followings and influence, off the hook as they expect because they were honest once, twice, 100 times; it clearly does jack shit but fortify harm, and make the worst of us infinitely, nastily wealthier.