The Truth About Beauty

Why this fascination with beauty?

The demand for beauty services in spite of the economy?

Even when there is a recession, beauty parlours still flourish. Beauty products still fly off the shelves.

There is this saying that beauty is skin deep.

Then again, first impressions count.

Put it this way. Beauty is power. That was true centuries ago. That is true today.

When a beautiful woman walks into a bar, men flock to her and offer to buy her drinks. When an unattractive woman walks into the same bar, chances are, she would have to buy her own drinks.

A beautiful salesperson, man or woman is more likely to win the sale. Between a beautiful job seeker and an unattractive one, all other things being equal, the employer is likely to choose the good looker.

Like it or not, looks do count.

In the past, when women were dependent on men to support them, beauty was everything to a woman. A beautiful woman would have more suitors. She would be able to marry up. To marry a rich man who could take care of all her financial needs and that of her children. Long before commercial cosmetics existed, mothers would instruct their daughters on traditional beauty remedies. Simple beauty remedies like using mayonnaise as a moisturizer, or egg white as a firming mask were often used by women in the days before commercial cosmetics.

Then along came women entrepreneurs like Estee Lauder [http://www.womanht.com/esteelauder/] and other women from around the world. They converted traditional beauty recipes which worked for themselves into beauty creams that they sold to other women. Every woman has a right to look her most beautiful and these women were selling others their beauty secrets.

Make up was used to paint women's faces. In Egypt, the nobles, royalty and the well off would paint their eyes with khol, with crushed beetles and exotic ingredients. In Europe, women would paint their faces with make up containing toxic mercury for the sake of beauty. In Japan, the geishas would whiten their faces with creams that contain nightingale droppings.

You would think by now, we modern women would have learnt our lesson. Now, we just inject poison into our faces to paralyze our facial muscles in order to prevent expression lines from deepening as we grow older. Think of those botox injections done every 3 months to erase those wrinkles. Think of the acids we smear on our faces to smoothen them. The dermabrasion procedures done at the dermatologist in order to smoothen our skin.

Women all over the world have always been willing to suffer for the sake of beauty. Long ago, in China, women in wealthy families would bind their feet. The Chinese back then view tiny feet as beautiful, so little girls have their feet bound, to prevent them from growing big and ugly. Now that long legs are considered beautiful, some women go through a very painful medical procedure that breaks their legs, and stretches their legs by a few millimeters a day through a painful device until they attain the height they want. With their newfound height, these girls can look forward to a wealthy, glamorous future as an international model.

In Europe, centuries ago, wasp waists and curvy bodies were considered beautiful, so corsets were worn to make the waist look much smaller. These were tied so tightly that women faint easily. All for the sake of beauty. Now, corsets are in again. These days, women and men subject themselves to surgery to attain the beauty they desire. Liposuction to remove the excess fat to contour the body. Breast augmentation for bigger breasts that are considered beautiful. Nose jobs, face lifts, the works.

Thankfully, there is also a return to natural beauty remedies. This time, commercial cosmetics use natural ingredients that women have used for centuries in the home beauty preparations. These are effective and great for the skin.

What we women really should do is to focus on inner beauty, and to keep ourselves healthy.
Health is beauty.

8 to 10 hours of sleep every night, fresh food, fresh air, daily exercise, drinking plenty of water every day, soap and water, or cleanser and toner, moisturizer where necessary and sun protection all day long. All that keeps your body healthy and your skin and hair, beautiful. Oh, and learn to age gracefully. After all, aging is a natural process in life.

The writer is the webmaster of Cosmetics Online [http://www.cosmetics-online.net/], where you can find cosmetics, skincare, makeup and all the beauty products from your favourite beauty brand.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Janice_Wee

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The Truth About Beauty

Why this fascination with beauty?

The demand for beauty services in spite of the economy?

Even when there is a recession, beauty parlours still flourish. Beauty products still fly off the shelves.

There is this saying that beauty is skin deep.

Then again, first impressions count.

Put it this way. Beauty is power. That was true centuries ago. That is true today.

When a beautiful woman walks into a bar, men flock to her and offer to buy her drinks. When an unattractive woman walks into the same bar, chances are, she would have to buy her own drinks.

A beautiful salesperson, man or woman is more likely to win the sale. Between a beautiful job seeker and an unattractive one, all other things being equal, the employer is likely to choose the good looker.

Like it or not, looks do count.

In the past, when women were dependent on men to support them, beauty was everything to a woman. A beautiful woman would have more suitors. She would be able to marry up. To marry a rich man who could take care of all her financial needs and that of her children. Long before commercial cosmetics existed, mothers would instruct their daughters on traditional beauty remedies. Simple beauty remedies like using mayonnaise as a moisturizer, or egg white as a firming mask were often used by women in the days before commercial cosmetics.

Then along came women entrepreneurs like Estee Lauder [http://www.womanht.com/esteelauder/] and other women from around the world. They converted traditional beauty recipes which worked for themselves into beauty creams that they sold to other women. Every woman has a right to look her most beautiful and these women were selling others their beauty secrets.

Make up was used to paint women's faces. In Egypt, the nobles, royalty and the well off would paint their eyes with khol, with crushed beetles and exotic ingredients. In Europe, women would paint their faces with make up containing toxic mercury for the sake of beauty. In Japan, the geishas would whiten their faces with creams that contain nightingale droppings.

You would think by now, we modern women would have learnt our lesson. Now, we just inject poison into our faces to paralyze our facial muscles in order to prevent expression lines from deepening as we grow older. Think of those botox injections done every 3 months to erase those wrinkles. Think of the acids we smear on our faces to smoothen them. The dermabrasion procedures done at the dermatologist in order to smoothen our skin.

Women all over the world have always been willing to suffer for the sake of beauty. Long ago, in China, women in wealthy families would bind their feet. The Chinese back then view tiny feet as beautiful, so little girls have their feet bound, to prevent them from growing big and ugly. Now that long legs are considered beautiful, some women go through a very painful medical procedure that breaks their legs, and stretches their legs by a few millimeters a day through a painful device until they attain the height they want. With their newfound height, these girls can look forward to a wealthy, glamorous future as an international model.

In Europe, centuries ago, wasp waists and curvy bodies were considered beautiful, so corsets were worn to make the waist look much smaller. These were tied so tightly that women faint easily. All for the sake of beauty. Now, corsets are in again. These days, women and men subject themselves to surgery to attain the beauty they desire. Liposuction to remove the excess fat to contour the body. Breast augmentation for bigger breasts that are considered beautiful. Nose jobs, face lifts, the works.

Thankfully, there is also a return to natural beauty remedies. This time, commercial cosmetics use natural ingredients that women have used for centuries in the home beauty preparations. These are effective and great for the skin.

What we women really should do is to focus on inner beauty, and to keep ourselves healthy.
Health is beauty.

8 to 10 hours of sleep every night, fresh food, fresh air, daily exercise, drinking plenty of water every day, soap and water, or cleanser and toner, moisturizer where necessary and sun protection all day long. All that keeps your body healthy and your skin and hair, beautiful. Oh, and learn to age gracefully. After all, aging is a natural process in life.

The writer is the webmaster of Cosmetics Online [http://www.cosmetics-online.net/], where you can find cosmetics, skincare, makeup and all the beauty products from your favourite beauty brand.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Janice_Wee

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7 Essential Beauty Tips

Beauty

Beauty is defined as the phenomenon of the experience
of pleasure, through the perception of balance and
proportion of stimulus. It involves the cognition of a
balanced form and structure that elicits attraction and
appeal towards a host, creature, inanimate object,
scene, music, idea, etc. It's as well seen as An assemblage
or even graces or even properties pleasing to the eye, the ear, the
intellect, the aesthetic faculty, or even the moral feel.

Beauty is the quality that gives pleasure to the mind or even
senses and is associated with such properties as
harmony of form or even color, excellence of artistry,
truthfulness, and originality.

A common understanding of the word beauty suggests
that it's the appearance of things and people. For
illustration, we call miss globe or even miss universe the virtually all
beautiful female on earth. Also a fully blossomed
rose is as well called a beauty. Beauty can't be measured,
not can it be counted. It's purely subjective in nature,
and its comprehension changes based on data from perception
set of individuals.

Beauty has always been revered from the time individual
kind had developed basic senses. We've heard of
umpteen number of stories in history when wars utilized to
be inflicted upon for the desire of beautiful females. Beauty
is all pervasive in nature and rises above any
discrimination of race, caste, religion, etc.

Many theorists and scientists have tried to deconstruct
beauty into even more understandable parts. 1 idea is to
look at it from the point of see of how much symmetry is
discovered in the object. A few of the main contributions in this
regards are - The inborn inclination of people to be
attracted to symmetry coupled with the natural want or even
pursuit of happiness leads to the premise that symmetry
is indeed the symbol of beauty.

Mortal beings are so engrossed with beauty that it's
taken a awesome shape in economy in the form of beauty
industry. There are many enterprises and organizations
taking part in selling beauty products. These range from
your next door beauty salon to a multi-billion premium
branded marketing organization spread across 150
countries in the globe.

Beauty care is a outstanding act time and pastime for mortal
beings, especially women. Beauty is perceived to offer
attractiveness and confidence. Beauty care includes hair
care, face care, skin care, nail care, proper diet,
vitamins, etc.

There are many therapies dedicated to the cause of
beauty care. Even more crucial among it is
aromatherapy, cosmetology, laser coarse of action, hair
coloring, slimming techniques, etc.

Many authors have written on beauty. A select few of the wonderful
quotes are "a thing of beauty is a joy forever" by John
Keats. "True beauty lives in deep retreats, Whose veil
is unremoved, Till heart with heart in concord beats, And
the lover is beloved" by Wordsworth. And "We all know
that a thing of beauty is a joy forever and that beauty lies
in the eye of the beholder. Is not it interesting how the
perception of beauty" by Anon.

Helen Keller sums it all "The virtually all beautiful things in the
globe aren't seen nor touched. It is felt with the
heart".

Codi Bellezia is the owner of a beauty z [http://www.abeautyz.com] which is a premier resource for beauty information. for more information, go to [http://www.abeautyz.com]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Codi_Bellezia

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The Maharishi Ayurveda Approach to Beauty and Skin Care

"Every person is born perfect. Inferiority is a mistake of the mind, a cloud covering the light. Dissolve the clouds by observing a balanced life with healthy habits. Nourish your mind and body. Connect with your own inner self. Celebrate your own magnificence and your beauty will always shine through." -Dr. Rama Kant Mishra, renowned Ayurvedic physician and dermatologist

The Three Pillars of Beauty

Maharishi Ayurveda (MAV), the modern, consciousness-based revival of the ancient Ayurvedic medicine tradition, considers true beauty to be supported by three pillars; Outer Beauty, Inner Beauty and Lasting Beauty. Only by enhancing all three can we attain the balanced state of radiant health that makes each of us the most fulfilled and beautiful person we can be.

Outer Beauty: Roopam

The outer signs of beauty - your skin, hair and nails - are more than just superficial measures of beauty. They are direct reflections of your overall health. These outer tissues are created by the inner physiological processes involved in digestion, metabolism and proper tissue development. Outer beauty depends more on the strength of your digestion and metabolism, the quality of your diet, and the purity of your blood, than on external cleansers and conditioners you may apply.

General Recommendations for Outer Beauty

As we will discuss, the key to skin care is matching your diet and skin care routine to the specific skin type you have. Meanwhile, there are some valuable recommendations for lustrous skin, hair and nails that will be helpful to everyone, regardless of skin type.

1. Diet: Without adequate nourishment, your collagen layer thins and a kind of wasting takes place. Over time, your skin can shrivel up like a plant without water from lack of nourishment. To keep your skin plump and glowing:

A. Eat fresh, whole organic foods that are freshly prepared.

Avoid packaged, canned, frozen, processed foods and leftovers. These foods have little nutritional value and also they are often poorly digested which creates impurities that localize in the skin. The resulting buildup of toxins causes irritation and blocks circulation depriving the skin of further nourishment and natural cleansing processes.

B. Favor skin nourishing foods. 

1. Leafy green vegetables contain vitamins, minerals (especially iron and calcium) and are high in antioxidant properties. They nourish the skin and protect it from premature aging.


2. Sweet juicy fruits like grapes, melons, pears, plums and stewed apples at breakfast are excellent for the skin in almost everyone.


3. Eat a wide variety of grains over different meals and try mixed grain servings at breakfast and lunch. Add amaranth, quinoa, cous cous, millet and barley to the wheat and rice you already eat.


4. Favor light, easy to digest proteins like legume soups (especially yellow split mung dhal), whole milk, paneer (cheese made from boiling milk, adding lemon and straining solids) and lassi (diluted yogurt and spice drinks).


5. Oils like ghee (clarified butter) and organic, extra virgin olive oil should be included in the diet as they lubricate, nourish and create lustre in the skin.
6. Use spices like turmeric, cumin, coriander, and black pepper to improve digestion, nourish the skin and cleanse it of impurities.


7. Avoid microwaving and boiling your vegetables. They lose as much as 85% of their antioxidant content when cooked in this way. Steaming and sautéing are best.

Caring for outer beauty through knowledge of skin type

Besides these general recommendations the key to Outer Beauty is to understand the difference in skin types so you can gain the maximum benefit from your individualized skin care regimen. MAV identifies three different skin types based on which of the three main metabolic principles (doshas)- present in everyone, but to different degrees- is most dominant in your body.

Vata Skin

* Description: Vata is composed of the elements of air and space. If you have a vata skin type, your skin will be dry, thin, fine pored, delicate and cool to the touch. When balanced, it glows with a delicate lightness and refinement that is elegant and attractive. When vata skin is imbalanced, it will be prone to excessive dryness and may even be rough and flaky.

* Potential problems: The greatest beauty challenge for vata skin is its predisposition to symptoms of early aging. Your skin may tend to develop wrinkles earlier than most due to its tendency to dryness and thinness. If your digestion is not in balance, your skin can begin to look dull and grayish, even in your 20's and 30's. In addition, your skin may have a tendency for disorders such as dry eczema and skin fungus. Mental stress, such as worry, fear and lack of sleep, has a powerful debilitating effect on vata skin leaving it looking tired and lifeless.

* Recommendations for care

With a little knowledge, you can preserve and protect the delicate beauty of your vata type skin. Since your skin does not contain much moisture, preventing it from drying is the major consideration. Eat a warm, unctuous diet (ghee and olive oil are best) and favor sour, salty and sweet tastes (naturally sweet like fruits, not refined sugar) as they balance vata. Avoid drying foods like crackers. Drink 6-8 glasses of warm (not cold for vata types!) water throughout the day and eat plenty of sweet, juicy fruits. Going to bed early (before 10 PM) is very soothing to vata and will have a tremendously positive influence on your skin. Avoid cleansing products that dry the skin (like alcohol-based cleansers) and perform Ayurvedic oil massage to your whole body (abhyanga) in the morning before you shower.

Pitta Skin.

* Description: Pitta dosha is composed of the elements of fire and water. If you have a pitta skin type your skin is fair, soft, warm and of medium thickness. When balanced, your skin has a beautiful, slightly rosy or golden glow, as if illuminated from within. Your hair typically is fine and straight, and is usually red, sandy or blonde in color. Your complexion tends toward the pink or reddish, and there is often a copious amount of freckles or moles.

* Potential problems: Among the many beauty challenges of pitta skin types is your tendency to develop rashes, rosacea, acne, liver spots or pigment disorders. Because of the large proportion of the fire element in your constitution, your skin does not tolerate heat or sun very well. Of all the three skin types, pitta skin has the least tolerance for the sun, is photosensitive, and most likely to accumulate sun damage over the years. Pitta skin is aggravated by emotional stress, especially suppressed anger, frustration, or resentment.

* Recommendations for care

Avoid excessive sunlight, tanning treatments and highly heating therapies like facial or whole body steams. Avoid hot, spicy foods and favor astringent, bitter and sweet foods which balance pitta. (Again, naturally sweet, not chocolate and refined sugar!) Sweet juicy fruits (especially melons and pears), cooked greens and rose petal preserves are especially good. Drinking plenty of water helps wash impurities from sensitive pitta skin. Reduce external or internal contact with synthetic chemicals, to which your skin is especially prone to react, even in a delayed fashion after years of seemingly uneventful use. Avoid skin products that are abrasive, heating or contain artificial colors or preservatives. Most commercial make-up brands should be avoided in favor of strictly 100% natural ingredient cosmetics. And be sure to get your emotional stress under control through plenty of outdoor exercise, yoga and meditation.

Kapha Skin.

* Description: Kapha dosha is composed of the elements of earth and water. If you have a kapha skin type your skin is thick, oily, soft and cool to the touch. Your complexion is a glowing porcelain whitish color, like the moon, and hair characteristically thick, wavy, oily and dark. Kapha skin types, with their more generous collagen and connective tissue, are fortunate to develop wrinkles much later in life than vata or pitta types.

*Potential problems If your skin becomes imbalanced, it can show up as enlarged pores, excessively oily skin, moist types of eczema, blackheads, acne or pimples, and water retention. Kapha skin is also more prone to fungal infections.

* Recommendations for care

Kapha skin is more prone to clogging and needs more cleansing than other skin types. Be careful to avoid greasy, clogging creams. Likewise, avoid heavy, hard to digest foods like fried foods, fatty meats, cheeses and rich desserts. Eat more light, easy to digest, astringent, bitter and pungent (well-spiced) foods as they balance kapha. Olive oil is the best cooking oil and a little ginger and lime juice can be taken before meals to increase your characteristically sluggish digestive fire. Take warm baths often and use gentle cleansers to open the skin pores. Avoid getting constipated and try to get some exercise every day to increase circulation and help purify the skin through the sweating process.

Inner Beauty: Gunam.

Happy, positive, loving, caring individuals have a special beauty that is far more than skin deep. Conversely we all experience the quick and deleterious effect on our skin from fatigue and stress.

Inner beauty is authentic beauty, not the kind that shows on a made-up face, but the kind that shines through from your soul, your consciousness or inner state of being. Inner beauty comes from a mind and heart that are in harmony, not at odds with each other, causing emotional confusion, loss of confidence, stress and worry. Inner peace is the foundation of outer beauty.

Maintain your self-confidence and a warm, loving personality by paying attention to your lifestyle and daily routine and effective management of stress (I highly recommend the TM technique for its scientifically-verified benefits on mental and physical health and reduced aging.) You will also be healthier and feel better through the day if you eat your main meal at midday and make a habit of going to bed early (by 10 PM is ideal.)

Remember, kindness, friendliness and sincerity naturally attract people to you. On the other hand, being uptight or tense makes people want to walk the other way, regardless of your facial structure, body weight, or other outer signs we associate with attractiveness.

Lasting Beauty: Yayastyag

In order to slow the aging process and gain lasting beauty there are two additional key considerations beyond those already discussed,

1. Eliminate toxins and free radicals in the body: The main deteriorating effects of aging come as toxins and impurities (called ama in Ayurveda) accumulate throughout the body. These toxins may begin as free radicals in the body, or over time may become oxidized into free radicals, all of which contribute to premature aging in the body. For lasting health and beauty it is essential to avoid and neutralize free radicals, to prevent impurities of all kinds from accumulating and to remove those that have already become lodged in the body.

The most powerful cleansing therapy in Maharishi Ayurveda is "panchakarma" therapy, a series of natural treatments ideally performed twice yearly, that involves 5-7 days in a row of massage, heat treatments and mild herbal enemas. Ayurveda emphasizes the importance of undergoing this cleansing program once or twice a year to prevent impurities from accumulating, localizing and hardening in the tissues. Just as we change the oil in our cars regularly for optimal performance and lifespan, Ayurveda recommends that we cleanse the "sludge" from our tissues on a regular basis through panchakarma treatments.

Best of all, panchakarma treatments are luxurious, blissful, and make you feel (and look) completely rejuvenated in just a few days time. I have had many a patient who told me that friends asked them afterwards if they had gotten a facelift, they looked so fresh and youthful!

Other free radical busters include: reducing mental stress, eating antioxidant foods like leafy green vegetables, sweet, juicy fruits and cooking on a daily basis with antioxidant, detoxifying spices like turmeric and coriander.

2. Add rejuvenative techniques to daily living:

The daily activities of life in the modern world systematically wear us down and speed up the aging process. Ayurveda maintains it is crucial to practice daily rejuvenative regimens to counteract the stressful wear and tear of everyday life. According to Ayurveda the most important rejuvenative routines for your life are: 

1. Going to bed by 10:00 PM. This simple habit is one of the most powerful techniques for health and longevity, according to MAV.


2. Meditate daily. Any meditation that does not involve concentration (which has been shown to increase anxiety) can be very helpful. I highly recommend the twice-daily deep rest and enlivenment of the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique, whose benefits have been verified by over 700 published research studies.


3. Eat organic, whole fresh food that is freshly prepared. There is an Ayurvedic saying: "Without proper diet. medicine is of no use. With proper diet, medicine is of no need." Be sure to avoid those leftovers, processed and microwaved foods for better nutrition and vitality.


4. Perform Ayurvedic oil massage in the morning (abhyanga). Morning oil massage purifies the entire body, reduces anxiety and stress, helps prevent and heal injuries and supports circulation. It is especially helpful in creating a radiant complexion and keeping your skin youthful. Research shows it may also help prevent skin cancers.


5. Practice yoga asanas. Maintaining flexibility and circulation is key to health.


6. Practice pranayama (yoga breathing) techniques. Pranayama enlivens the mind and body. Ideally practice the following sequence twice a day. Asanas, pranayama and meditation.

Summary

Everyone's unique beauty shines forth when they have radiant health and personal happiness. Beauty is a side effect of a balanced, fulfilled life. Supreme personal beauty is accessible to everyone who is willing to take more control of their health in their day-to-day life through time-tested principles of natural living.

For most of us, beauty is not a gift but a choice. Every woman can be radiantly beautiful simply by beginning to lead a healthier life. You will be rewarded by the glowing effects you will see in your mirror each day and the powerful, bliss-producing effect your special beauty has on everyone in your life.

Nancy Lonsdorf M.D. received her M.D. from Johns Hopkins and did her postgraduate training at Stanford. She has studied Ayurveda with some of the world's most renowned Ayurvedic physicians in India, Europe and the U.S. Dr. Lonsdorf has 17 years of clinical experience with Ayurveda and is currently the Medical Director of The Raj Ayurveda Health Center in Vedic City Iowa.

Dr. Lonsdorf has authored two books on Ayurveda and women's health:
A Woman's Best Medicine (Penguin/Putnam 1995 ; ISBN 0-87477-785-2) describing the Ayurvedic approach to the major issues in women's health
A Woman's Best Medicine for Menopause (Contemporary/McGraw Hill 2002; ISBN 0-8092-9335-8) describing the Ayurvedic approach to menopause

Doctor Lonsdorf's contact information is:
Nancy Lonsdorf M.D.
1734 Jasmine Avenue
Vedic City, IA 52556
641-472-8246
web site url: [http://www.ayurveda-ayurvedic.com/]
info@ayurveda-ayurvedic.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/31341

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Plastic Surgey: The New Beauty Norm?

This is a good topic to discuss especially now since the popularity of all the make-over shows. I have always been curious as to why people, mostly women, have this idea that they are expected to look a certain way in order to "fit in" with society.

We all would like to believe that quaint saying, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder", but how true and meaningful is that phrase when the beholder has been brainwashed, so to speak, into subscribing to the belief that beauty is the artificial look we see on glamour mags, in TV commercials, and even in some children's books? For some time now, that image has consisted mainly of white women and the "white standard of beauty".

I decided to take this question of plastic surgery and the search for beauty and see how it can affect some women in the African-American community. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, African-Americans make up only 6% of plastic surgery patients. Why is this? Do African-American women have a more positive self/body image or is it that many cannot afford it? And for the 6% who do have surgery, to which standard of beauty were they trying to aspire?

I chose to start my search for the white standard of beauty in 1960. I chose that year because at the time, a TV show was airing that sought to teach moral and societal lessons through fantastical tales.
Two episodes of this show were very telling and prophetic, and they both dealt with how society viewed beauty and the expectations placed on women to be "beautiful".
That show was, The Twilight Zone.

Beauty in 1960...
Rod Serling offered us a tale of beauties and beasts in episode #42 entitled: Eye of the Beholder.
Here's a brief synopsis of the show I found at The Twilight Zone Guide:
Janet Tyler anxiously awaits the outcome of her latest surgery. Janet, who's abnormal face has made her an outcast, has had her eleventh hospital visit - the maximum allowed by the State. If it didn't succeed, she will be sent to live in a village where others of her kind are segregated. As her bandages are removed, she is revealed to be very beautiful. The doctor draws back in horror. As the lights come on we see the others, their faces are misshapen and deformed. As Janet runs from her room crying, she runs into another of her kind, a handsome man named Walter Smith. He is in charge of an outcast village, and he assures her that she will eventually feel she belongs. He tells her to remember the old saying: "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."
Although the show was filmed in black and white, we can clearly see that Ms. Tyler is Caucasian. The doctors appear to have darker skin, nevertheless, the idea here was that the viewers empathized with Ms. Tyler because she was the classic blonde, slender beauty commonly seen in 1960's fashion magazines.
As the show closes, the narrator speaks:
"Now the questions that come to mind. Where is this place and when is it, what kind of world where ugliness is the norm and beauty the deviation from that norm? The answer is, it doesn't make any difference. Because the old saying happens to be true. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, in this year or a hundred years hence, on this planet or wherever there is human life, perhaps out among the stars. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Lesson to be learned...in the Twilight Zone."

1964: The Standard Continues
Episode #137, in Season Five, is called, "Number Twelve Looks Just Like You", and was adapted by a short story called "The Beautiful People". In this episode, we meet Marilyn, a young woman who is about to go through a rite of passage in her community. This rite is called "The Transformation" and it requires citizens to choose among several models of bodies into which they will be transformed. The message here is that this society only sees one standard of beauty and that one will not be happy unless they look and act just like everyone else. Opening Narration:
"Given the chance, what young girl wouldn't happily exchange a plain face for a lovely one? What girl could refuse the opportunity to be beautiful? For want of a better estimate, let's call it the year 2000. At any rate, imagine a time in the future when science has developed a means of giving everyone the face and body he dreams of. It may not happen tomorrow--but it happens now, in the Twilight Zone."

Once again, the beautiful people are all white and we don't see any women or men of color. What was this episode trying to tell black women about beauty? The closing narration:
Portrait of a young lady in love--with herself. Improbable? Perhaps. But in an age of plastic surgery, body building, and an infinity of cosmetics, let us hesitate to say impossible. These and other strange blessings may be waiting in the future--which after all, is the Twilight Zone."

Beauty 40 Years Later

Some aspects of beauty standards have changed, but not much. We do see more black models and beautiful black women, but when you look at the majority of the more famous ones, (Tyra, Halle, Janet, Vanessa Williams, Beyonce, a few of whom have had plastic surgery, on their noses and other body parts), you can see straight away that they have many Caucasian attributes: small, pinched noses, lighter complexion, lighter eyes, straight, lightly colored hair. It is rare that you will see a model with very dark skin, a tight afro, wide, round, larger nose, and full, large lips. Flip through any issue of Vogue or Glamour and look for that image I just described. Then look for the first image I described.

So, are black women trying to aspire to the white standard of beauty when they seek plastic surgery?

According to Cynthia Winston, assistant professor of psychology at Howard University in Washington, D.C., We really don't know much about how blacks are influenced. Most of the research focuses on perceptions related to skin color. Foe most African-Americans, perception can be shaped by their environment. For example, an African-American woman growing up in an all-white neighborhood in Nebraska may be more likely than an African-American woman raised in inner-city Detroit to compare herself with white images of beauty.

(Source: African-American Women & Plastic Surgery: Self-Improvement or Self-Hatred? By Angela D. Johnson, Sept. 2, 2003)

Now What?

I suppose, it all comes down to how one feels inside about themselves. But there is this viscous cycle of doubt that women constantly face so it's often hard to reconcile your inner voices with the outside images thrown at you everyday. Many women buy into the trends and fashions that dictate beauty. TV shows and print ads abound with images of sexy women. Fitness clubs persuade women to join not so they will lower their risk of heart disease, but so they will aspire to be beautiful on the outside. No one tries to sell things that will help them on the inside.

In the end, you can look at all of this and say that there will always be standards of beauty and those who aspire to live up those standards, and those wanting to make a profit off those standards (cosmetic companies, ad agencies, modeling agencies, fashion designers, plastic surgeons, psychotherapists). The media portrays what people want to see and apparently, it's sex and "beauty".

Ms. Martin currently resides in sunny Southern California with her son. When she's not writing, she works part-time as a preschool teacher where she hopes to help all children develop positive self and body images.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/273

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The Most Beautiful Woman in the World Award

My adoration for women is actually a rather innocent one if I am allowed to judge myself. I will be more than happy to outline my criteria that define my own judgment, because it's not righteous to be one's own judge. But, I think I will let my results speak for themselves.

The most beautiful woman in the world, for most exotic beauty, goes to Jennifer Connelly. I cannot get her hair out my head from the movie Blood Diamond. Of course, she's in the bushes in West Africa following the story of conflict diamonds and doesn't have time to setup an appointment with a hairdresser. But when someone can be that gorgeous even under those circumstances, that's what drives me wild. Forget the fact that I've been in love with her since I first saw her in Labyrinth and I've followed her career throughout some of my most favorite movies including House of Sand and Fog, Dark Water, and He's Just Not That Into You. Jennifer Connelly steals away with the most beautiful woman in the world for most exotic beauty.

The most beautiful woman in the world, for being an unexpected hottie, goes to Jenna Fischer. I started watching The Office when it first came out in 2005 and I noticed the cute receptionist behind the desk. I loved the way she flirted with Jim and dealt with Michael. I was actually rooting for Jim and now he finally is with her, with a child and the whole nine yards. But then, I saw her on the cover of Shape in November 2009. It seriously was one of those Wow moments. Who in the world is that? The hottest little hottie to grace the cover of Shape, and I had no idea that the cool, cute receptionist from The Office was that gorgeous. Jenna Fischer takes by a landslide the most beautiful woman in the world for being an unexpected hottie.

The most beautiful woman in the world, for absolute adorability, goes to Jennifer Aniston. Bursting onto the scene in Friends, she caught everyone's attention with her rich-girl innocence and her amazing beauty. The Rachel hairdo became a national hit. Millions of girls tuned in every week just to see what she was wearing. Even though she couldn't miss no matter what she wore, she had some of the most famous outfits including the green dress in TOW No One's Ready, the yellow dress in TOW All The Kissing, and the black dress in TOW Monica's Thunder. Rachel Green owned that show and Jennifer Aniston went on to star in such favorites as Office Space, Along Came Polly, and The Break-Up. Jennifer Aniston sweeps the votes for the most beautiful woman in the world for absolute adorability.

The most beautiful woman in the world, for pure loveliness, goes to Angela Kinsey. Another unexpected beauty comes from The Office in the form of Angela Martin. She plays the straight-laced accountant who can't stand inappropriate behavior, excessive indulgence or frivolous activities. However, she goes on to have an affair with both Dwight and Andy at the same time showing us that she too is human and not above temptation. But then, I saw Angela Kinsey sport a turquoise blouse with black shorts, high heels and straight blonde hair. That's when I realized how perfectly gorgeous she really was. That was just the first of many enjoyable other-thanThe Office sightings including the red bikini top and cut off shorts on a day at the beach with her daughter, the blue dress at the premiere of "Meskada" after party, and a slew of red carpet outfits that knock me dead every time I see her. Angel Kinsey blasts the competition away for the most beautiful woman in the world for pure loveliness.

The most beautiful woman in the world, for stunning angel, goes to Emily Procter. Of course, I first noticed her as Calleigh Duquesne in CSI: Miami, a beautiful detective who was nice to everyone, but stern at times when the situation called for it. The first episode I watched was when a new officer was being introduced to the force and one of his first duties was as an observer of everything Calleigh was doing. She explained a few things to get him up to speed and then she welcomed him to the Miami Dade Police Department. Her eyes stayed fixed for what seemed like eternity and she flashed that smile that would haunt me for years. Emily Procter triumphs as the most beautiful woman in the world for stunning angel.

The most beautiful woman in the world, for sheer elegance, goes to Sasha Alexander. She hit the scene in her first memorable performance as Gretchen, Pacey's older sister, in the wildly conflicted, overly dramatic, idealistic world of Dawson's Creek. She and Dawson share a romance that is encumbered with too much thinking and not enough spontaneity, even though once in awhile you see sparks of an actual relationship in there somewhere. She immediately became one of the actresses who holds the status, "If she is in it, I will watch it." Hence, my attention turned to NCIS when I saw her pure gorgeousness grace the show as the big sister type to the team. Obviously, I was heartbroken when she was murdered by Ari. But, Rizzoli & Isles have become the balm that soothes all ails. Sasha Alexander gallops away with the most beautiful woman in the world for sheer elegance.

The most beautiful woman in the world, for unmatched brilliance, goes to Beth Riesgraf. Repelling into my life as Parker in Leverage, she is a bit naïve about certain facts of life even though she is remarkably skilled in cracking safes, scaling buildings and gaining entrance whether legally or illegally. It's the stern look that comes across her face when she is thinking about something as deep as she can, but her smile is mesmerizing. You melt when you see her fifty gorgeous expressions. Where has she been all my life? She pulls off beautifully the rock and roll blonde, the straight hair formal and the runway yellow dress with designer pocketbook to match. Beth Riesgraf lifts the most beautiful woman in the world for unmatched brilliance.

The most beautiful woman in the world, for stealing the show, goes to Natalie Portman. Of course, she had been in Anywhere But Here and Beautiful Girls along with a slew of other huge hits. But, I didn't sit up and notice her until a pregnant girl with no shoes is abandoned at America's department store in Where the Heart Is. Adopted by a crazy couple, she grew from a childish teenager into a professional lady who finally learns how to trust her heart again. From then on, I have not been able to take my eyes off of her. She rocks the innocent look in Sesame Street while dominating sexy in such works as Black Swan and No Strings Attached. Natalie Portman is hands down the most beautiful woman in the world for stealing the show.

The most beautiful woman in the world, for total whiplash head turner, goes to Katherine Heigl. When you see her smile from the side in that infamous "sucker" scene in The Ugly Truth, your heart passionately screams, "I want to be in that guy's shoes." She's down to earth playful, seriously red carpet hot and even pulls off the bad hair day with beauty most runway models would die to embody. I think I love her most when she's facing her own mortality in Grey's Anatomy "Good Mourning" or facing someone else's in "Dream a Little Dream." It's in those deadly serious moments that you find her true beauty glowing from within. Katherine Heigl rules the most beautiful woman in the world for total whiplash head turner.

The most beautiful woman in the world, for dripping hot sexy, goes to Charlize Theron. When she caught my attention in The Devil's Advocate, I thought to myself that someone would literally have to be daft to drift away from her into a meaningless marriage. But, that was written into the script. Just look at how she rocked Mighty Joe Young, Reindeer Games, The Italian Job and Hancock. She even made a serial killer seem likable inMonster. But to really understand the jaw dropping, massive coronary, stand-there-with-nothing-to-say pure sexiness Charlize exudes, all you have to do is witness her raw amour as she walks down the hallway leaving layers of clothing behind in the renowned Dior J'Adore commercial. Charlize Theron demands the most beautiful woman in the world for dripping hot sexy.

The most beautiful woman in the world, for pure enchantment, goes to Christi Paul. The CNN's Headline News anchor as well as for In Session on truTV. She is the ultimate girl next door with the prom queen beauty. But, there were some Miss America aspirations that could have come true as witnessed by her climb from Miss Mansfield to Miss Greater Cleveland as she worked her way up to running for Miss Ohio in 1993. WDTV was smart to hire her as broadcast journalism just seems to be in her blood. And now you know where I get my news spoon fed from everyday. Christi Paul wears the most beautiful woman in the world crown for pure enchantment.

Robin Meade certainly shares the title of pure enchantment along with Christi Paul. With her adorable laugh and the new style she has brought to the news, I stay on top of what's going on in the world today and it's easy to figure out why. Plus, Robin's song Welcome Home is a touching tribute to the troops who are fighting overseas and that means a lot to a veteran like me. But, the reason why I step out of protocol and share a title between these two gorgeous anchors from CNN is because their lives are so totally similar. Robin Meade was born in Ohio in 1969. However, she went on to become Miss Ohio in 1992 and was one of the top ten finalists in the 1993 Miss America Beauty Pageant. They both are married with children and living in Georgia. So, I tap Robin Meade to share the most beautiful woman in the world for pure enchantment with Christi Paul. It's the most beautiful woman in the world for crying out loud! I'm sure they don't have a problem sharing it.

The most beautiful woman in the world, for knocking my socks off entirely, goes to Scarlett Johansson. With only one exception, the mysterious skip in 2000, Scarlett has at the very least brought us something new every year since her inception in 1994 with North. Among my favorites are Lost in Translation, The Perfect Score, and In Good Company just to name a few. But, it's when she plays the parts in such movies as He's Just Not That Into You that you see her amazing sensuousness. Her wonderful laugh, the elegant look over her shoulder, even her ability to be innocent while entrenched in raw passion makes me fall in love with her over and over again. Scarlett Johansson epitomizes the most beautiful woman in the world for knocking my socks off entirely.

The most beautiful woman in the world, for endearing fascination, goes to Julie Bowen. Catching my attention in Ed, I immediately hung on her every scene. I cursed the director and the other actors who were stealing our precious time away from me. But then, she became the love interest in Happy Gilmore and Adam Sandler's daydreams are nothing short of ingenious. She is the reason I became a fan of Boston Legal just like she's the reason I watch Modern Family now. Her soft brown eyes can flash intense every once in awhile. But, her smile! It's the kind of smile that radiates and it is very contagious. Julie Bowen exhibits utter greatness of the most beautiful woman in the world for endearing fascination.

The most beautiful woman in the world, for being drop dead gorgeous, goes to Diane Lane. She cannot be touched! Since 1979, she has touched my heart and I wasn't even aware of how deeply then. But, I caught on when she exploded on the screen in Streets of Fire. That was the making of history. An all-time favorite of mine, I have enjoyed her in such greats as Chaplin, A Walk on the Moon and Under the Tuscan Sun. But, she brings it home in works like Jack, Judge Dred, and The Perfect Storm where she's not the lead but she steals each scene. She's class and elegance and everything you can say about a princess. A genuine model of all that is beautiful in the world, Diane Lane easily exemplifies the most beautiful woman in the world for being drop dead gorgeous.

The most beautiful woman in the world, for everlasting magnificence, goes to Ashley Judd. So powerful in her back story, she left her mother and sister while they were still on the road performing. She went off on her own to do her own thing and what a gift she has given us! She's in a long line of favorites to cherish such as Double Jeopardy, High Crimes, and Where the Heart Is. She could easily become a cult classic with roles like Eye of the Beholder, Twisted and Bug. She has the allure to bring fans from the outskirts into the mainstream because she can be pleasantly charming even when her character might be suffering from alcoholism, is mentally disturbed or grossly psychotic. Her beauty requires absolutely no makeup as she rocks the red carpet in dresses and skirts that she makes look good, while trumping the beauty of all the celebrities who flock to take their pictures with her. Ashley Judd simply is the world's most beautiful woman in the world for everlasting magnificence.

The most beautiful woman in the world, for redeeming grace, goes to Dana Delany. A routine Dana photo shoot can produce such great shots as the purple blouse with sexy hair in her eyes, the blue dress from Desperate Housewives, and the black shirt staring into the camera from Kidnapped. Truly amazing how effortlessly she makes it all look. I won't mention her age, which is by far the most phenomenal feature about her beauty. My heart skipped a beat when she leaned against the tree in Tombstone. I've watched every ounce I could find of her since, catching old reruns of China Beach, Wild Palms and Sweet Surrender. Checking out Multiple Sarcasms, A Beautiful Life and even Route 30. But now, I will be able to get my weekly Dana dosage in Body of Proof. I can't imagine this world without her! Dana Delany deserves most beautiful woman in the world for redeeming grace.

As you can see, these ladies are not ranked from one to three as being the most beautiful woman in the world. They are simply the most beautiful woman in the world. They cannot be put in any kind of order at all. Furthermore, it was very difficult to narrow my choices down to just these three. But, I did it! I finally narrowed my choices down to only those whom I absolutely consider to be the most beautiful woman in the world.

This panel acknowledges the fact that there is indeed a very beautiful woman in the world missing from this year's choices. There are quite a few in fact including but not limited to farmer's daughters, nuns, librarians, teachers, ex-girlfriends, sisters and my daughter, who are not included for legal reasons concerning my being on the panel, being its only panel member and to avoid any allegations of bias. It is only due to a sheer mental meltdown after making my selection that the rest of the most beautiful women in the world were not included.

The author of A Danger to Society , Michael Allen is a contributing writer and editor for several publishing companies. His works however have developed to the big screen with two soon to be released movies Wooji and Between the Bullets. Look forward to the release of two new books this year, Ashlie Wrote and Guilty Until Proven Innocent. But for now, you can learn more about A Danger to Society, the story of an extraordinary man who becomes the victim of a case of mistaken identity.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Allen

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Understanding Beauty

Beauty is a phenomenal concept which is as old as mankind. Yet, it is a concept which is very misunderstood. Different individuals listen to such diverse views of what beauty entails that quite a number end up confused, frustrated and frankly give up. If someone were to walk right up to you and asked you to define beauty; what would you say? Would you start describing a cover model you saw in one of the popular magazines, or colors of the rainbow? Or would you consider a soft melodious piece of music or even a romantic verse from a lover? All these can be defined within the concept of beauty but one thing that is clear, there is no definite definition of beauty. Beauty is something abstract and intangible. It is something about something. This something about something will vary from individual to individual. A popular definition of beauty is that it is a characteristic about something that gives a feeling of pleasure and satisfaction. Therefore for beauty to be perceived, it must stimulate the senses to evoke a feeling of joy, pleasure and satisfaction. From this definition, the judge of what's beautiful is the person who receives or fails to receive the pleasure.

How is this sensuous beauty applicable among human beings? What makes one be considered beautiful and attractive? Is a person considered beautiful necessarily attractive? These are complex questions which do not have a direct answer. The way the societies we live in view beauty is influenced by many factors. First of all there are cultural factors. In the past, each culture had distinct criteria upon which they based beauty. There are those cultures that considered plump women to be beautiful. Therefore fattening of maidens before marriage was a common practice. Others considered small feet to be beautiful. These have however changed a lot in modern times. With the advancement of technology and human interaction, the differences in cultural preferences have been minimized and we now almost have a standard way of viewing beauty. This is greatly influenced by the parameters set by top fashion houses. The images they project to the public, form the dress, walking style and physique have increasingly become the trend that the reminder of the World is expected to follow. But is what we see on the Catwalk the true representation of beauty? Thankfully, no. Human beauty is so rich in variety that we can have no set parameters within which to define it. One cannot authoritatively say small is beautiful, blonde is beautiful, slim is beautiful, green eyes are beautiful etc. and condemn other characteristics. There is no standard of beauty and each individual is beautiful in her own way. There may only be prejudices as a result of the society around the individual. It for this reason you would find a man married to a blonde having an affair with a brunette, or a lady of oriental or African descent. They are simply beautiful and the man cannot resist!

So, if we are all beautiful, what then is the big deal? Is there any reason to bother or care about how we look? Yes there is! You must certainly take the keenest interest in how you look. We live in a complex and highly socialized world. The image of beauty has become highly commercialized. Non conformity is risking rejection. Studies have shown that what is considered beautiful has a halo effect. A beautiful and attractive person will receive more attention, score higher marks in class, get more assistance, get a better job, be paid more and be trusted more. Coincidentally, people who are considered beautiful are better adjusted, confident and appear more intelligent. Therefore beauty plays a key role in our lives in how we relate with others and in how we choose our mates. It is therefore a responsible thing for us to ensure that we are beautiful. How do we do this? Since we have established that beauty is about evoking feelings of pleasure and satisfaction in other people, we must therefore aim at ensuring that people are pleased with what they see when they look at us. We all have strengths and weaknesses. We must strive to strengthen our strengths and mask our weaknesses. The aim is not to be the most beautiful person around. That is futile in that there is no such most beautiful person. The aim is to ensure we are presentable and acceptable in the society we live in. This will enhance our self confidence and of course our health. In Beauty and Health for Happiness, we will discuss tips on how to enhance our beauty and health. But first we must observe the following fundamental beauty tips.

o Accept yourself the way you are and know that you are beautiful in your own unique way. This is the first step in enhancing your beauty and health, making it shine to all around you.

o Develop healthy habits. Beauty and health are inseparable. Among the many characteristics contributing to overall beauty is health and youthfulness. You must have a healthy body, healthy skin, eyes, good breath, and healthy teeth etc. It is therefore imperative that you have a well balanced diet, exercise regularly and consult your doctor whenever necessary.

o Identify suitable products that you can use to strengthen your strengths and mask your weaknesses. These include moisturizers, creams, perfumes and hair products etc.

o Make a plan and start simply.

Beauty is a concept that plays a major role in lives and affects how we socialize and compete within the society we live in. There is no correct version of beauty and all of us are beautiful in our own way. Our perceptions of beauty are influenced by the society we live in and the modern commercialization of beauty. You however need not follow what you see in commercials. You can instead make a point of improving how you present yourself to others, and in the process, enhance your beauty and health.

Failure to understand the concept of beauty can leave one overwhelmed and exasperated. However this need not be so. A simple understanding restores the confidence and self esteem required to face each day. For more information on the subject and additional tips from the author, you may visit here [http://www.myonlinebeautyandhealth.com]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amon_Mwachugu

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