Beauty and fashion change with the tides. They are inevitably linked, with fashion representing an extension of beauty, and beauty forming the base upon which expression is built. Beauty is a multifaceted and ever-evolving concept shaped by historical and cultural shifts. From ancient Egyptian symmetry to Greek athleticism, from Christian modesty to the Rubenesque ideal of the Renaissance, beauty standards have been influenced by various forces throughout history. Colonialism introduced notions of whiteness, while androgyny emerged as a response to shifting gender dynamics post The Great War. The post-World War II era saw a return to femininity and domesticity alongside economic growth. Subsequent decades witnessed countercultural movements, the rise of consumerism in the 1980s drove fitness, and a backlash against excess in the early 2000s brought about the waif. Today, global influencers are driving a push for inclusivity and diversity in beauty standards.
Currently, there is a tussle between the leaders and the influenced. Significant personalities have long been instigators of change to the ideal and now increased platform access has shifted the scales of adulation. Thin lips, thick lips, small breasts, large breasts, small buttocks, large buttocks – the woman’s body in particular has had a focussed gaze, with trends rising and falling – supported by sartorial choices for enhancement. For the female face, the facets of attractiveness also swing – but with some sense of consistency – youthfulness, symmetry, and some degree of sharpness (nose, jaw, cheeks) stay consistent through changing lip plumpness and eyebrow angles.
The trickle-down nature of beauty continues to be ubiquitous, with supply influencing the nature of demand. Visibility and availability, be it Vitamin C in serums or crop tops in street shops, dictate what can be discussed on platforms. Honest independent shifters of culture still sit at the top of the cultural conversation – driven by access to creativity, style, superior knowledge, and other aspects of themselves that message aspiration.
The purpose of beauty, however, has seen stronger evolution. A personal sense of identity underscores the motivation behind the selection of the phase of beauty one sits in. These phases are malleable throughout one’s life, but each is increasingly reflective of ‘drastic’, ‘severe’ and ‘extreme’ actions to craft one’s body. ‘Fixation’ and ‘obsession’, are also the strong language used when understanding motivations behind the ‘extreme’.
Unmet needs, insecurity, and vulnerability are significant factors that feed into moving along the stages of beauty evolution. As are clear desires for the type of physical form one wants to exist in, a desire to have one’s body favourably discussed, and a push for complete autonomy. Moving along stages are both internally and externally driven. Ultimately, it is a confluence of force-fed internal beliefs around one’s body, and shifts in the expectations of others about what a body should be – what a body is good to be.
Beauty is agency. Having the ability to control and craft one’s body is a clear need being met by industrial growth in bio-physiology. Stages of alteration, transformation, and recasting speak to the depth at which individuals will dive in to make alterations with longer drawn impact.
A pivotal piece is the acceptability that has increased in recent years. Gone are the days of taking the hard way, putting in the effort, and reaping the “authentic” rewards. In this world of hyper-efficiency and quick access, beauty is held to the same expectations. Quick impact is the call of the hour.
There is a temperament in place of individual willingness to permanent changes, as seen in breast enhancement/reduction surgeries and arm lifts, where an enduring change is desired. The chase is not for the authentic self, but rather the ultimate desired self.
An emerging crisis is therefore the expectation of permanent impact, one that continues to be evaded. Medication like Ozempic is extremely effective at suppressing hunger, gastric sleeve reduces the size of the stomach thereby reducing the amount of hunger felt. Botox relaxes the muscles – but these need to be chronic behaviours to keep up with the desired effect. They are short-term solutions, that require mindful caution and substantial rigour to keep the effects in place, long after the intervention has ceased.
It is an alternating current of satisfaction-dissatisfaction that ebbs and flows along a person’s existence. What is desired isn’t always an internal thought, it is often what is visible and therefore appreciated. The appreciation of visibility ties into the shifting standards of what is accepted, with more authenticity in how the desired self was achieved serving to break the barrier of previously stigmatized efforts. It’s no longer about How a beauty standard was achieved, but simply that it Has.
This speaks to the opening of opportunities for more impactful interventions to be easily adopted by the consumer. They are more risk-tolerant and open to including new and cutting-edge mediations, even without the long-term impacts fully understood. The negative impacts, if ubiquitous, will likely also soon feed into the aspiration of the body, keeping in tune with the ever-influenced evolution of beauty.
The clear, direct solution that medications like Ozempic and Mounjaro offer is unparalleled in the space of beauty. It is the first of its kind to have such extreme impact, providing what a consumer is on a perpetual quest for and trusted to have the impact it claims. This trust has been built from the extremely visible results in those who consume.
Digital marketing is driven through social media-based word-of-mouth and publicised celebrity usage. Its visibility on platforms that consumers frequent to navigate body and beauty anxiety has had a significant impact.
It is a great example of the bombastic potential of a clearly defined product, its popularity spread by solving a long-term need.
The market was ready for this innovation, primed with diet-pills, quick weight loss fad diets, and invasive surgery. The product, even with its intensity, is demanded by consumers willing to risk repercussions for the outcome it promises.
Feelings of shame around weight and body size are a clear target consumer with a history of engaging in extreme efforts. Its effect is understood to last only while being consumed, solving for retention of consumers, with the potential for building into a habitual dependence.
Brands and marketers should note that when the popularity of a product is based on such strong efficacy, the standard for what is acceptable for the consumer significantly changes. Product marketing will move in the direction of goals achievable by the lowest common denominator – signalling conviction in utility, with things only getting better for many. This approach creates space for the consumer to have gratitude towards the product, as well as a sense of pride around their ability to harness greater impact than baseline expectations.
Beauty brands will need to begin solving for the Ozempic effects – increased signs of aging. Stronger tightening topical and injectable substances will see a demand, as a natural next step for retaining youth and beauty. Conversely, mimicking is a possibility, with makeup being used to signal a similar hollowness, for individuals to signal their investment in their body, while simultaneously gaining regard for “maintaining” their natural perky selves.
The merging of medical and beauty markets is reshaping consumer expectations. With products like Ozempic highlighting the demand for clinically backed results, beauty brands must now deliver more than superficial fixes. Consumers increasingly seek products that enhance both health and aesthetics, pushing marketers to emphasise tangible, science-based benefits. The beauty industry is shifting towards a standard where efficacy and clinical credibility are non-negotiable, positioning beauty as an essential component of overall well-being.
As beauty standards evolve, aging is being redefined with a focus on wellness and vitality rather than reversing the clock. Products must now support the idea of aging well, emphasising energy and strength at every life stage. Marketers will need to shift narratives from fighting age to empowering consumers to feel their best at any age, balancing the pursuit of youthfulness with a more holistic approach to beauty.
