Droves of living Barbies are beginning to walk by us every day, everyone in an unspoken race to mirror the manufactured ideal of beauty that once brought us so much childlike joy. From colouring books to clinics, has social media intensified these unrealistic beauty standards — blurring the line between reality and fantasy?
Even in a modern society that claims to be ‘woke’ and completely accepting of people no matter how they come, unattainable expectations of beauty continue to be shoved down everyone’s throats. What was once a taboo form of self-improvement for the odd wrinkle is now a billion-dollar industry, seeing an explosive increase in popularity.
According to policybee.co.uk, 7.7 million people in the UK had aesthetic treatment in 2023 — 11% of the population — and a further 13.9 million would consider having a treatment. While you can’t begin to completely knock a treatment that provides confidence on a global scale, there’s a darker side to the trend. When young girls who haven’t even had a chance to get a wrinkle already have faces full of filler, the jeopardy is heightened.
That said, those old enough to make that choice should feel free to do so – whether that means embracing ageing or using a ‘tweakment’ or two. However, with teenagers around the world being exposed to constant images of celebrities and influencers who are unwilling to disclose the information of their cosmetic work, it’s no wonder anxiety around appearance is increasing. If young and impressionable minds are bombarded with faces and bodies that they don’t know can’t be achieved naturally, how will it affect their self-image? And what lengths will some go to attempt to keep up?
Still, it’s not necessarily the celebrities that are the danger here – it’s the middleman: social media. Parallel with ever-developing technology, society’s dependence on social media is at an all-time high. In an age when TikTok and Instagram can answer every question, it’s no surprise everyone turns to these platforms to see how they’re supposed to look. It won’t take a long time scrolling to come across a “come with me to get lip filler!” video. Sure, they can be informative and educational, but its worth asking how making these seem normal could harm viewers.
However, this concern is being addressed in the media. Popular social figure and ex Love-Islander Olivia Attwood addresses this concern in her latest docuseries, Olivia Attwood: The Price of Perfection (ITVX). Olivia delves into the world of the cosmetic industry and explores how social media fuels beauty standards and society’s fixation on the ‘perfect body’. While she is no stranger to surgery herself, she discusses the extreme lengths people endure to achieve a look of perfection, putting their money and health on the line. It’s a compelling series – dismantling the glamourised façade of plastic surgery, going behind the scenes, and exposing the risks of putting beauty on a pedestal.
So, what is the ‘perfect face’? In 2025, you’re sure to get a different answer than your parents would have given in the 1980s. Sure, trends in hair, makeup, and clothes are constantly evolving, but that’s not how they’re different – it’s the faces themselves. Think 80’s Hollywood ‘Sweetheart’ Meg Ryan, a name synonymous with natural beauty and grace. Yet, would her natural beauty match the modern faces, such as Kylie Jenner, that we idealise today? Disgustingly harsh expectations forced upon us would find a way to label her ‘mid’. Has our reliance on filler and Botox blinded us from real faces and natural beauty?
The concept of beauty is so fragile and impressionable that no one really ever knows what is coming next, or what new thing you might need to achieve perfection. But you never know, with the Kardashians reversing their BBLs, anything is possible. Aesthetic trends swing in cycles, and a new change in expectations could be on the horizon.
In the end, everyone has things about themselves that they wish they could change, and if you think changing it will give you confidence and a better sense of self, then don’t let anyone convince you otherwise. Why not take advantage of the different ways you can feel beautiful nowadays? Just try not to forget, your uniqueness is beautiful, and you don’t need it, but it’s okay to want it.
