Throughout history, beauty has been defined by a number of factors. One of the most important determinants of beauty is good health. This means that today’s standards of beauty include features such as physical appearance, race, age and gender. These criteria are determined by society, but may also be influenced by politics and fashion.
In ancient Greece, beauty was based on the proportions of a person’s body. The perfect Greek chin was round and smooth, with a natural reddish colour. It was slightly fuller than the upper lip and had no dimples. Similarly, the mouth of the Greeks was naturally reddish and slightly fuller than the upper lip. They believed that moles near the mouth were associated with the stars and foretold gluttony and impending beheading.
Women in the upper classes smeared wax on their faces and replaced their eyebrows with fur. Then, they wore black velvet masks. At the same time, they used thick layers of cosmetics to enhance their facial beauty.
Beauty marks were also used to hide scars caused by smallpox. They were often sold in fairs. This practice was thought to be a curse from the gods. However, Shakespeare was a fan of them. In his play Imogen, the character has a beauty mark. Despite the fact that it is a curse, Shakespeare saw beauty in the character and credited her with being beautiful.
In the 16th century, a French doctor named Jean Liebault defined the ideal facial characteristics of an attractive woman. He believed that the ideal woman should have a pale face, big eyes, dimpled cheeks and a double chin. Her hair should be pliable and soft and her ears should be tiny.
The Renaissance introduced a new era of feminine beauty. In the 15th century, Italian Renaissance artists such as Botticelli and Raphael painted many different types of faces, from the Madonnas to the Virgins. These paintings conveyed a sense of mystery and maternal tenderness.
The Italian Renaissance and the early 17th century witnessed the science of makeup. Antoine Mengs, an art teacher, studied Greek statues and devised a complicated formula to replicate the look of a Greek person. This formula accounted for the size of the eyes, the space between the eyebrows and the tip of the nose. It was then interpreted as an expression of character.
Confucian philosophy held that beauty was the result of Qi, which was the vital force that governed all living things. They believed that it was passed down through the generations. This belief prohibited the use of cosmetics and prevented cutting and dying the hair. The result was a natural, healthy image that was enhanced by workout gyms.
Aside from the aesthetic sense, beauty can also give perceptual experience to the intellect and moral sense. These perceptions are shaped by society and the individual. In the 1960s, the counterculture emphasized androgynous and social protest looks. During the ’70s, Jane Fonda personified a fitness look, with her glowing smile.