Beauty standards have long been an issue, and it has remained so for a number of years. It’s a complex social process that has been perpetuated through many forms of social status. Depending on the context, achieving beauty standards can be expensive, risky, and even dangerous.
According to an article from Daniel Yarosh, “Beauty standards aren’t just a product or a means of self-expression. They’re a way of gaining power over others, and they’ve been exploited by multiple groups to harness that power.” These groups include capitalism, race, and gender.
The concept of beauty was a powerful tool for Westerners to gain social power by convincing other races that they were less attractive than white people. Eventually, these standards morphed into a product, and are used to define women. In particular, they have been defined as thin.
In order to make their products profitable, the beauty industry relies on consumers’ insecurities. The beauty industry has grown far beyond cosmetics, and includes cosmeceuticals, skin cleaners, and the packaging of these products.
According to a survey, 47 percent of respondents buy their beauty products at a mass-market retailer. Another 13 percent said that they prefer to shop at a beauty supply store.
As of 2021, Black Americans spent 6.6 billion on beauty products. This represents about 11.1 percent of the total US beauty market. However, Black consumers often do not see themselves in beauty advertisements.
Black consumers may be unable to afford the best beauty products. Despite this, a growing number of Black entrepreneurs are creating innovative beauty products for Black consumers. By improving the quality and distribution of these products, they can become more accessible to Black consumers, which is important. If these changes are successful, they can have a significant economic upside.
Historically, the beauty industry has primarily been geared toward women. However, the concept of beauty has changed over the years. Today, there is a more diverse group of consumers. One of the first movers was Frida Kahlo, a Mexican artist who painted self-portraits with visible facial hair. She also painted herself in pre-Columbian clothes.
Frida’s artwork has been described as a radical rejection of white colonial beauty standards. However, she isn’t considered the most beautiful person in the world. Similarly, Martha Stewart and Jack Welch aren’t thought of as the most beautiful.
In addition to creating an ideal appearance, capitalist society has had a significant impact on the development of the perfect appearance. Affluent people tend to have higher body mass indexes. Nevertheless, achieving these standards can be risky, and can cause a drop in one’s self-esteem.
To improve their products, beauty companies are looking at better research and more partnerships with Black brands. This can have a profound impact on the development of Black businesses, and lead to a fundamental change in the beauty industry.
It’s no secret that there are pain points within the Black consumer base, and addressing these pain points can have a significant impact. If Black brands are given the opportunity to develop their own products, they can address these pain points and help create a more equitable beauty ecosystem.