Perception of beauty

Recently, there has been this "challenge" going on online. The "don't judge" challenge: hashtags everywhere. This challenge was brought to us by a beauty blogger with a good purpose (initially). The main objective of this challenge? To uncover the beauty underneath our makeup or anything we apply on our faces. To not feel ashamed with ourselves. After it has gone viral, many others started doing it as well. Some tried to be FUNNY. They tried turning their video the other way round... As a result, tweaking the whole intention of the challenge. This created a controversy. Don't worry, I am not going into details on how I feel about this whole "don't judge" thing. Instead, it makes me reflect more on what "beauty" is as a whole

Maybe the first thing we noticed about a person is his/her appearance. That is fine. Harsh truth accepted. But seriously... is there a definite "oh-what-a-absolutely-pretty-or-handsome-face"? I don't think so. What we see in others might not be seen the same by another person. Our impressions truly vary. Just like my brother and me... we tend to disagree with each other's views sometimes. He is looking from a certain perspective while I am looking from another. A person is looking at the elephant's trunk while another's looking at its tail. (Oh I got that from my current Social studies teacher). 

credits: here

image source: here

The more "exciting" thing about society's perception of beauty, to generalize, is that it is ever-changing. Look back at art paintings from a century back, the standard of beauty is 'different' from what we have in contemporary art now. Such a movement. Look at how each culture "define" what beauty is to them. Or how each era changes. Do we still want to label what "pretty face" is? Oh or will it last? No. After all, we will still get older each day. With wrinkles and white, graying hair. That's when we realize that looks are not everything. And that yes...it comes from within too.

I was thinking about what makes people define words like "beautiful", and thought about early childhood. We grew up from our surroundings and influence. Especially from the things we saw and heard. Like sponges, we absorb them in. (learned that from Michelle Phan). We often see a pattern of same human features being commercialized - V shaped face/ defined jawline, high cheekbones, pulpy lips, light/tan skin etc etc. Gradually, some of us think that those are what makes a person "go far". That those are what "good looking" is all about. Hence, try to stray away from who we are. 

But then again, what will the world be if everyone looks the same...V shaped face/ defined jawline, high cheekbones, pulpy lips,  light/tan skin etc etc.? Much harder. At least for me. At this point, I hope no one got the wrong idea. As in, I am not discouraging things like plastic surgery or cosmetics. Yes, if those things makes YOU confident in person, if those decisions truly comes from within YOU, and only you... then go ahead! Words and opinions from others should not affect you. What I was trying to imply is how you should already feel great under your own skin, and to embrace yourself. 

After all, things we see from our eyes could just be an illusion in time. Ever had this moment when a person appears just average at first. And then boom...you slowly see the beauty in his/her looks? 

I thought I would love to share the picture below:

1) Stare at the 3 colored dots on her nose for 20 seconds.

2) Look away to her right side (the white blank).

3) Do you see her in a new light? Now thank you brain.

credits: here