How the Beauty Industry Has Devalued Black Women

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In recent years, the conversation about beauty standards and how they shape people’s perceptions of themselves and others has attracted attention. In the video “Women’s Beauty, Self-esteem & the Beauty Industry from a Professional’s Opinion,” the narrator exposes the nature of the beauty standards. Similarly, Tobi Oredein, in her speech “How the Beauty Industry Has Devalued Black Women | Tobi Oredein | Tedxtottenham,” talks about beauty companies being selective when they create products and advertisement campaigns. This reaction paper will discuss arguments about beauty standards in the modern world and present a reflection on both videos.

The main insight from both videos is that beauty standards are not created to help people, and women, in particular, are a marketing tool. By creating a standard, a company can claim that its beauty product can help resolve some issues. Oredein argues that she loves make-up products but does not have the confidence that she will find something that will suit her skin color (9:30). This means that on the one hand, she is confronted with advertisements that promote beauty products, but on the other, there are not enough suitable items for her. Oredein’s speech shows that a change has to happen in the way consumers and people working in creative industries perceive beauty.

The second insight is that if there is a standard, everything that does not fit into it is considered flawed. However, with people’s appearances, different tastes, and aesthetics, it is imperative that all people cannot fall under one standard. However, the narrator in “Women’s Beauty, Self-esteem & the Beauty Industry from a Professional’s Opinion” states that people constantly need inspiration, especially when going through life changes (0:50).

The most accessible sources of inspiration are magazines and other fashion-inspired press. I would add that in the modern age, people also get inspiration from social media and influencers. However, the issue with social media is that it creates a sense of the people being ordinary and just like everyone else. However, the truth is that most influencers are paid for their recommendations. They use professional photographers and retouch their photos to create a certain image for themselves.

“Women’s Beauty, Self-esteem & the Beauty Industry from a Professional’s Opinion” specifically mentions the anti-aging campaigns, which target something natural for all humans. People are told that wrinkles or grey hair are bad, and they have to buy a cream or a cosmetic procedure to stop themselves from aging. The insight from this information is that anti-aging campaigns create a sense and a need to constantly fight against something.

The stress and negative self-perceptions that result from this are immense. However, this stress pushes people to buy things with a mindset that this will help solve a problem or insecurity. I had fallen for this trick as well when I thought that buying an expensive product will change my self-perception. Another side of this, which the narrator does not discuss, is that no product can do what a crew of stylists, hair and make-up specialists, and retouching can do. Hence, after purchasing these products and seeing no results, a person’s self-esteem can be hurt even more. The same case is true with anti-aging, since no cream can stop a person’s body from aging, it is natural.

The inspiration that people are provided with is fake and, in many cases, unattainable. This has an immensely bad effect on people’s self-esteem and self-worth because they may start to think that something is wrong with them. This approach helps beauty companies sell their products, but it does not help people’s mental well-being. The “Women’s Beauty, Self-esteem & the Beauty Industry from a Professional’s Opinion” is very insightful because it shows how beauty and fashion marketing uses innate human fear and psychology to sell.

Another insight from these videos is that from now on, I only want to support companies who market their products with respect to people buying these. Hence, instead of buying something that is marketed as a product that will completely change me, I would opt for a product that can enhance natural beauty. Additionally, as the narrator in “Women’s Beauty, Self-esteem & the Beauty Industry from a Professional’s Opinion” suggests, I would also opt for products that are advertised honestly (5:38). For example, being able to see make-up applied on skin that has pimples and so-called “imperfections,” for example, would allow seeing how the product actually performs and not a manufactured result that one will be able to achieve.

The diversity of demographics is where the two videos agree that both narrators point out the lack of such diversity. The models on runaways, in magazines, and in advertisements are all overly skinny, tall, and predominantly white. Again, this does not provide insight into how, for example, a dress will look like on someone who is petite or curvy or has a different ethnicity. The insight from this is that since these models should be demonstrations of how something will look like, and they should help a person decide whether to buy something or not, it is only fair to demand better representation.

From my experience, I know that many clothing websites, such as ASOS, began to sell extended lines, such as “Petite” and “Curvy,” and hiring models that have diverse looks (“Women’s Petite”). However, I think that there is still a persistent standard of how “beautiful” should look like within the society, and without having honest conversations about this propel, this issue will remain.

In her speech, Tobi Oredein talks about the lack of representation that affects the entire population of black women. Although companies advertise their beauty products to all women, they fail to manufacture the shades that would be appropriate for black skin (How the Beauty Industry Has Devalued Black Women | Tobi Oredein | Tedxtottenham” 5:10).

There is a similarity between the messages in the two videos since both women talk about the effect that these marketing campaigns want to have on the consumer since they want to convince women to buy these products to feel beautiful. However, Oredein rightfully states that when a woman of color tries to purchase a make-up product and cannot find her shade, it misevaluates her (5:25). Again, this speech shows that consumers have to understand that it is in their power to affect the industry. If they stop supporting the brands that fail to cater to real women, they will affect the change in how beauty is seen and in the way it is marketed.

Overall, the two videos are very insightful for expanding one’s understanding of how beauty standards help sell products and procedures. By inciting fear in people, for example, about aging, companies can make profits because they promise to resolve the problem that does not exist in reality. Diversity and representation is another issue that needs more attention since currently, the beauty industry fails to include a broad spectrum of women with different ethnicities into their product development and marketing.

Works Cited

“How the Beauty Industry Has Devalued Black Women | Tobi Oredein | Tedxtottenham.” YouTube, uploaded by Tedx Talks. 2017. Web.

“Women’s Beauty, Self-esteem & the Beauty Industry from a Professional’s Opinion.” YouTube, uploaded by twominutetips. 2017. Web.

“Women’s Petite.” ASOS. Web.

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How the Beauty Industry Has Devalued Black Women

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