to wonder why the "fake look" is so popular?

[Namila]

Obviously light-hearted and I fully appreciate that people have different tastes and like different things. Apologies if you feel offended by this post.

However.

Every time I turn the TV on, it seems like the prevailing beauty standard is what I heard to be called "the fake look": fake tan, fake lashes, fake eyebrows, fake hair, fake nails and often times some fake features due to plastic surgery. It seems like these beauty interventions are meant to look obviously fake and very easy to spot.

Many of these women truly look fake as they resemble plastic dolls, but usually not in a flattering way!

I wonder why the current ruling beauty ideal implies so much "fakeness". Of course women have always spent time and money trying to improve their appearance to a certain degree, but I feel like this is a whole new level

What do you think the popularity of this "fake look" tells about our society? Do you reckon the trend will go away?

Some people talking about how wonderful the 60s or 89s were need a reality check. Those were eras that also saw very high maintenance looks alongside very natural looks (how many women in those decades had their hair fried by perms?).

It's very sad that this thread has partly been a disdainful attack on young women who "all look the same" or are portrayed a vacuous idiots for having treatments that affect how they look.

The problem is society itself and we live in a society that generally confers advantages on those who signal most clearly that they are a good example of the current standard format in any given social situation. Young women shouldn't be blamed for trying to follow what is in fashion. If you have such a problem with it then it's appropriate to attack the fashion, not those that do nothing wrong by following it.

It's here to stay. I feel awful for those in school at the moment. Verbal abuse from peers is entirely supported by teachers who view girls with no makeup as slatterns and "kindly" suggest they need to make more effort.

I am middle aged and middle class and I love my Botox and my HD brows. The Botox lifts my drooping eyelids and makes my eyes bigger so my whole face looks fresher, rested and YOUNGER. It also gives my eyebrows a natural looking arch. However because I am old my eyebrows have faded and become sparse so I enhance them with subtle dying, trimming and tidying. The two procedures make me look naturally groomed and elegant even when I don't have make up on. It also gives me a pleasant surprise when I crawl out of bed and look in the mirror as I longer see my granny looking back at me.

I was a teen during the punk era.

I can't say that was a lot better.

I honestly don’t know anyone who looks like this or see them around much either. Most people I know don’t really wear any make up on a daily basis. I don’t either, so it doesn’t feel that prevalent a trend to me. Looks like too much effort to be honest.

That white face (popular in Elizabethan times), was done with poisonous lead make up- probably as dangerous as surgery! And the skinny 60s look was often achieved by legally prescribed amphetamines... it is definitely a cycle and no doubt will be different in 10 years or so.

I love the fake look and I do it every day. It’s a mask for me.

I agree it’s the fashion of the moment. Prince Harry’s Meghan is a prime example to me, size zero, hair straight as a poker, bucket load of make up. They all look the same to me.
Mind you I’m nearly 50 and wouldn’t have the energy to keep it up even if I wanted to look like that!

Thing is, it's no one's business what someone chooses to spend their money on. Whether it's cosmetic surgery or tones of makeup. It some people feel they need to spend time, effort and money on their appearance every day then that's their prerogative. If it doesn't directly effect you, then I don't see a problem.

Personally I like false nails. If they're not too long and not built up with 3D flowers etc I think they look quite nice! I can't grow my nails, they snap straight away, so if I want to look nice or feel nice in myself I'll get my nails done.

I also like fake tan. I can't tan at all, I go red then back to almost see through. A layer of a light fake tan helps hide the broken veins on my legs, the patches of dark skin and the scars. It makes me feel more confident.

Late 60s hippy natural look took hours to perfect and bags full of make up, no decent hair straighteners so we would lean over the ironing board put brown paper over our hair and iron it. Happy days, and we all look quite normal now.

I dislike the fake look, mainly because I just don't think it looks nice and partly because I just couldn't be bothered with all the time and money it takes to do it. Sadly, it seems to be filtering down to the very young; I work in a school and see 12/13 year olds coming in with ridiculously pencilled in eyebrows and fake eyelashes (which they are asked to remove). A friend's very beautiful daughter who is in her early twenties has just had her lips done and looks like a different person. She has, in my opinion, completely ruined her face.

Anyway, each to their own I guess, it's just a shame that some people feel so under pressure to look a certain way.

Ivy and Squoosh I hope you both re-read this thread and realised what fools you made of yourselves on this thread. Both of you. Embarrassing to see.

In the 60s l watched my aunties get ready for nights out. It was fascinating to me. They spent hours doing their nails , hair etc pulled on skin tight hot pants and white boots to their knees. This was rural lreland!! That age always goes too far and then pull back. I noticed at Christmas my nieces in their mid 20s were less made up this year and looked far more natural and of course fab.

"The problem is society itself and we live in a society that generally confers advantages on those who signal most clearly that they are a good example of the current standard format in any given social situation."

Very well said and I 100% agree. I do wonder what this current trend says about our society more than the individual girls/ women who follow it.

One of DP's nieces told us that her make-up takes 4 hours to do. She has the shiny-stripey contouring, thick foundation, magic marker eyebrows, loads of false eyelashes that she applies individually, iridescent metallic eyeshadow, lots of thick black eyeliner, vivid matt lipstick and lipliner and she looks like a total freak.

Another of DP's nieces (much younger) had Halloween make-up done for trick or treating, and the two of them looked remarkably similar.

I hate it. It makes pretty girls look like mutants.

Shiney I have no idea what school you're talking about, but every secondary school I know bans heavy make up, girls in dds school have been sent to the toilets to wash theirs off. What teacher would view a young girl as a 'slattern' for being naturally fresh faced?!

Yanbu at all... I look around at these young girls with the same eye brows, make up, hair and pout and it just looks awful.
The constant pouting and positioning of the lips a certain way for selfies is driving me to rage. I see it in all ages, right up to 45 year old grown women who should know better. No one looks like that in real life... no one!!!
It makes me want to punch someone in the throat!
And don't even fucking get me started on fucking hipsters!!!!
Stupid beards, pop up coffee shops made of fucking hemp where none of the chairs match and your food is fucking served to you in a bloody slipper... then you pay £25 for what essentially is a bacon sandwich with ketchup
Grrrrrt I'm very angry for a Sunday morning lol
Rant over

I remember a relative (probably late 40s or early 50s seemed ancient to me at the time) telling me that my "look" wouldn't make him ask me for a dance at a club. I was about 16 and said, "Great, you aren't the age group I'm hoping will ask me to dance."

I always remember that when I might make a comment to a younger person and then shut my mouth.

Good for you, Loonoonow. I am also a fan of a bit of Botox and fillers (when I can afford it). Another subtle enhancement is eyelash extensions. Relatively cheap, need them done about once a month, but they really lift the face and add a kind of prettiness, even to us older folks.

metal My DDs go to an outstanding single sex school. They can wear make up, dye hair whatever colour they want and paint their nails. I have been surprised as they are very strict on uniform and behaviour but I suppose so long as behaviour and attitude are good, what does it matter?

I look what you describe as fake, 2 boob jobs, botox, lip fillers, bleached blonde hair, eyelash and hair extensions, nail extensions, fake tan, full tummy tuck. Work out extensively daily. I work in an industry (adult entertainment) where my looks have got me incredibly far.

I looked like this before i chose to work in porn though and i love it. I never did it to please anyone else other than myself. Its a pook i personally like and that's all that matters at the end of the day. I have learned to brcone very thick skinned from the nasty comments, judgements and full on filthy looks (and bitchy giggling from grown women in the playground).

It would be a very boring world if everyone looked the same and also liked the same look. I never judge anyone on their appearance, only their personality. Let people be who they want to be. It doesnt affect you in anyway surely?

Stupid beards, pop up coffee shops made of fucking hemp where none of the chairs match and your food is fucking served to you in a bloody slipper... then you pay £25 for what essentially is a bacon sandwich with ketchup

Lol!

Two separate things here.

1). Fake style of makeup - that's just the fashion at the moment. As a pp said it's a pendulum. 60s makeup was quite obvious/fake looking (fake eyelashes etc). 70s was natural. 80s was fake looking (all those coloured eyeshadows and bright pink stripe of blusher). 90s was natural. Now we're back at fake again. Doesn't bother me I just ignore it like other fashions I don't like.

2. Cosmetic surgery or "treatments" like botox or fillers. Much more of an issue IMO not least because of all the unqualified cowboys out there. But also because we are forgetting what a normal "untreated" 40 or 50 year old looks like. And if you are 40 or 50 and haven't had these things done, it can feel like you look bad or old even if you're well presented in all "normal" ways.

I am a mum of one ds 4 I don't have a flashy lifestyle but I get botox every 4 months and I had my boobs done 10 yrs ago as I was flat chested.Its each to their own imo and there is nothing wrong with looking your best whether that's 'fake' or not

I never judge anyone on their appearance, only their personality.

If only the judgementalists on this thread could do the same.