To find beauty treatments a bit cringe now

[SueSuddio]

For years I've seen the beauty standard rise and rise, do you think we've reached peak?

I don't understand how and why people have the time and money to pay for it all - Botox and fillers are now mainstream, eyebrows now need laminating or tinting, nails are now expensive gels, lashes need extending, blah blah blah, all on top of necessaries like hair cuts / dye.

Now we've kind of peaked & it's got a bit excessive, does anyone else find these looks a bit cringe now? It's not my money or my life, but I can't help but think what a waste of time and money.

I know live and let live but I can't help to take an interest because as a woman I'm a target for these treatments too.

It's a fashion and style for some. Out of say 20 female friends only one does what you describe. The vast vast majority I know don't do any or maybe only get gel nails. But it's not their, or my, style.

it has increased in line with the "need" to spend ever more money on products and consumption - which is not a coincidence

what gets me is when you look back to the nineties, women could be beautiful in many different ways. Watch any MTV clip and you'll see female popstars all looking different; some with curly ringlet hair, some redheads with freckles, some olive skinned with straight sleek hair, some blond with bob style cuts, some grungy, some sporty, some girly, all mainstream though.... all different and beautiful. Just take the spice girls, each one a different look and personality - a concept that wouldn't exist today. The only differentiator we have now is brunette or blonde 😵‍💫

It's always been cringe?

As a mother of tween daughters, I really hope it’s peaked.

I look at young women in their 20s and they look SO much more groomed than we ever did (I’m in my 40s). Yes they look good but my god the time and the money it must use up!!

I agree also about the loss of variety - they all look the same. I can imagine if all your friends look uber groomed then you might feel you have to as well so as not to look a scruffbag by comparison 🙁

all on top of necessaries like hair cuts / dye.

that's necessary for you, other women will do a massive eye roll about haircut being a "necessity" and wasting money on those.

You can find some treatments a bit cringe, but if it makes people happy, who cares. It's easier than ever to improve your looks, why shouldn't people use them?

Go back to your hair dye example...

We have more time and a lot more money than ever - why should beauty and holidays be only for the super-rich. Everybody is praising Kate Middleton for her looks, why shouldn't others use the same tools?

Echoing other posters people looked so much more "real" in the past & I think the lack of individuality is really sad. Also the time & money it must consume.

Hmm some bits I like and some I'm not so keen on BUT I find certain things useful. Like SPM for example. I have eyeliner done. As I wear glasses it's pretty impossible for me to apply it myself without them on lol. And lip blush which means I don't have to keep applying lipstick. For a shinier look I just add some Vaseline.

I like to travel in hot countries so means I'm not getting runny makeup.

Tend to have lashes done as well before I go away to save dealing with mascara

I don't do borox and the lip fillers just isn't my scene but don't care if others do

We're definitely approaching peak false eyelashes although I'm not hopeful it will disappear all together. Bit like the mega heavy brows are now over but there's still a lot of women and younger girls with the very heavy dyed and pencilled black brows. It's all just massive amounts of consumption and consumption that requires repeat applications or tops ups etc.

There's always been "beauty standards" but they were never quite so costly (well in terms of finance, lead face paint in the Tudor era was pretty costly to your face). And it's so homogeneous regardless of ethnicity.

The mainstream beauty standard was more 'real' and unique in the past...but on the flip side, most normal people don't look like that, and we also don't have the very toxic/damaging culture of having to starve yourself, celebrity bodies with big red circles around their imperfections, etc. We have become much more aware of body shaming and mental/physical health when it comes to beauty.

This! They dont just look ridiculous, it is also really sad that people are so lacking in self confidence that they think injecting themselves or covering their faces with fake stuff is going to help. It isn't you look, well, fake!

It's mostly young people I suppose who grow out if it. Certainly I don't know anyone in my peer/age group who would dream of the chavvy fake eyebrows/fake tan/fake nails etc. I suppose tastes get more sophisticated as you get older and the teens and 20 somethings will look back and laugh when they grow up. Just a shame they'll have wasted a shed load of money by the time they realise!

Lol to the advert I get on this thread... I honestly can't see a difference between the before and after?

I use a box dye once a month on my hair, always get compliments on the colour.
I trim it myself every few weeks.
I get my nails done every 4 weeks.
All in all, I spend less than £60 a month on grooming but still think I look ‘polished’.
I wear nice clothes and always spray a fragrance of some kind. I always get told I look well put together.
It doesn’t have to cost a lot, but the little bit of effort makes the difference.

we also don't have the very toxic/damaging culture of having to starve yourself, celebrity bodies with big red circles around their imperfections, etc. We have become much more aware of body shaming and mental/physical health when it comes to beauty.

I think it's still toxic and standards are even more unrealistic.

"it has increased in line with the "need" to spend ever more money on products and consumption - which is not a coincidence"

I think it's a lifestyle choice. There are people who want to look like the classic Instagram with everything hyper groomed and influencers using the products they are gifted to promote buying and overconsumption to get that look. It's just another form of advertising by big corporate entities to entice people to buy ever more stuff.

I'm seeing some rejection of that too especially with the economy hitting people so hard. People are looking to decrease their buying and reduce or go as zero waste as they can. They're cutting their own hair, shopping second hand, and being cautious with their money.

I think we are starting to see a backlash to this fake beauty standard. Lots of attendees at the recent met gala were going for a more natural look. Even natural teeth are starting to make a comeback, the young actress from White Lotus for instance. I hope so.

I spent 5 weeks travelling around European cities last year and it struck me that very few females had subscribed to this beauty trend there. In fact, I only saw one person with Russian eye lashes the whole time I was away. It made me think how stunningly beautiful some of these young people were 'au naturel'.

Yes I noticed that in Spain recently how natural the teen and early twenties women were and looked so much better

That’s not what I thought you meant by beauty treatments (facials, mani/pedi, waxing etc).
I only know one person who tried Botox on her forehead to get rid of her frown line. I suspect another has dabbled a little. But by and large my gang (late 50s/early 60s) have done nothing.
But I agree that very full lip/heavy, drawn brow and cheek fillers has been a trend, but only for those on social media; self-styled ‘influencers’ if you will (whether a following of 5000 or 500,000). My kids are university age and none of their lot have even considered it. In fact they seem anti any beauty treatment (not a waxed brow amongst them, let alone anything artificial). Even my son’s ex GF, who wanted to be a make up artist, hasn’t had anything done.

I read a great quote the other day. It was something like...

Imagine how many industries would go out of business if women learned to love their natural bodies?

I think it's a bit chavy - the false look. Most people I see / know day to day do not have the nails / lips / lashes etc. It's more an Essex / Liverpool look.
I live in London and any tweaks are subtle and make up is more natural - women don't even tan and highlights are very aging.

So glad I don't have a daughter and my son's gives no shits about any of it.

As with many trends, it became most popular and exaggerated as it trickled down to women of low education and socioeconomic status. The very black or tattooed brows, huge fake eyelashes, highly decorated false nails, excessively filled lips etc is a very working class look. Once the trend goes down to that level there's usually a move away from it in other groups. It's the same as the grey walls, grey crushed velvet, mirror furniture looks in houses which is as dead as a dodo now.
I know many professional educated women who have their nails done, but their nails are short and in plain colours, often just a natural look. They may have their eyebrows shaped and / dyed but no sticking up laminations, it's all about looking natural. No idea about Botox /fillers as none of my friends or family has had that done.

It's not popular amongst older teens/early 20s here at all, bar maybe a few. Botox and fillers are definitely old-fashioned and seen as something quite mumsy and cringey, and even things like artificially curled hair and high heels are old fashioned now. I know that there are pockets of youngsters still into it, but it always strikes me when I go out in the evenings that it's people my age (40s) and older that really "dress up" for a night out, the young ones are far more chilled and in trainers and maybe light makeup.

Varies a lot depending on where you are, around my way actually wearing clean clothes and brushing your hair is an achievement, most people go out in whatever they were wearing in the daytime and make up (apart from two resident goths) is minimal, but when I visit friends up north it’s very different, every women has eyebrows and nails done, pristine clothing, heels often and matching bags. I’m happy with my dress down community though

I live in London and any tweaks are subtle and make up is more natural

I don’t think that’s any better though to be honest. If anything, it’s even more damaging, because that ‘subtle’ and ‘natural’ look still costs a lot of money and is still an unrealistic beauty standard for the majority.
I’m 40 and haven’t had anything ‘done’. I have my hair cut every 3 months, and that’s it. No hair colour, no Botox, no nails, no eye lashes etc. And that’s not because I don’t care about my appearance, it’s because I think I look absolutely fine as I am. Yes I’m ageing… so what? Getting older is a privilege.
I agree with the poster above who said a lot of it is about consumption. It’s just another way of parting people from their money. And on the other side, a way for people to demonstrate to others that they have money.