Beauty: Timed or Timeless

Words by Zakkiethunnisa

Timeless beauty: At some point, we would have heard this phrase being thrown around by many, from people on the streets, to industry professionals in the beauty line. We have seen several artists getting labelled as such, from Marilyn Monroe, to Anne Hathaway and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. But is beauty really timeless, or does every beauty trend come with its own expiry date, set to disappear forever after?

In the early 2000s, curly hair was considered messy and undesirable by many, young and old. As a curly-haired primary school child, I myself have been met with names like “Broccoli Hair Girl” and teased about using an entire bottle of hair oil a day (which I didn’t! But oh well). Besides the occasional hairdresser who viewed my curls as unique, I spent the greater part of my childhood getting (mostly unsolicited) tips on how to tame my mane, which stood out starkly amidst my classmates, since most of them had uniformly straight hair. Today, we see many perming their hair, in order to achieve big, bouncy curls - the very curls which were once seen as unruly.

Hairstyles are just the tip of the iceberg on beauty trends which have been evolving over the years. A woman’s beauty regimen has traditionally required her to care for practically every part of her body which could be seen an`d admired, from top to toe. Hair, eyes, lips, and body shape are just a few things which a woman has had to look after and keep beautiful. For years, how women looked after themselves and their appearance depended on societal expectations. It may seem astonishing to us now, but that was the reality for women in those days.

All ‘Bout That Hair

In the past, straight hair was a biological staple, prevalent among the majority of the population in Singapore by default. Owing to its uniformed, prim nature being a norm, it was viewed as the most acceptable kind of hair. Women with unruly curls conformed to this normal by dint of extensive hair treatments. The combined effect was damaging in the long run, but as someone once said, beauty is pain! It came at the cost of damaged, thinning hair. Be it at work, for formal occasions, and even among female actors and models, straight hairstyles were inevitably prominent. Wide-eyed little girls, yet to take their PSLE, were seen appearing in school with freshly rebonded hair. Those who could not afford that luxury, simply wove their hair into tight braids, and prayed nobody noticed them.

However, in recent years, curls have made their comeback. For some women, it was the additional volume that they afforded their thinning crowns of glory. For others, it was the sheer thrill and pizazz awarded by hair which sprang and bounced with their every step. Women with straight hair turned to curling irons to achieve this hair. Meanwhile, our ladies who had formally straightened their hair to appease society’s critical eye, grew out their natural curls in relief, finally embracing their eminently rare beauty.

Brows, Brows, Brows!

A decade ago, ladies shaped their eyebrows into painfully thin curves, at the time considered dainty and elegant. This era saw many women pluck and thread away a notable portion of their eyebrows to achieve the aforementioned brows. These brows would then be filled in rather boldly. It was a time when thicker eyebrows were viewed as masculine and messy. In fact, some women who naturally had a unibrow also bore the brunt of unkind remarks from others. However, in recent years, the look of a natural, fluffy brow has grown in popularity.

Women have ceased threading their brows so harshly as before, and now fill them in with a lighter hand, creating a soft gradient instead of the harsh old curves. There is still plucking and threading involved, but now, only to get rid of the stray hairs and to shape the brow into a nice, even arch.

Thru Thicc’ and Thin

Being as skinny as possible was once all the rage. After consistently seeing slim and trim women appear on commercials, dramas and movies, ladies craved that size zero figure. They wished to be petite, with cinched waists and skinny limbs. They struggled to shed their fats, some even turning to unhealthy fad diets and skipping meals. I saw my own schoolmates willingly go without some meals in a day, yet factoring in extra runs, all in a bid to lose weight. Everyone else possibly sought to lose weight and achieve that slim build because everyday clothes were predominantly tailored to sheathe slimmer bodies.

Of course, losing weight unhealthily began to take its toll on ladies. Some faced health complications. Others battled self-esteem issues. Female influencers also began to step up to break this size zero norm which had grown to be accepted in the Western world, and therefore, in Singapore as well, where our population is inevitably influenced by Western culture. Such a huge movement, which eventually became a global one, had to start from several tiny steps. One such step was when Ashley Graham got her big break modelling for Sports Illustrated’s cover in 2016, bringing back the once-popular hourglass figure. Granted, it had mixed reviews. Many struggled to digest this step away from the norm. However, it garnered plenty of positive feedback from women who were finally seeing a body like theirs on a prominent magazine’s cover. It was a huge step in encouraging body positivity among plus sized women. This movement evolved into one where bodies of all sizes were embraced and loved. It also came with its flaws, and prompted actress Jameela Jamil to advocate for body neutrality instead, where women should no longer worry about their appearance, but dedicate more time to pertinent issues that they are facing in life, such as their safety, family, career and the like.

Beauty is only skin deep - or is it?

Fair, clear skin has been favoured by people for a while now, with some viewing it as superior in beauty. Those who did not have such skin, were viewed with contempt. Sometimes, they even encountered unkind comments. I still recall my aunt asking me why my friend was ‘so dark-skinned’ when I pointed her out in my photo album. It did not sit right with me, because her question hinted that dark skin was bad. Plus, who can forget the classic Chinese superstition that one’s future spouse would get pimples on their face for every grain of rice left behind on her plate after a meal? Upon hearing such remarks when young, we did not think to question our elders. On the contrary, in today’s world, all kinds of skin are considered beautiful, and imperfections are celebrated instead. For conditions like acne, people have grown to be more supportive and tactfully offer advice on dealing with it instead of being unhelpfully critical. Freckles, once viewed with disdain, are also being embraced, with some ladies even drawing freckles on with makeup. Ultimately, it leaves us wondering why our elders were so critical of skin imperfections and darker skin before.

Beauty standards have seen quite an evolution of trends which constitute beauty, and are likely evolving as I collect my thoughts together and write this piece. We can agree that beauty trends do have their own periods of popularity and prominence in time. But if you ask me, beauty itself does not expire. It is a timeless concept which shall withstand the test of time and be ever-ready to enthrone women.

While we acknowledge the various beauty trends, we should not feel pressured to adapt our appearances to suit society’s expectations. Following beauty trends extensively can take its toll physically and mentally. So, it doesn’t pay to allow society to govern our beauty choices. While I do agree with Jameela Jamil’s philosophy where we should not fret about our appearance, there’s no harm in us caring about how we present and express ourselves. Personally, I can take as long as 20 minutes to style my outfit and do my makeup before school. I do indulge in a light skincare regimen to ensure my skin is glowing. I even have a tendency to glance at random reflective surfaces at any given time to ensure that I look put-together. But I can proudly say that every such decision which I make, is solely for my content. If I’m putting in time and effort to look presentable, it’s 100% for my own satisfaction and so that I like who I see when I look into the mirror.