People Break Down The Most Bizarre Beauty Standards
Reddit user Quintowne asked: 'what is a beauty standard you cant believe people actually like?'
We've all been held to some unexpected beauty standard at some point, like how to properly and less comfortably wear that shirt, or how we should cut our hair, or that our teeth should be whiter.
In addition to being inundated with these messages that we are not good enough or beautiful enough naturally, we're also confronted by advertisement after advertisement of the latest tool, makeup, primer, machine, or supplement that will make us that much more attractive.
And some of the beauty hacks that are suggested to us are, quite frankly, really weird.
Wondering what others had heard of, Redditor Quintowne asked:
"What is a beauty standard you can't believe people actually like?"
One Word: Photoshop
"Clearly photoshopped pictures and weird posing angles."
- chemistryofacarcrash
Suspicious Teeth
"Overly perfect veneers."
- doublexxchrome
"One of my Facebook friends already has good teeth but then she went and got veneers. Now her teeth are just...too big and too BRIGHT."
- HeathenHumanist
The Nose You've Seen Somewhere Before
"Every nose looking exactly the same."
- Blitzkriek
"Thank you from all the non-standard nose people."
- hyperfat
"And ski slope or button nose. They are cute but not everyone’s face is meant to have that type of nose and it doesn’t look good on everyone. It sucks seeing so many young girls on TikTok get nose jobs and all have the exact same nose."
- DepressionBarbie_
The Over-Inflation... Of Lips
"What people do to their lips is wild to me."
- Purples_A_Fruit
"I came here to say the over-inflated lips with the ostrich lashes combo. It’s so much."
- GamerMomm
Gaunt Chic
"Buccal fat removal."
- Groundbreaking-Duck
"Yes! The buccal fat is there for a reason. It instantly ages them. They look gaunt."
- Icy_Attempt_300
"Yes. There's a difference between a chiseled face and a gaunt face."
"Peak Angelina Jolie, Taylor Hill, Monica Bellucci, etc. have chiseled faces."
"Anya Taylor-Joy, Bella Hadid, and others who underwent unnecessary buccal fat removal surgeries just look gaunt."
- RainyDayReader_999
Questionable Eyebrows
"Stupid eyebrows that look like perfectly angled stencils are a shade way too dark for their complexion. Like blonde girls with two black geometric boomerangs on her forehead."
- montanagrizfan
Dislike Big Butts
"Butt implants. Just looks nasty as h**l."
- PureDeidBrilliant
"I just saw one in the wild without all the filters that normally accompany it. It was so weird. Like a flesh diaper that should have been changed hours ago."
- yellowmew
Too Dramatic Eyelashes
"Giant eyelashes that will make you take flight if you flutter them fast enough."
- T*tsMcGhee99
"My husband hates the long fake eyelash look, and he asked me why women wear them when men don't particularly like them."
"I thought it would be funny, so I told him it's not about impressing men but about asserting one's dominance on another woman."
"He believed me and now tells all his friends that it's an 'alpha-female' thing, hahaha."
- Striving_Hermit
A Little Too Perfect
"The overly sculpted beard trend. You know when the beard is trimmed and looks like it was outlined in concealer? Neatening up is nice but a sudden pale line as a border around your stubble... looks like it was airbrushed on and not touched up."
- hecatemoonshadow
"Thank you for putting into words what I could never put my finger on. It's that weird barbershop ad look. Too weirdly 'perfect' looking to be attractive."
- dzzi
Dozens of Miss Piggys
"I’m from Stockholm. A lot of girls, particularly from rich areas, like to use so much fake tan that they are orange, and bleach their hair from what was usually dark blonde to platinum blonde."
"Then they style it to make it voluminous (which is easy to do because their hair is dead from all the dyeing) and apply lots of make-up, which typically includes black mascara or fake lashes."
"So, a lot of girls here bear a striking resemblance to Miss Piggy. There’s nothing wrong with looking like this, I just don’t understand it."
- WhereMyEelAt
"No One's Neck's as Incredibly Thick as Gaston!"
"Those grossly buff guys on all dating shows. They all look like Gaston from 'Beauty and the Beast,' and I hate it so much. I don’t even watch those shows, but the lack of variety is appalling."
- toedplatypus
Flat... Teeth?
"Grinding canine teeth flat. A dentist once took me aside and told me that he could grind mine down, flat, and make it a really good smile."
"I said, 'No, thanks,' but was thinking, 'Why in the f**k would I do that?!'"
- Bardez
Laminated Eyebrows
"Laminated, combed-up, thick a** eyebrows. Why."
- comoshnyee
"Yes! This is the one I was going to say. It is such a strange beauty trend to me that I've noticed in the past couple of years. Granted, I do come from a time when eyebrows were plucked into a high arch."
"I think people should just leave their eyebrows be for the most part. I can understand plucking, waxing, or trimming very bushy eyebrows or a uni-brow, but combing the hairs straight up and plastering them to your forehead just doesn't look good."
- KrustyKohn
Follow the Leader
"The fact that a huge portion of the world's population has successfully brainwashed itself into thinking that the Kardashians/Jenners are the epitome of beauty to the point that many are willing to imitate whatever moronic thing they do to their bodies is just wild to me."
- Tough_Stretch
Standing Out from the Crowd
"Any plastic surgery that makes random women look like they're all related. At one point, we'll all start to think thin lips and big noses are hot solely because they'll stand out in a sea of copy/paste people."
- Intelligent-Guide-48
"It’s called the 'Instagram face' and it’s a legit phenomenon that is being studied by psychologists. It’s doing so much harm to people’s self-esteem and self-concept. We aren’t all supposed to look the same."
- InsomniacYogi
These certainly were some surprising trends, and some of them seem to refuse to go away, as much as many people dislike them.
But beauty standards have a way of coming and going, so by the end of next year, who knows what will be considered beautiful and trending then?
We're not all going to think the same thing. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," and all that. However, we can recognize when someone has clearly taken the time to focus on their looks, through working out, how they dress, or how they style their hair. This is no judgement, and it's perfectly fine if you want to feel fabulous some days, but there is an unfair stigma that comes with that.
The world thinks a lot of things about you if they find you "conventionally" attractive.
Reddit user, Zestyclose-Detail791, wanted to know what it's like to walk around pretty when they asked:
"What are the dangers of being very attractive/beautiful?"
There's a lot that immediately comes to mind if you're considered traditionally attractive, problems that you'll encounter any time you meet someone new.
What Are My Traits?
"Not knowing if you're actually funny. Or well spoken. Or talented. Or charismatic."
stink3rbelle
"On the opposite end, some attractive people (mostly women) who are really smart aren't taken seriously because people only focus on their looks."
powerlesshero111
No One Knows You're Real Self
"If you’re really attractive and also quiet, people think you’re snobby. Also, you get unwanted comments from creeps a lot."
Appropriate_Day_8721
"I constantly was accused of being stuck up and a prude when I was a teenager while I was most definitely neither. I was always nice to people, but I was super shy because I had painfully low self esteem as a teenager and thought I was hideous and boring."
"My high school self and my grownup ego thank you for this lightbulb moment."
partway-chrysalis
Making All The Heads Turn
"you get a lot more attention than you probably want, lots of staring and sometimes people following you. Tension within your own gender as you’re seen as competition."
CandidGuidance
Social interactions or cues will be the most difficult wall to overcome. People you know and people you don't will assume lots about you, making a simple conversation that much more challenging.
Misinterpreting Signals
"People will often mistake friendliness for flirting"
Immediate-Cow6875
"I work at a hotel front desk, and the other night a man came down to ask for something and said, “every time I passed through here, someone else was hitting on you. Do you deal with that all the time?” Yes, and it’s obnoxious."
faerie03
Never Knowing Where To Draw The Line
"Friendships falling apart when their partner is attracted to you."
Illustrious-Fly9586
"Friendships falling apart when you're genuinely trying to be friends with someone of the opposite sex & they end up falling in love with you:("
Zaiya53
"How much I feel this one. I lost all my male childhood friends because at some point all of them ended up falling for me and made everything uncomfortable or left after being rejected. Specially because well, everyone knew I had a boyfriend anyway (now fiancé, so yeah, a very solid, healthy relationship. Noone else had a chance)."
"Now I began to befriend a really cool guy and just the other day he tolds me "he needs a girlfriend like me" in a pretty evident flirty tone. I joked about "my fiancé finding the limited edition" to make sure he knows I have a partner. He tried to hide his dissapointment but I still saw a bit of it on his face after that."
"I find it so frustrating... I just want a bunch of friends to celebrate the Holidays with and prepare them special meals and surprise birthday parties and plan trips and recomend them songs or movies and send them memes. Not having to deal with unwanted attraction towards me."
Chikizey
You're One Or The Other
"People think you are flirting if you are being anything other than nasty to them. Then if you’re are nasty, you are a b-tch/a--hole. No in-between."
SpikedBubbles
Whatever the case may be, you'll find a lot of people think the worse of you.
Or on a level below that, you'll see that people act the worst when you're around.
Unable To Handle The Switch
"If you become “unattractive” for any reason you may find it difficult to reconcile that you are no longer attractive."
"Examples: car wreck, injury, aging, disease, becoming obese. I’m sure there are more."
"If you’re used to being attractive and you identify as such (consciously or subconsciously) it can be really hard to come to terms with a change in that."
goldensnooch
Too Bad. Not Anymore.
"You cant pick your nose in public anymore with all the people staring at your attractive/beautiful face"
noob_akk
Pain Is Going To Be Involved
"regardless of gender, i think some people would get obsessed with you to the point they'll harm other people to just get your attention"
Independent_Mall_78
"Or themselves."
anniewolfe
Conventional beauty standards are bogus. Be happy with who you are in whatever way you want, so long as you're not hurting anyone.
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People Share Which Human Traits They're Attracted To That Don't Match Accepted Beauty Norms
One of my favorite Roald Dahl books is The Twits, about a man and wife with quite the mean streak. That's the least of it, but that's not the point.
Anyway, Dahl makes an excellent observation about people who have "good thoughts" versus those who don't.
"You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely," he writes, noting that when people have enough ugly thoughts, it begins to show on their face.
But someone might be into that—you never know.
Don't yuck someone's yum, man.
People shared their thoughts after Redditor Atomcityy asked the online community:
"What is something you’re attracted to that differs from conventional beauty standards?"
"The shapes and sizes..."
"I really like hands for some reason, The shapes and sizes are each unique and I just love to rest my hands in the hands of someone I love. It just makes me melt, it’s hard to explain."
-S-O-M-13
Oh man, I have a future as a hand model yet!
"And a study proved this..."
"I love unique faces, because I have mild facial blindness and most of y'all look the same to me. 'Hot' faces are so symmetrical I find them boring (and hard to spot in a crowd)."
"And a study proved this - if you blend a hundred human faces, the blend of all of them will be the hottest, because it's averaged all of the features out."
EffectiveWalrus
There's a face out there for everyone, isn't there?
Don't fret if you think you don't look "conventionally attractive" – you are!
"I can't really explain it..."
"Noses. I can’t really explain it but I just feel an attraction to girls with prominent or interesting-looking noses."
DonDraker
Jennifer Grey disappointed a lot of fans after she got her nose job.
"...I noticed that..."
"I'm a woman and I noticed that I generally get attracted to men who are soft and demure (which are traits often associated to women), or dorky and awkward."
existentialpotato2
Hey, not everyone is attracted to the big, loud "alpha male" types. You do you!
"People that can hold..."
"People that can hold a completely sarcastic conversation without breaking or escalating it to a breaking point."
JJJHeimerSchmidt420
There's something really attractive about someone who can handle a little light banter!
"A sign..."
"Crow's feet, a sign that the person smile a lot, the greenest flag of them all. Some carpentry skills are also welcome."
Bonhomme7
A person who smiles a lot no doubt has plenty of joy to share with you!
"It might be big..."
"A nose with character. It might be big, it might be crooked, but man, when it all works together for that person it is sexy."
flamingoeater
Adrien Brody checks all these boxes. I mean... this is probably an unpopular opinion with lots of people but the man is perfect.
"There's something about..."
"There’s something about slight acne, freckles and other little imperfections like birthmarks that have always been cute to me."
1Carlie1
Irish people are running to greet you now that they've heard the word "freckles."
"A deep..."
"A deep, sultry, or raspy voice on a woman. So beautiful."
sharmander15
Something tells me you're a Shoreh Aghdashloo fan. I mean, have you heard the woman?
"Curly hair..."
"Curly hair, people around here usually straighten their hair, and I'm there like, 'What a waste, your curls were already sooo pretty.'"
mur4ad
You're clearly a plant who has something against the flat iron industry! We're on to you.
If you've ever thought you couldn't get a date because you don't look a certain way, then never fear – there's always someone out there who thinks you're the bee's knees – imperfections and all.
Have some observations of your own? Feel free to tell us more in the comments below!
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The Internet Comes Through For Woman With Rare Disability Who Avoided Posting 'Sexy' Photos Because She Feared The Negative Comments
So often when we see someone go against the societal grain on the internet, we brace ourselves for the negative comments and outbursts.
But every once in a while, the internet surprises us by lifting that person up instead.
21-year-old Nila Morton, of Greenville, South Carolina, was worried about posting pictures that made her feel good about herself, because she felt she didn't embody the standard image of disability.
Morton was born with a rare muscular condition called Ullrich congenital muscular dystrophy, which causes impairments in muscle growth and strength, and leads to severe muscular weakness and exhaustion.
Morton uses a wheelchair but does what she can to express herself with her appearance, including styling her hair, doing her makeup, and dressing well.
She likes to dress up when she goes out for an event, but she always shied away from sharing any of the "sexy" photos taken of her, because she feared the criticism of living with a disability.
Finally this past weekend, Morton decided to post two photos of herself, wearing an adorable, short black dress.
I was kinda nervous about posting bc this is way outta my comfort zone & Ik some ppl will judge but I felt beautifu… https://t.co/F1hyHsTXZy— Niyoncé💋 (@Niyoncé💋) 1580628171.0
Morton said of the decision:
"I usually don't post pictures of myself when I have a nice dress on or when I go out... because I get nervous about comments since I'm not society's view of disability. I decided that I should just post it because I felt beautiful and sexy."
Morton decided to go to bed immediately after posting the photos via tweet, as she didn't want to sleep with any potentially negative comments on her mind.
In the morning, however, Morton was surprised to discover not only were the responses overwhelmingly positive and supportive, but her tweet had also gone viral and has been shared more than 36,000 times.
As a result, Morton realized:
"Getting that much positive feedback made me smile and anxious at the same time. I know that some people had negative things to say, but I saw how people had my back, which made me realize that I should never be nervous to show off myself."
In the comments, fellow Twitter users certainly had Morton's back as they professed how beautiful she was and hoped she would continue to share.
@Niyonce143 You ARE beautiful 😍— April Kennedy (@April Kennedy) 1580739843.0
@Niyonce143 You are gorgeous! Thanks for sharing. Keep shining!— JoanMarDK (@JoanMarDK) 1580662790.0
@Niyonce143 Out of your comfort zone should be your New Zone . Feel beautiful because you are . No reason to blur… https://t.co/rPDx8tA9du— J.Diggiti (@J.Diggiti) 1580682088.0
Some went so far as to "stan" her photos, celebrating her beauty.
@Niyonce143 Felt???? YOU ARE beautiful!. Stop it. https://t.co/F8hKs7F9W5— Joshua Zero (@Joshua Zero) 1580667235.0
@Niyonce143 You are literally glowinggggg and your entire look is perfect https://t.co/Extrav1jNJ— ☆random girl☆ (@☆random girl☆) 1580661527.0
Others enjoyed the experience right alongside Morton, finding joy in everyone else's acceptance of coinciding beauty and disability.
@solomonmissouri @Niyonce143 the love on her tweet got me excited !! https://t.co/twE5nSO3iH— gliZzZy (@gliZzZy) 1580769467.0
@Niyonce143 @_oshae12 https://t.co/TK5Vnb7zqt— SOUTH LONDON RUN LONDON 🇳🇬🇬🇾 (@SOUTH LONDON RUN LONDON 🇳🇬🇬🇾) 1580677340.0
With a few critical comments thrown in, seeing such an array of positive comments on a young woman's first real share online is a heartwarming experience.
We hope this will teach Nila Morton, and others out there, that sometimes when you put your heart out on the line, wonderful things can happen.