Breaking Free From Beauty Standards

Breaking Free From Beauty Standards

I stopped using makeup and going to the salon and honestly, it’s been one of the most liberating decisions I’ve ever made. For the first time in a long while, I feel truly comfortable in my own skin. I couldn’t be happier with the choice I’ve made to reject these imposed standards of beauty.

From a very young age, I was made to feel insecure about something as natural as body hair. I remember a school trip when I wore shorts, and a little boy made fun of the hair on my legs. That moment stuck with me for years. Looking back now, I can’t help but wonder why was he even looking at my legs? Why did his opinion matter so much? It’s strange and a little disturbing, how early girls are made to feel ashamed of their bodies.

But I’m done with that shame. My body is not up for public debate. It’s not here to be evaluated, criticized or approved by men, or by anyone else. I refuse to feel embarrassed about having completely normal body hair. It’s mine, it’s natural, and I’m proud of it.

Why is it considered normal for women to go to salons regularly, often at great expense, while men can live freely without these beauty rituals? Why are women expected to endure pain, burning fingertips during manicures, wax strips ripping skin, harsh chemical treatments, all to meet some arbitrary standards of attractiveness? These aren’t just “pampering” routines. They’re rituals rooted in misogyny, disguised as self-care, but often driven by pressure to conform and to be accepted in a male centric society.

And let’s talk about makeup. I stopped wearing it because it felt like I was poisoning myself in the name of beauty. Many cosmetics are full of chemicals that can harm the skin, disrupt hormones and even increase the risk of serious health issues. Yet millions of women apply layer after layer every day, because society has convinced us that our natural faces aren’t good enough.

It’s heartbreaking that looking “pretty” has become such a high stakes expectation, so much so that some women even resort to plastic surgery, cutting into their own flesh to meet impossible ideals. That’s not empowerment. That’s self mutilation disguised as beauty enhancement, a tragic result of a culture that values appearances above all else.

I don’t want to fit into this toxic, misogynistic system anymore. Women are so much more than their beauty. We are thinkers, creators, leaders and fighters. We deserve to be respected for who we are.

Rejecting these standards isn’t easy, but it’s necessary. The more we speak out, the more we empower each other to break free. ♀