ABSTRACT
Standards of human beauty change with the times and vary in different cultures. Nevertheless, those standards have real consequences as people who are considered to be more attractive tend to be more financially and socially successful. Advertising has frequently been criticized for creating idealized images of beauty, images that are largely impossible for normal women to achieve. However, advertising is only a part of the larger media environment that surrounds us and defines what counts as attractive. In the United States and other Western cultures in particular, children are bombarded with visuals that “teach” them that certain types of looks are desirable. This process begins at a very young age as children watch television and online programming, including advertising messages. The beauty industries, media, and advertising contribute to expectations and stereotypes of beauty.
