What’s Behind ‘Beauty’? Influencing Factors

We all want to look good and have others see us as beautiful. But... what makes us perceive a person as 'beautiful'? Is it just a matter of tastes, or are there objective factors that influence it?

We often associate beauty with cosmetic products or trends, but it's a much more complex concept. In this article, we will analyze the external and internal elements that influence how we perceive beauty.

Beauty from a Biological Perspective

If we stop to think about it, from a biological point of view, beauty could be interpreted as a sign of health and well-being, since our body's processes focus on keeping us healthy. Shiny hair, smooth skin, and strong nails are often indicators that our body is receiving the necessary nutrients and functioning properly.

Dermatology emphasizes the importance of caring for our body from the inside and out. Good nutrition provides the "building blocks" for healthy tissues. Additionally, our genetic code also plays an important role in how we are and how we age. Although we can't change our heritage, we can improve our health and appearance through healthy habits. In short, from biology, beauty manifests as a reflection of our overall physical state.

Beauty from a Social Perspective

We live in society, and this influences what we consider 'beautiful'. Throughout history and in different cultures, beauty standards have varied enormously. What was considered attractive in one era might not be in another.

From a social point of view, beauty is often linked to trends and fashions. Aesthetics professionals, although focused on external treatments, are aware that the society we live in plays a very important role in how people perceive their own beauty and that of others. Social pressure can lead us to seek certain standards, sometimes influenced by advertising or social media. However, it's important to remember that each of us is born with different characteristics, and beauty is therefore diverse. Every person has their own unique attractiveness.

Cosmetics: How Do They Influence the Perception of Beauty?

Cosmetics have been used for centuries as a tool to help us modify or enhance our appearance. Let's see how they achieve this and what we should consider to choose them well.

The Function of Cosmetics:

• Create Optical Illusions: Makeup, used skillfully, can help create a perception of greater facial symmetry, using lighting and contouring techniques. This is a factor that greatly influences the perception of beauty since our brain associates symmetry with youth and health.

• Accentuate Features: Makeup allows us to highlight certain characteristics, like making the eyes appear larger (using eyeliner or mascara) or the lips more voluminous (with a lip liner or lipstick), helping us stand out our most attractive points.

Did You Know... there are studies showing that using cosmetics influences our self-esteem and how others perceive us? According to these studies, skillful use of cosmetics can facilitate more favorable social and commercial interactions.

Did You Know... there are studies showing that using cosmetics influences our self-esteem and how others perceive us? According to these studies, skillful use of cosmetics can facilitate more favorable social and commercial interactions.

How to Make the Most of Cosmetics:

• Cosmetics with Gentle Ingredients: Some cosmetics can compromise the skin's natural barrier, causing clogged pores, acne, or inflammation. Ingredients like parabens or traces of heavy metals (lead) can cause allergic reactions or long-term health problems. On the other hand, using cosmetics made with non-aggressive, non-comedogenic ingredients suitable for our skin type helps minimize the downsides of cosmetics.

• Always Remove Makeup at the End of the Day: Constant use of cosmetics without proper removal can favor premature skin aging by affecting collagen and elastin production. Always removing makeup at the end of the day and maintaining proper hygiene of tools (like brushes) will help reduce risks.

Nutrition: Does It Have a Significant Effect on Beauty?

Nutrition plays a fundamental role in the health and appearance of our skin, hair, and nails. The foods we eat are used to build our body's organs, and the skin, being the largest organ, reflects our overall health.

Knowing this, what nutrients are key to having a healthy appearance and therefore 'beautiful'?

• Vitamins A, C, and E: They are powerful antioxidants. They protect the skin from environmental damage, aid in cell repair, and collagen production. We can find these vitamins in fruits (like oranges or strawberries), vegetables (like carrots, spinach, or peppers), and nuts, among many others.

• Vitamins B7, B9, and B12: They are essential for healthy growth and strength of hair and nails. We find them in eggs, legumes, meats, or leafy greens, among many others.

• Minerals like Zinc, Iron, Copper, and Selenium: They help with wound healing, maintaining skin integrity, oxygen transport, and cellular protection. We find them in meats, seafood, legumes, or nuts, among many others.

• Omega-3 Fatty Acids: They benefit skin hydration and help reduce inflammations like acne or eczema. We find them in fatty fish or nuts, among others.

• Water: Although we all drink water to live, it's essential to drink the amount our body needs to function all its processes. The WHO recommends 35 ml of water per kg of weight, and even more in summer (although remember that fruits and vegetables also contain water, so if they are staples in your diet, you may not need to drink as much). Sufficient hydration helps maintain skin elasticity and eliminate toxins.

Important Idea: Just as there are foods that favor our beauty, there are others that work against it. Diets high in refined sugars and processed foods can have a negative impact by favoring inflammations like acne or premature aging, as excess sugar can damage skin collagen through glycation.

The Environment Also Influences Our Appearance

We have been coexisting with our environment for millennia, and it directly influences our physical appearance. What are the external factors that have the most weight on our appearance?

• The Sun: Exposing ourselves to the sun is essential for our body to synthesize vitamin D, which influences bone health and the immune system. Excessive exposure to UV radiation is the main cause of premature aging (wrinkles, spots, loss of elasticity). For this reason, it's recommended to use sunscreen when we will be exposed to the sun for long periods.

• Environmental Pollution: Pollution is a constant growing danger to our skin; pollutant particles generate free radicals that cause oxidative stress, cellular damage, inflammation, can alter the skin microbiome, and clog pores. Proper cleansing and using antioxidants will help counteract these effects.

• The Climate Where We Live: For example, cold and dryness dehydrate the skin, while heat and humidity increase oil production. To give our body the appropriate care, it's good to adapt our skincare routine to the climatic conditions of our environment.

Internal Factors That Alter Our Appearance

There is a wide variety of internal factors that determine our appearance; let's mention the main ones and divide them into those we can influence and others we can't.

Internal Factors We Can Influence:

• Sleep: Our body has a natural cellular repair process. This process intensifies during sleep. Just as a child needs to sleep enough because, among other things, their body develops faster during sleep, adults need to sleep enough for our body to regenerate damaged cells. Lack of sleep often translates to dull skin, dryness, dark circles, puffiness, or increased inflammation. Sleeping the right amount of hours will help; adults need 7 or 8 hours daily, teenagers 9 or 10, and school-age children at least 10.

• Stress: Chronic stress releases cortisol, which can increase oil production, cause acne, and worsen inflammations. It also accelerates aging. Learning to manage stress with a healthy lifestyle, managing time and priorities, spending time with family and friends, or controlling negative thoughts will reflect in improved 'beauty'.

• Mental Health: Our emotional well-being has a direct impact on our appearance. Anxiety and sadness can show in dull skin, lack of shine in the eyes, and even a slouched posture. Cultivating positive mental health through relaxation techniques, mindfulness, or seeking support when needed not only improves our mood but can also contribute to a more radiant appearance.

• Hormones: They play a fundamental role throughout our lives (puberty, menstrual cycle, pregnancy, menopause...). Hormones influence collagen production, oil, hydration, and skin pigmentation, among others. A balanced diet rich in essential nutrients can help hormonal health and balance these changes.

Internal Factors We Can't Influence:

Among the main factors we can't influence are genetic heritage or the natural aging process of our body.

With So Many Things, What Can I Focus On?

As we've seen throughout the article, physical beauty is the result of a complex interaction of many factors. The main points we can consider to optimize our appearance healthily and balanced:

• Have a balanced diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

• Drink enough water.

• Use cosmetics intelligently, choosing products suitable for your skin type and avoiding harmful ingredients.

• Follow a skincare routine.

• Protect ourselves from external factors like excessive sun and pollution.

• Take care of our mental health, manage stress, and don't neglect our sleep.

Each of us has a different natural appearance, and our type of beauty is therefore different too. Although there are social factors that influence our perception of beauty, true beauty, as we've seen, is linked to good health. So keep going! Enjoy taking care of yourself inside and out and feel good about yourself.

Did you know that at Exialoe we include 'health and beauty' in our logo? This is because we know that health and beauty go hand in hand. Our mission is to offer the highest quality products to help everyone take care of their health and beauty. Would you like to know them? Visit our cosmetics or nutrition store and discover them all!