In her book 'Flawless', journalist and author Elise Hu explores the insidious side of the constant need for self-improvement. She discusses how global beauty culture, influenced by technology, has created unrealistic beauty standards. Elise shares her personal experience of using the 'touch up my appearance' feature on Zoom and feeling shocked by her unfiltered appearance on other platforms. She also addresses topics like skin care, plastic surgery, and the pressure to meet certain beauty standards. From a young age, Elise internalized the idea that she needed to have a double eyelid, influenced by Northeast Asian beauty ideals. Through her book, she sheds light on the impact of societal expectations on our self-perception.
Humans have always been captivated by beauty, and for almost as long, we’ve been marketed products and new technologies to help us achieve certain beauty standards. Elise Hu is a journalist and the author of “Flawless: Lessons in looks and culture from the K-beauty industry.” In this episode, she shares the fascinating insights she’s learned from years of studying the $10 billion K-beauty industry and the cutting-edge skincare, niche makeup products, and technology that promise to optimize our appearance. Elise and Chris talk about the real stakes of placing a premium on our looks, why a more inclusive version of “beauty” is worth pursuing, and how we can both enjoy and push back against the very human desire to feel beautiful. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts