Dixya Poudel

In 2019, Kylie Jenner became a billionaire at the age of 21 when Coty Inc. acquired 51 per cent of her company Kylie Cosmetics. Kylie is an American media personality and celebrity who is known for her beauty and global social media presence. However in May 2020, Forbes accused Kylie of forging tax documents to appear as the youngest self-made billionaire.
People still flock to stores to buy products that she endorses making her a successful businesswoman. It goes to show how cosmetics industraies have an extremely profitable market in a global scale. Yet, such industries are mired in controversies and questionable practices in producing beauty products.
Beauty is a quality that everyone aspires to and very often attractive appearance leads to opportunities in fields such as media, fashion, advertisement and movie industries. Hollywood is known for its leading actors with uniquely attractive appearances. Even Bollywood has numerous well-known beauties. Apart from movie stars, there are celebrities who are known for their beauty and immense followings.
And people look up to them for beauty and skin care advice which is where cosmetics companies come in. Such companies roll out millions in pay checks to celebrities who are signed to promote beauty products. The celebrities in turn pose in their fineries decked with make-ups to advertise cosmetics in their social media. Thanks to the cleverly photoshopped pictures, the viewers rush to buy the advertised products. Everyone benefits, from the cosmetics companies to the celebrities and the buyers, although it certainly puts a dent on the buyers' pockets. Thus, it is a cycle where a person's attractiveness is put at the centre. Along with it are expectations of applause that comes with beauty.
Before the beauty and cosmetic products are showcased alluringly in the shelves of shops or in the pages of websites, they are created in a lab. Scientists and researchers are constantly on the lookout for new ingredients and concoctions to create better cosmetics. It is a huge market and one at a high demand and steep competition. Today the leading market for cosmetics products is Europe valued at over 63 billion Euros. Such products include skincare, hair care, toiletries and colour cosmetics.
Even as people innocuously adorn themselves with a variety of cosmetics, they don't realise that it could include animal testing, use of unsustainable ingredients and a negative impact on the environment. Then there is the ever increasing pressure to look a certain way. Often those on the margins of societies are underrepresented in cosmetic industries. If you look at Hollywood, there are mostly white actors who sign the most endorsements. Although there are promising changes with the media and cosmetics industries gearing to represent diverse personalities, there is still rampant inequality.
However, this is an era of social media where there is an equal chance for fame. Thus, one can see diversity in the spools of social media followings. Yet, there still remains the issue of unrealistic ideals of beauty. It is vital to counteract the negative impact of photoshopped images. It falls upon the cosmetic industries to create realistic advertisements for their products. Further, they must abide by eco-friendly ingredients and technology to create their cosmetics. As the cosmetics industries continue their rise, it is important to moderate the ideologies and dreams that they trade.