Different sectors of fashion and Beauty have opened the doors to unconventionality and we are witnessing a progressive phenomenon that makes Beauty and feeling good about oneself accessible to everyone. Our need for Beauty has in fact been upset over the years by shaping our natural inclinations into banal stereotypes, artifacts of an “asocial” dimension that wants us all to be equal and competing. As Benedict XVI affirms, the experience of Beauty “does not distance us from reality, but on the contrary leads to a close confrontation with everyday life”, provided, however, that we listen to ourselves and come into contact with real desires.
For some time now, on the wave of this feeling, our Anthropo-Relational laboratory has been carrying out sociological studies that include in-depth studies of aesthetic philosophy and market research to develop cosmetic formulas that take into account the differences. That is, really thought “on the skin” of the person and on peculiar characteristics.
Inclusiveness and diversity are the new words that have become part of the Beauty lexicon that go beyond the concept of ugly and even wrong. The classic canons leave room for a completely new, freer, more natural ideal. Sometimes bizarre, but that’s the beauty! It is a great step of society and a great goal for women who have always lived the nightmare of feeling physically inadequate. There are many references to the Body Positive movement that claims the Beauty of all body types, celebrating normality and fighting against the unattainable ideals of perfection.
Even for Beauty operators – from hairdressers to make-up artists, from beauticians to stylists – this new way of thinking is gratifying and a harbinger of opportunities to experiment and find ideal solutions for the person, really enhancing their face, hair and physicality. The goal is no longer to chase a standard but to bring out the true personality of the individual. It is from here that we begin to put man back at the center, with his needs and his real desires. It is from here that the concept of Humanistic Cosmetics© is born.
Beauty lies at the very bottom in this: to be beautiful for what one is, with one’s own “defects”… which in the end are distinctive qualities and strengths. Think for example of models outside the box that today are coveted by the most famous brands, such as Winnie Harlow suffering from vitiligo.
Finally the authentic, unconventional, non-stereotypical Beauty, with its imperfections and identities also related to disabilities, enters the scene.
In the world there are more than a billion people with disabilities. They are our children, siblings, parents, friends, companions and have the right to draw on Beauty, to be part of a social culture that has evolved from it. An example of strength and all-Italian Beauty is Bebe Vio, Paralympic champion of foil, pride and inspiration for every capable and strong-willed girl.
For Barbie’s 60th anniversary, in June 2019 Mattel decided to launch a new line of dolls with a less perfect physique than the original model. To make them, Mattel was inspired by real women who have distinguished themselves for their intellectual gifts and skills in various fields. One of these dolls was inspired by Bebe Vio, who managed to defeat the taboos linked to serious disabilities caused by meningitis, and was the winner in every respect: champion in sport and in life!
I think that the only way to prevent discrimination, racism, bullying and unhappiness caused by her appearance is through culture, education that teaches, starting from childhood, that diversity is normal and is, indeed, a real wealth.
