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Americans Pick Older Women as Most Beautiful
Survey says women over 50 are just as beautiful as
those under 30, 91% of women are happy with their looks
May 23, 2005 Americans consider women over 50
just as beautiful as women under 30 and, when asked to name "the most
beautiful person alive today," they named women between the ages of 50
and 70. The research by Allure Magazine is The Allure of Beauty Study
that looked at modern attitudes about beauty, confidence and success. It
also revealed that 91 percent of women are happy with what they see in
the mirror and that 66 percent of men opposed their lovers getting
plastic surgery.
The "Study," conducted by StrategyOne, a leading
market research company, surveyed more than 1,700 Americans (men and
women) and investigated such issues as: has the notion of beauty changed
dramatically; is it inextricably linked to accomplishment; do men view
and define this perennially loaded term differently from their female
counterparts?
What Allure unearthed is a culture that has vastly
evolved from the days of Naomi Wolf's The Beauty Myth, in which she
argued in her seminal tome that the beauty ideal drove women to
self-destructive behavior. Today, the ideal of beauty is a dramatically
different concept: it is no longer perceived as untouchable perfection.
In fact, among the most surprising statistics from the Study is that
enhancing their appearance fuels women's confidence, not their
insecurity. And, 81% of women say that being good at their jobs and
maintaining close ties with family boosts their self-esteem much more
than having a rich romantic life.
"Recently, beauty was thought to fill women with a
sense of inadequacy that kept them from realizing their full potential,"
said Allure Editor-in-Chief Linda Wells. "Our study found that women are
no longer chasing an idealized or impossible beauty. The majority of the
women we polled describe themselves as 'natural' -- a word that implies
true self-acceptance. The good news in these numbers belies many of our
perceived notions about appearance."
Other key findings include:
* Women over 50 are considered just as beautiful
as women under 30 ("Is 50 the new 30?").
* The more confident a woman is the more she
will spend on beauty.
* The tummy tuck is the most sought after
plastic surgery procedure.
* 84% of women felt that men have no idea how
hard they work to look
good.
The word "beauty" is no longer synonymous with an
unattainable ideal. Beauty embodies a lifestyle, a dedicated regimen
that has increased its focus on long term care of the hair, face and
body; preventive therapies; and aesthetic enhancement. It has also
become a very serious business. Beauty has grown to be $32.2 billion
industry, according to Kline & Company's 2004 statistics.
What follows are some of "The Study's" most salient
and revelatory findings on interpersonal relationships, attitudes on
plastic surgery and aging:
Self-Assurance Begets Beauty
With a more confident mien and smarter products to
choose from, women find that a good beauty regimen is no longer a
necessary evil; rather, it's a preferred measure to obtain an all-around
self-assured feel.
* 91% of women are satisfied with what they see
in the mirror.
* 81% say that when they feel more confident,
they take more time to look good.
* 94% agree that the more beautiful they feel,
the more confident they are.
* 52% of women and 43% of men agree that they
have a personal sense of
style that comes across in everything that
they do.
Men: Plastic Not So Fantastic
Contrary to popular belief, men are not as enamored
with surgical enhancements as pop culture and reality TV might suggest.
In fact, men seem to abide by a "don't ask, don't tell" philosophy ...
* 66% of men prefer that their romantic partners
do not consider plastic surgery.
* 42% of the men surveyed have no desire to know
whether their romantic partner has received a beauty-related procedure
such as Botox, waxing (hair removal), fingernail and hair extensions.
Beauty Comes of Age
At what age do we look our best? Respondents
chose women between the ages of 50 and 70 as "the most beautiful person
alive today."
* Oprah Winfrey, Sophia Loren and Meryl Streep
were chosen by respondents
as three of "the most beautiful celebrities alive today."
* 50% of respondents disagree that women begin
to look less beautiful as
they age.
Star Struck
Other top picks for the "most beautiful celebrity
alive today" include Angelina Jolie, Halle Berry and Jennifer Aniston.
When Allure asked respondents how they would want their fans to describe
them if they were a celebrity, answers reflected what they found most
captivating in their "beauty" role models:
* 21% of women chose "self-assured."
* Only 5% of respondents would prefer to be a
"flawless beauty."
To Tuck or Not To Tuck?
In a world where full lips, smooth foreheads and
ample chests appear to be what women desire most, the truth is, most
women tout a tummy tuck or liposuction -- not breast implants or breast
reductions. Some revealing observations from this portion of "The Study"
include:
* 22% of the women surveyed have given
consideration to a tummy tuck, although not one of the women interviewed
have ever actually had a tummy tuck or liposuction.
* Less than 10% have ever had any type of
cosmetic surgery-including permanent hair removal or facial peels.
The Eyes Have It
What does she think he notices first? Her breasts.
What does he really notice first? Her eyes. With results surprising to
both men and women, "The Study" not only debunks beauty myths, it also
sets the record straight on several popular myths about men and women,
including:
* 31% of the men surveyed feel that eyes are the
best feature. Only 13% put breasts at the top of their list.
* Less than half of the men surveyed would
prefer to have a "beautiful" woman on his arm than a "nice" woman.
* 84% of women feel that men have no idea how
hard they work to look good.
Smarter Products, Smarter Consumers
Beauty companies recognize that today's consumer is
confident, smarter and savvier. With $5.9 billion spent annually on
research and development in order to create tailor-made products, the
beauty industry pays more attention than ever to specialty and natural
products that satisfy the attitude of the consumer.
* 70% of women don't mind paying more for a
product they like.
* Women spend an average of $1,596 annually on
beauty products and services.
About Allure
As The Beauty Expert, Allure is the only women's
magazine dedicated to beauty and is read monthly by nearly 4.3 million
American women interested in the news and trends in skin and hair care,
cosmetics, fragrance, and fashion, and how they impact a woman's image.
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