by Helen Gray

Created on: March 01, 2009   Last Updated: March 19, 2009

To succeed at life, love and work it's important to look as youthful and beautiful as possible. Research shows that beautiful people are more intelligent, and that they earn an average of five percent more than their plainer colleagues. It's no surprise that enhancing our looks has become a serious business driving a multi-billion dollar industry.

Since ancient Egyptian times people have used potions, lotions and hairpieces and to enhance their natural beauty. Wander through the toiletries department of any store today and you'll be assaulted by a bewildering array of products promising to lengthen, thicken, straighten, curl, plump and colour.The phenomenal growth of the beauty industry in the past century is closely linked to the spread of printed magazines and the growth of the marketing industry. The invention of the radio, movies and television helped spread new ideas and promote new products faster than ever before.

Self tanning aids were marketed in the 1920s after Hollywood starlets radically changed our beauty ideals. Right up until the 20th century pale skin was the ideal amongst the upper classes and tans were only for the poor who worked in the fields. Fake tans are even more popular now that we know how the sun's damaging rays contribute to premature skin aging and cancers. Today's options include everything from professional spray tanning salons to do it yourself creams and moisturizers that build up a gradual, more natural looking tan.

Wigs and hairpieces have been popular throughout the ages: from ancient Egypt to the elaborate wigs worn in the courts of the French King Louis the XIII to Victoria Beckham's ever changing hair extensions. The availability of good fake hair made of acrylic has made extensions much more affordable. Whether you go for clips, a weave or strand by strand fusion the key to a good hairpiece is to make it look natural.

Medical intervention might seem like an extreme option but business is booming. Getting a nose job, a face lift, implants, liposuction, collagen injections, Botox, or laser skin resurfacing is commonplace. If you don't have the money there are always foundations to fill in your wrinkles, face creams to tighten your skin, lipsticks for pouty bee-stung lips, Bridget Jones style shaping underwear, fake nails, fake eye lashes and hair dyes to keep you looking good.

If you've got it, flaunt it. If you don't, join the rest of us and fake it.

REFERENCES

http://library.duke.edu/digitalcollecti ons/adaccess/cosmetics.html
http://money.cnn.com/2005 /04/08/news/funny/beautiful_money/
http://www.guardia n.co.uk/education/2006/sep/05/highereducation.resear ch

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