Task 6: First 2 Paragraphs of Critical Investigation

The conventions, representations and ideologies the beauty industry advertises, elicits aspirations, desires and celebrity endorsed images which generate fake realities and materialised societies. The beauty industry tends to ‘invite our gaze’ into a glamorous attainable life, however subliminally they allow female consumers to believe ‘that there is room for improvement in a woman's appearance.’  Advertising desensitises consumers into believing the beauty products will enhance femininity, attract a male gaze (Laura Mulvey) and achieve dominance in the 21^st century, all in which are ‘on the basis of semi-conscious or hidden memories.’ Modelling attributes the protagonist represents in adverts are greatly enhanced when a product is celebrity endorsed or the product is of their own. Celebrity images in magazines, television and websites consistently remind women about the ideal life therefore ‘women see other women in entertainment who are "happy, famous, beautiful, and sexy," they will want to emulate them.’ In some respect, women come to understand the processes of achieving such a dominant powerful image in which the ‘portrayal is so unrealistic.’

Over many decades, stereotypical views and ideologies of certain groups tend to stay the same when mass media produce texts. In some respect, the representations created by powerful media institutions fail to understand the change in society, and are afraid of change due to the risks and controversy it may cause. Institutions believe that ‘informing and teaching its citizens, helps democracy move toward its ideal state’, which is why beauty advertising avoids challenging certain stereotypes in order to continue to forward democracy into an ideal state. In an evolutionary psychological aspect, ‘Women spend most of their time either pregnant or producing milk’ which represents a historical view in the 1950s, which was subject to change 10 years later. However this is contradicted when brands are celebrity endorsed, as female protagonists such as Beyonce and Rihanna represent a powerful, successful and determined woman in the 21^st Century. Practically, this was illustrated when, ‘Lily Allen under the Chanel umbrella to promote their handbag range in 2009 added a touch of European sophistication’ which shows that celebrities can challenge the dominant ideologies of women in beauty advertising. By challenging the stereotypes of women using celebrities; female consumers can identify themselves with opinions they have in reality, and generate aspirations in which celebrities endorse. In an evolutionary psychological aspect, women ‘Women spend most of their time either pregnant or producing milk.’