We all know it: It's often difficult to embrace our looks in a culture driven by conventional standards of beauty. Embracing your natural loveliness is tricky when you're inundated with imagery of bodies and faces of impossible perfection. (Thanks, Photoshop!)
Still, while we all recognize that unrealistic ideals don't always reflect the world around us, there's a lot we can learn from the past. As beauty trends and rituals evolve, we find that what's "flawed" in one generation becomes "flawless" in the next.
We've partnered with Suave Professionals to bring you eight lessons about beauty we've learned throughout history.
Following the hyper-feminine trends of the 18th and 19th centuries, a sexual revolution occurred in the Roaring '20s. American women shed their layered petticoats and cinched waistlines in favor of loose-fitting silhouettes to hide their curves. Along with this boyish new look, women also embraced shorter hair, popularizing bob and finger wave trends.
Fusing the best of both worlds, women in the 1930s and '40s combined the more modest long hemlines of the turn of the century with the sexy, swinging silhouettes of the '20s. The result? A subtle look that is an eternal classic.
By mid-century, hourglass figures became the national ideal, with Hollywood icons like Marilyn Monroe popularizing curves.
From voluminous hair to tons of eyeliner, the '60s were all about the drama, baby! Popularized by period style icons like Twiggy, American women increasingly embraced the mod make-up trend, opting for dramatic lash extensions, heavy eyeliner and pale lips.
From Farrah Fawcett's minimalist makeup to Pam Grier's signature fro, the '70s were an era in which natural beauty reigned supreme.
Perhaps best described as the decade of big hair, aerosol cans of hairspray and teasing combs were a household commodity in '80s America.
The grunge movement tore through youth culture in the '90s, bringing the alternative into the mainstream. Fashion -- the flannel, the lank hair, the dark nail polish -- offered a way for '90s kids to express their darker sides.
While the world continues to be inundated with ideal standards of beauty, now more than ever, representations of beauty take a plurality of shapes and forms.
Embrace your unique beauty by treating your natural tresses to a touch of glam. Suave Professionals Natural Infusions formula is infused with carefully chosen natural ingredients for beautiful results every time.