The functions of the natural world are in direct opposition to our standard of beauty, turning the process of aging into an act of defiance. For women, beauty is currency; an asset that is bought, sold, and traded. When the standard is directly tied to youthfulness, every wrinkle is perceived as a loss, every gray hair an account deficit.
The pursuit of endless youth has created a whole new sector of profitable insecurities, an endless parade of plasties, fat transfers, and injectables, an industry dedicated to reversing biology. But to create a face that’s frozen in time is to create a face unmarred by the experiences of life. Is a face untouched by loss, love, or laughter truly what enthralls, what draws us in? Or is what we perceive as modern beauty a morbid fascination with seeing how far we can go to achieve the impossible?
It feels as though the pursuit of physical perfection can only be accomplished with the sacrifice of our humanity. Taut skin, shiny and powerless, that has never been freckled by the sun, dried out by the ocean, stretched by the creation of new life. Eyes, molded after a fox, siren, doe, whatever the trending animal du jour is, that have never been squeezed shut in pain, rolled at a lover’s jokes, strained to spot a companion in the crowd. Lips, plump and perfectly symmetrical, that have never twisted in disgust or trembled with emotion.
The idea that beauty lies in imperfections has grown quaint in the era of total customization. True beauty lies, rather, in individuality. How refreshing it is to see someone eye-catching in the endless parade of homogenized faces, to see someone who is comfortable as simply themselves. The kind of self-assurance and quiet confidence that can only come from going out and experiencing all the good, bad, and ugly the world has to offer, and wearing it proudly.
The kind of beauty that doesn’t follow trends, that doesn’t know all the tips, tricks, and hacks because it does not need them. A beauty that lives completely outside of the standard, yet never goes out of style.
A perennial beauty, blooming again, and again, and again.
Creative Direction and Words by Lola Barajas
Photography by Alex Mendi
Photography Assist by Cameron Emory
Styling by Trey Alexander & Ariana Sancho
Hair by Juliet Weinhold
Talent and Makeup by Bronwen Robinson