How to start seeing your own unique facial features as a living masterpiece.
Turn on any movie or TV show from the '90s or early 00s, and you’ll likely be instantly struck by something. Not the incredible soundtracks or the lack of people using smartphones (although those evoke plenty of nostalgia, too). Rather, what stands out — especially to those of us who are chronically online — is the fact that everyone’s faces look different. Whether it’s the diverse-but-all-equally-gorgeous Charlie's Angels’ trio or unconventionally striking leading ladies like Sarah Jessica Parker or Sandra Bullock, it’s hard not to yearn for a time when beauty was less one-size-fits-all.
While body diversity has arguably come a long way in the last decade or so, we’ve seemingly gone in the opposite direction when it comes to facial aesthetics. There appears to be one dominating template for beauty, and it’s an amalgamation of cherry-picked features from different races — a tiny, slim nose; full pouty lips; upturned ‘fox’ eyes; arched brows and a defined jawline. What was once the ‘Facetuned’ look is now something that many celebrities, influencers and everyday people try to achieve IRL through cosmetic procedures and extreme contouring.
It’s easy to feel like you’re ‘less than’ if you don’t perfectly fit the model of ‘Instagram face’ that happens to be trendy right now. But, what we tend to forget is: standards change and evolve with the zeitgeist. Whether you have a ‘weak’ chin or thin lips, chances are your features were the blueprint at some point in history. And, with many of us becoming bored with the homogeneous sea of faces that melt into each other, it seems about time we embrace something different.
What would it look like to identify what makes you unique and interesting and lean into it as hard as you can? It’s something Alana O’Brien — who looks uncannily like a modern incarnation of a Renaissance muse — has done, and it’s earned her over 300,000 Instagram followers and 1 million TikTok followers in a short time frame. The best thing about finding your own bespoke brand of beauty in this way is that it’s timeless and you never have to feel like you’re competing with anyone else.
Not sure what this might look like for you? Here’s some thoughts to get you started.
Prominent noses
In a time where the ‘copy and paste,’ Eurocentric ski slope look has become widely purchasable, there’s something so refreshing about a unique nose. Perhaps it’s an aquiline, Roman bridge or a long, Greek nose that resembles an ancient marble statue. Or, it could be a wide, Avatar-esque bridge or more prominent nostrils, a la Natalie Dormer or Christina Ricci. Our noses are one of the most salient features on our faces, and also tend to be one of the biggest indicators of our cultural backgrounds. By having one that deviates from ‘cookie-cutter’ standards, you become impossible to imitate.
‘Imperfect’ teeth
There are many reasons that someone may decide to get dental work, and not all of them are cosmetic. And while there’s nothing wrong with wanting straighter, whiter teeth, the blinding white Hollywood veneer look has become oversaturated. As Aimee Lou Wood, the breakout star of the last season of The White Lotus, proves, imperfect teeth can not only be endearing but iconic. Similarly, it’s hard to imagine supermodel Georgia May Jagger without her iconic ‘London look’ gap, or Barbara Palvin without her adorable, slightly crooked smile. Their distinct teeth add charm, charisma and character like nothing else.
Eye spacing and shape
Our eyes are one of the first things people notice about your face — and it’s almost guaranteed that no matter what yours look like, there’s someone out there who wishes they had yours. The person with light, upturned, widely spaced eyes — who often feels like an alien — might wish they had soulful, dark ‘doe’ eyes. Meanwhile, others might be looking at them wondering if they’re a model off duty! While someone might seek out a blepharoplasty to remove their ‘excess’ eye skin, someone with hooded eyes might be envious of all their real estate for fun eyeshadow.
Skin blemishes
It’s hard to believe there was a time when someone might be bullied for a smattering of freckles or a beauty spot. Today, people pay good money to have these tattooed onto their faces! Even acne and skin texture — once a major source of shame for many — have become things to be embraced. In a crowd of Facetuned complexions, many of us are craving something real and human. And, even when you don’t particularly feel like celebrating a zit, the growing wave of colourful ‘pimple patches’ allows you to turn them into an accessory.
‘Unideal’ face shapes
As much as the Lookmaxxing community might try to insist that the ideal length-to-width face ratio exists, real life tells us that it’s not the case. Have a long, narrow face? You’re in good company with regal-looking celebrities like Bella Hadid, Liv Tyler and Cate Blanchett. More of a compact, rounded aesthetic? As Ana De Armas and Selena Gomez show, it can give you a perpetually adorable and youthful look. While there was a time when everyone was getting chin filler for a ‘snatched’ aesthetic, the tapered, heart-shaped look is undoubtedly feminine and romantic. There’s no ‘wrong’ face shape — it’s simply about finding the hairstyles and accessories that complement what you’ve been given.
Skin tone
If there’s one area where beauty standards fluctuate widely between different cultures, it’s skin tone. In Australia, bronzed skin is seen as the golden standard (pun intended), while East Asian countries prize pale complexions — even going so far as to bleach their skin to achieve it. Of course, this is part of a bigger, more serious conversation about race and elitism. But, it’s safe to say that the skin tone that suits us best is usually the one we were born with. Whether you’re porcelain white, caramel olive or rich and dark, embracing your natural skin tone — and learning to work with it — is one of the best things you can do for your confidence and self-image.