Hey teenage-me, this is for you!

What would you say to your puberty-you? Looking back, Luisa thinks that her struggles with feeling beautiful were ridiculous. Story by Luisa Funk Dear Luisa, I know that you are struggling with your appearance and your self-image is pretty bad. You feel anything but beautiful. And I remember why you feel that way. I know that since puberty you started to compare yourself to others … Continue reading Hey teenage-me, this is for you!

Living with body dysmorphia

Body dysmorphia is a mental health condition where a person spends a lot of time worrying about flaws in their appearance. Sophie Klein shares her experience how a mental illness can warp one’s self image. Story by Sarah Stallinger Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), also known as dysmorphophobia, is a mental disorder characterised by the obsessive belief that a particular aspect of one’s body or appearance is … Continue reading Living with body dysmorphia

“Having breasts is part of being a woman”

As a high school student, Emmy Toebes (22) has seen all of her friends get bigger breasts; hers stopped growing at 14. All of her life, she has received unpleasant remarks about her body, and it has made her feel insecure as a woman. Now, years later, she is considering breast augmentation. Story and photos by Willemijn Besaris In the Netherlands, an estimated 6,000 to … Continue reading “Having breasts is part of being a woman”

Chocolate Side – What is your photo face? 

We all have one side of our face that we find more beautiful than the other. In German there is a special expression for it: Schokoladenseite, which means chocolate side. Is it a myth or is there more to it? Story by Franziska Kircher One half of the face is typically perceived as more beautiful. Dr. Joachim Graf von Finckenstein explains the background to this. … Continue reading Chocolate Side – What is your photo face? 

Inventing Insecurities

For centuries, women have been persuaded that there is something wrong with their appearance. Although many are aware that the beauty industry intentionally creates blemishes, the products continue to be consumed. A background story to answer the question of why. Story by Katja Pelic The cosmetic and beauty sector has substantially changed since the beginning of the 20th century. What has remained the same, however, … Continue reading Inventing Insecurities

The Science of Attraction

Attraction is highly valued in society and although body trends change every decade, the ‘ideal face’ has mostly remained. Studies show that similar facial features are considered ‘beautiful’ in many parts of the world. But how much do we know about attraction? Story by Eliza Freeman Psychologist Josef Vuister explains attraction can be explained through simple theories like the Evolutionary Theory of Attraction. “We are … Continue reading The Science of Attraction