For women, self-care is often synonymous with physical upkeep. Skincare products, hair treatments, nail enhancements, hair removal, workouts and makeup are some of the many ways self-care is marketed to women. On social media platforms like TikTok, searching “#SelfCare” yields countless videos of influencers promoting products, routines and services that presumably helps users better themselves. Yet, this notion of improvement rarely extends beyond the physical.
This focus on the trappings of beauty — skin, hair, body and cosmetics — neglects true self-improvement in favor of adhering to external beauty standards. In online content targeted towards women, there’s relatively little mention of caring for yourself emotionally or mentally. Instead, women are bombarded with the idea that physical attractiveness can, and should, be enough to fulfill them.
Mehdi Haghshenas, associate professor of sociology, argues that beauty rituals often act as a form of social conditioning that works to reinforce norms of femininity.
“When women conform to beauty norms, they are often rewarded with approval, professionalism or social ease,” Haghshenas said. “When they don’t, they may be judged as lazy, unkempt, unfit (or) unfeminine. … Therefore, consequences are very subtle but extremely powerful. Beauty rituals shift from optional practices into baseline requirements for social legitimacy.”
Corporate communications junior Michelle Veneros has noticed self-care often goes hand-in-hand with beauty, especially in terms of what’s marketed to women her age.
“(Self-care is) mainly promoted as beauty-centric,” Veneros said. “I think it works for some people. If they look good on the outside, they’ll feel good on the inside. But I think it’s also really important to not neglect other parts of your personality, or who you are besides what you look like.”
For men, self-care doesn’t have nearly the same connotation. While those of all genders face pressure towards physical optimization, the pursuit of beauty through extensive products and services typically isn’t expected of men.
“For men, it might not be so appearance-focused, (like for younger women),” Veneros said. “It might be developing a healthier diet, working out or finding different hobbies. ”
External beauty standards can be exhausting—and expensive. According to the Global Wellness Institute, the global wellness economy was worth $6.8 trillion in 2024. The highest-valued wellness sector, surpassing healthy eating and physical activity, was personal care and beauty at $1,350 billion.
It’s clear that promoting beauty as a form of self-care is profitable. However, the normalization of this attitude leaves women with a skewed sense of what self-care truly means. Rather than focusing on the mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of themselves, caring for their attractiveness is prioritized above all else.
“Grooming, makeup, hair removal (and) clothing become routines, not because they are necessary, but because they are expected,” Haghshenas said. “Over time, these expectations feel completely natural, and it becomes highly personal.”
Ultimately, women should care for themselves beyond these superficial expectations of beauty. While physical attractiveness may be desirable, pursuing it exclusively neglects true self-improvement. Finding new hobbies, pursuing therapy, practicing meditation, connecting with your community and educating yourself are just as important as your body.
In a world that often reduces women to their physical appearance, it’s crucial that their self-care doesn’t stop there.
Tuscano is a government sophomore from Round Rock, Texas.
