PERCEPTION

perception

COLOPHON

CHIEF EDITORS

Franziska Kircher

Jana Prochazka

Sarah Stallinger

DESIGNERS

Dobromir Muladzhikov

Nicky Mai

Nina Suijkerbuijk

Quinty Veenman

PHOTO EDITORS

Quinty Veenman

Dobromir Muladzhikov

EDITORS

Chloe McDermott

Eliza Freeman

Katja Pelic

Tina Priemus Willemijn Besaris

Zara Garrido Jimenez

PR MANAGERS

Anahita Ahmadi

Evy Tjin A Ton

Luisa Funk

COACHES

Caroline van Keeken

Marloes Geboers

Micha Struyck

Robert Slagt

Ronald Kroon

This magazine is produced by a group of international students at the University of Applied Sciences Amsterdam during the course International Journalism.

You can find all our stories on www.theinternationalangle.com

The International Angle is also on Instagram and Twitter. @theinternationalangle

EDITORIAL

Dear reader, What do you see when you look in the mirror? Do you see yourself as the strong, beautiful person you are? Or is there a little voice, telling you your nose is too big, your arms are too weak or too hairy and your belly is not flat enough? Convincing you that you do not live up to societal beauty standards? Beauty is about perception, not about perfection. And with this magazine, we want to change your perception - of appearances, personality and beauty. We want to encourage you to see beauty in the odd by going beyond the ordinarydiscussing beauty standards and telling personal stories.

How did beauty standards change over time? What makes someone attractive and how do different people define beauty? There is a lot to read and learn, but also to see: Our centerpiece “Skinspiration” is a photo essay, portraying strangers’ skin conditions and how they feel about them. This ties in with background information about body dysmorphia and a story about finding inner beauty through aura photography.

Our goal for the magazine was to create visuals and stories that show every person’s individual beauty, no matter their age, skin colour or oddity. Our team worked tirelessly to capture this thought through variations of features, photo stories, columns and more.

So enjoy the read, be inspired by people who are unlike you and find yourself in parts of their experiences. Sure, we’re all different but that’s the beauty of it all, isn’t it?

(SK)INSPIRATION 28 F*ck the standard, stand out! 34 ‘‘I had to learn to shed a skin.” 38 Capturing Aura’s 40 Aura experience 42 Innie or Outie? 44 Living with body dysmorphia 46 “It’s the way the industry works” 54

abnormality BEAUTY

‘‘It’s All About Confidence’’ 06 Science of Attraction 12 Inventing Insecurities 14 What about male bodies 24 From Prehistoric Pretty to Filter Fanatics 26 Insecurities are masculine 48 Beauty past forty 49 Am I Pretty Anywhere? 53 Hey teenage-me, this is for you! 57

TRENDS

The Unfiltered Truth 08 Can I BeReal 10 Shave it or Hate it 15 Chocolate Side 18 “Having Breasts is Part of Being a Woman” 21 New Day, New Body 37 Anahita’s self-care moment 52

‘‘it’s all about confidence’’

True beauty comes from within. That’s not exactly what you’d associate with beauty contests, where it seems to be all about appearances. But to win, you don’t just have to look perfect. Saartje Langstraat (21), the Miss Beauty Netherlands from 2021 gives insight into the world of pageants and how participating has changed her perspective on beauty.

Story by Jana Prochazka and photos by Saartje Langstraat

How do you actually win a beauty contest? Is it really all about good looks?

No, of course not. There are specific types of girls that each pageant is aiming for. Miss Earth is a pageant for women who are committed to protecting the environment. It also depends on your overall presentation and the quality of your social media presence. It doesn’t matter how many followers you have but you need to be visible. The pageant organisation works with this girl for a year until the next person is crowned. Therefore, it’s important that the organisation knows that they can rely on you as someone they can work with professionally. It’s a kind of PR and you have to be really good at it.

What did you learn about true beauty from participating?

Beauty is interesting. I haven’t felt beautiful most of my life. I was always a bit of an outsider. I was weird and I never thought I could be the person doing all these shoots. But there’s a saying: Any woman can be beautiful. If you look at the models on the catwalk, some of them have features that you wouldn’t expect to be beautiful, like a huge nose or a skin condition. And that’s a perfect example of how confidence and embodying who you truly are radiates beauty. It’s all about confidence.

I would love pageants to be more diverse. At Miss Earth USA for example, there was a lot of diversity. One girl was in a wheelchair, that is a step in the right direction, but because Miss Earth is an Asian pageant there are certain beauty standards, like being thin. If you want The Netherlands to perform well, you must send an appropriate candidate. Therefore, the Dutch winner is usually skinnier. If you really want to change the beauty standard, it has to be from the top down.

The whole organisation of pageants must be open to more diversity before something can change permanently.

What do you do on days when you don’t feel confident about yourself?

I put on a different outfit, wash my face and do some self-care. I try any kind of serotonin boost I can get, maybe bake a cake. We are all tired sometimes and it’s not like we are superwomen. Usually, the solutions have nothing to do with beauty, but people forget how important self-care is. Beauty is not the number one priority. The most important thing is that you feel good and that you find pleasure in what you do in life.

That’s what we learn in the training as well. If you walk into the room with your head up high and you are not afraid to show yourself, people will perceive you as more beautiful. So, fake it till you make it.

Do you feel like you have to fit in with any beauty ideals to win the contest, such as being tall and thin?

Yes. There are beauty ideals in pageants, but they are far more accepting than in the modelling industry. In pageants, it is okay to have some curves and a more feminine body. I was very thin when I first participated but I could not gain any weight because of my fast metabolism. Moving into a new kind of beauty ideal, I was insecure about my body, and I thought: Oh, I also want boobs and curves. I talked to a catwalk trainer about that and he said, it’s all about the way you walk. By walking in a certain way, you can have bigger breasts or wider hips. You can work with your body.

Is there something you would like to change about beauty pageants?

‘‘If you really want to change the beauty standard, it has to be from the top down.’’

The (un)filtered truth

Story & photo’s by Luisa Funk

It takes one tap and the selfie looks ‘perfect’ –thanks to beauty filters or editing apps. The last few years, modifying your selfies has become more and more popular. Gaia Giorgi (26) is currently working on her master thesis about face filters and gendering performances on TikTok at the University of Bologna. She knows that this hype of photo editing is no coincidence. “80% of the most used filters on TikTok are beauty ones”, she says. People use beauty filters because it is so accessible, Giorgi explains: “You have them implemented in those apps, you just have to tap on the filter section on Instagram or TikTok while taking a selfie or video.” Marika Tiggemann, Doctor in Psychology at the Flinders University in Australia, adds that using filters has become a normal thing to do.

Photo editing and mental health

Removing a pimple or making your teeth whiter, there is nothing you can’t edit. However, this trend is something to worry about according to Marika Tiggemann, Isabella Anderberg and Zoe Brown. A 2020 study shows that young adults who frequently use filters on social media often feel unhappy with their actual face and body. As the real self and the ideal self are not the same, they feel disappointed and unsatisfied.

Marika Tiggemann explains that the more you use filters or editing applications, the worse you see yourself. “You create an idealised version of yourself which is very difficult or even impossible to live up to”, she says.

Getting a full face of make-up within seconds through beauty filters or editing apps – modifying your own pictures got quite normal. But how does the use of these filters and applications influence our self-image?

This behaviour can lead to the so-called Snapchat dysmorphia, a type of body dysmorphia. With this, the person is obsessed with the noticed imperfections in their face or body due to the use of filters. People who frequently use photo editing apps are even more open towards plastic surgery as shown by a 2019 study of Jonlin Chenand. Your editing behaviour is closely aligned to the way you see yourself. People who are satisfied and confident might not be as affected by filters as people who are insecure. This leads to a vicious circle. They edit their pictures because they are insecure.

However, editing may lead to a lower awareness of who they are. That results in a higher risk of a negative state of mind. What we see on social media also influences our editing behaviour. The 2020 study Editing the Self Away: The Effects of Photo Manipulation on Perceptions of the Self by Roxanne N. Felig shows that seeing attractive models leads people to spend more time on editing their own pictures.

Marika Tiggemann states that influencers are seen as role models in editing behaviour. In her opinion, they should have a leading role in changing this behaviour by not using them, writing disclaimers or promoting a positive body image in other ways.

Why photo-editing?

Marika Tiggemann knows the reason why people think it is necessary to edit their pictures before uploading them on social media.

“We want to put our ideal selves out there”, she explains. “We want to receive the reception, for example likes and comments, and take this as a sign of our popularity, attractiveness and – unfortunately - worth.”

Tiggemann has a recommendation on how to handle photo editing. According to her, people should stop using filters or photo editing apps. However, if one uses them, they should limit it to colour filters and maybe the removal of blemishes. She concludes: “But you should not feel the need to reshape your face or use beauty filters.”

“We want to put our ideal selves out there”

Most of you already use it, BeReal. Every day at a different time, BeReal notifies everyone simultaneously to capture and share a photo within two minutes. It’s supposed to be a new and unique way to discover who your friends really are in their daily life. Unlike Instagram and Snapchat, the photos on BeReal should be very pure, without filters and in the moment. Hence the name BeReal. It should be a spontaneous photo where you do not hide from the outside world. You will only see your friends’ BeReals after you have placed a BeReal yourself. I use the new trendy app on a daily basis, but sadly I am not following the real rules.

Did you miss the two minutes? Then you can still post a ‘Late BeReal’, so you can see what your friends are up to. This takes away the original idea of BeReal. It might as well be a post on Instagram.

Most friends I have, hardly ever post their photo at the exact time of the notification. To be honest, I’m as bad as most. I almost cheat every time. Often I even wait for the best activity of the day to make my BeReal. And even though

there is no filter, I am always busy getting my hair out of a bun or just holding the best pose. Of the 136 BeReals I made until now, only 18 were within the notification time. This is about one out of ten times where I actually show what I’m doing.

As a self-experiment, I tried to make the BeReal on time five days in a row when receiving the notification. It started well on day one, but unfortunately I already failed the day after, when I completely missed the notification. It turned out to be more difficult than expected. It makes sense that you can miss the notification and still take a picture. But at that point it feels UnReal to me. Most people, myself included, use the possibility of postponement to stage their life - again.

Even though I feel like it’s another app where I have to stage my life, I really feel the need to go along with the trend. I want to see what my friends are up to. I want to see behind the perfect image on social media. But I’m not and they don’t see my real life either. Currently I have 60 friends on BeReal and I just show them what I want to. I’m preventing myself from showing my truest side. I find it hard to admit, but I think it’s still somewhat of an insecurity and I don’t want to necessarily show my real side to everyone out of those 60 people.

For now I really like the app and I will definitely use it for a while. Probably until the next new trendy app pops up. Then I’ll just follow the latest hype, like a sheep following the herd.

Story by Evy Tjin A Ton and illustration by Quinty Veenman

‘‘I’m preventing myself from showing my truest side.’’

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 and illustrations by Sarah Stallinger

Psychologist Josef Vuister explains attraction can be explained through simple theories like the Evolutionary Theory of Attraction. “We are attracted to individuals who display traits that are associated with survival and reproductive fitness”, Vuister says. Studies have shown that the human brain holds separate facial preferences for men and women and across most cultures these ‘attractive’ features are mostly similar. For women, it’s small noses, widely separated eyes, strong and narrow cheekbones, full lips, and luscious hair. For men, it’s often the opposite: small eyes, strong nose and jawline, thin lips, and bushy brows. However, there are key traits that apply regardless of gender. These traits are linked to the Evolutionary Theory of Attraction and include a symmetrical face, clear skin, white teeth and healthy hair – all signs that a person has healthy genes, which signal reproductive fitness.

Definition

According to the Oxford dictionary, attraction can be defined as the action or power of evoking interest in or liking someone or something.

Symmetry, why is it so desirable?

Symmetry – we all want it. Yet only 2% of the world’s population has absolute symmetry. However, perfected beauty isn’t as rare or unattainable as it used to be. In a desperate attempt to achieve it, most women and some men glam up every single day and many even undergo expensive and invasive plastic surgery to attain the ‘perfect face’. But why is it so desirable?

Research suggests that we have evolved to recognise symmetry as representing good genes and physical health. In fact, studies have shown that a well-proportioned face stands for perceived developmental stability as well as genetic quality and is, therefore, a better-developed immune system. Cosmetic surgery is especially popular among celebrities. A surgeon from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons claimed that 70% of celebrities have had some form of plastic surgery. This perceived image of the ideal face does not apply to most of the population, but thankfully, another key player in attraction is familiarity.

Ovulation

Women are more attractive to men when ovulating as it indicates high female fertility, ability to mate, and create off spring.

Familiarity: The Mere Exposure Hypothesis

A person’s repeated exposure to someone increases their perceived value and likability. This theory is known as the Mere Exposure Hypothesis. A study by Liverpool University found that the brain connects familiarity with attractiveness. By showing the participants a series of similar faces with widely-spaced eyes and then giving them two photos (one with widely-spaced eyes and one with narrow-spaced eyes) and afterward asking them to choose who was most attractive, the participants repeatedly choose the type of face they were exposed to more: the familiar face. Ultimately, this makes it easier to interpret and evaluate others as potential partners. Vuister says: “We are more attracted to familiar people because we have more certainty about how familiar individuals will act or behave.” However, if humans find familiarity so attractive, why do so many people dislike the appearance of the person they see the most: themselves?

Why is it so hard to look in the mirror and like what you see?

When it comes to our self-image, there is a number of factors that can influence our overall self-image. For instance, we tend to compare ourselves to others in an attempt to determine our own value. This ability to compare ourselves to others can cause us to evaluate ourselves negatively when our reference point becomes tangled up with the unrealistic expectations of beauty and attractiveness that our society promotes. Vuister says: “As humans, we tend to focus on what is wrong or missing, rather than what is right with us.” These two factors put together can cause people to become dissatisfied with their appearance.

Pheromones

All five senses are used when determining if someone is attractive. That’s why, if you see someone in a bar you like the look of, you want to approach so your nose can smell their pheromones.

Why is confidence so attractive? Despite all the physical factors, confidence is an attractive quality. It is related to high-self values, but why do others care what you think of yourself? Authentic confidence is a signal that an individual has high social status, access to important resources, or is successful within their environment. These qualities can in turn signal that individual as being a suitable partner in terms of evolutionary survival and well-being. Some attributes, like the preference for full lips for women and thin lips for men, still remain a mystery. However, next time you’re sitting at the bar watching your best friend get hit on, you can think of this article and feel relieved that with the Evolutionary Theory of Attraction, attraction can be simplified to a set of hormonal reactions and our biological desire to recreate.

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 and illustrations by

The cosmetic and beauty sector has substantially changed since the beginning of the 20th century. What has remained the same, however, is that the beauty industry toys with insecurities to increase the profit. An industry that is mostly led by men (65%) according to a report published by the MBS Group.

The pressure to live up to a certain ideal is particularly apparent on social media. Women run the risk of being preoccupied with their appearance because social media continuously tells them that their self-worth is solely based on their appearance, and the beauty industry is constantly creating new blemishes, such as body hair for women. In 1917, nobody shaved their armpits. However, Gillette started advertising body hair as the solution to “an embarrassing personal problem”. But the problem has actually been created by the company in the first place.

This marketing strategy has remained successful until today. Martha Laham is a business professor at Diablo Valley College and author of the book Made Up: How the Beauty Industry Manipulates Consumers, Preys on Women’s Insecurities, and Promotes Unattainable Beauty Standards. According to her it is the primary aim of the beauty industry to make women feel dissatisfied and insecure. Thus, they will be made to consume the much-coveted beauty products. Martha Laham explains that there are a few billion-dollar beauty conglomerates who dominate the industry. These companies heavily invest in traditional media, therefore repeatedly exposing women to beauty ads.“Beauty brands tap into consumers’ fear of appearance-based rejection. They play on consumers’ insecurities about their physical appearance to sell products”, Laham is concerned.

Not only does the beauty industry profit from insecurities but the diet and anti-aging industries also solely rely on the failure of their consumers. Holding women accountable for their weight and appearance has positive implications for the economy in general. As reported by Research and Markets the weight loss industry in the U.S. alone is worth $72,6 billion. If women were to stop focusing on their appearance, there would be detrimental financial consequences for the industry.

The changing beauty ideals show how oppressed women are in society because they define personal freedom. In all cultures, changing one’s appearance is accepted and even encouraged, if not required, to conform to beauty standards.

The beauty industry adds even more pressure, as women who do not meet beauty standards are seen as not enough. Martha Laham points out that beauty brands have a long tradition of deploying persuasive messages designed to motivate and convince consumers to buy their products. For example, beauty companies often link their products to an affective state, such as happiness, love, fear, confidence, passion, disgust, and so on, which makes good marketing sense as consumers

primarily buy beauty products for emotional reasons. Martha Laham states: ”The irony is that for the brand to elicit a positive response from consumers, it must first provoke an unpleasant emotional state, such as dissatisfaction with or concern over their appearance. As appearance anxiety increases, women may be more inclined to turn to beauty products to alleviate it.“ Because of the constant pressure to conform to the norms, enormous amounts of money are invested in products and services that could be used for educational or professional purposes. According to a study conducted by OnePoll for Groupon, women who routinely spend money on their appearance approximately spend $313 per month.

The turnover of the beauty industry is increasing. Again and again, new blemishes are invented, which encourage especially young girls to change their appearance or improve through their pro ducts. In her book Martha Laham states: “Beauty brands should celebrate our individuality, embrace the beauty in diversity, and speak to us honestly and authentically. Because we are worth it.”

Quinty Veenman

“Beauty brands tap into consumers’ fear of appearance-based rejection.’’

SHAVE IT OR HATE IT

Blonde hair, tall and skinny with soft skin and not a single hair on your body. Middle Eastern girls in a white society often feel pressured to conform to Western beauty norms. A self-reflection of why I decided to remove all of my body hair.

Story by Anahita Ahmadi and photos by Dobromir Muladzhikov

For as long as I can remember, body hair has played a huge role in my life. At the surprising age of 13, I started bleaching my hair. My mother kindly reminded me when it was time again: “Anahita it’s time to bleach your arm hair.” Those words were happiness to my ears as it meant that the wait was finally over and I would no longer be the ‘hairy girl’.

In elementary school, I was (almost every time) the only Middle Eastern girl. This significantly impacted my self-esteem as I couldn’t help constantly comparing myself with the white girls in my class. I would ask questions such as: Why don’t they have a unibrow or long thick arm hair? Why am I the only one with noticeable body hair? Later on, when I finally went to high school, something changed: There was more diversity in my class. I can’t lie, at first, this made me extremely happy but as time went on, I began noticing that even those girls had much less body hair than me.

method out there, but none have ever left me satisfied as the hair would always grow right back.

At the age of 18, I began my journey with laser hair removal. Before going to the right place, I knew I had to do some research. In the process, I noticed how many different clinics there were and how they all varied tremendously in price. I realised at that moment how hard it was going to be to find the right one as not all of them used the same methods. After investigating,I finally found a place that I felt comfortable going to. They use the diode ice laser treatment that allows a quick and safe removal of unwanted body hair. This makes this method painless and effective.

From that moment on, I made sure that body hair would no longer be a problem. I started my own removal routine. At first, I got rid of my armpit hair at the age of 11. When I was 13, I moved on to using an epilator to remove both my leg and armpit hair. Then, I decided it would be best if I started bleaching or sometimes waxing my arms and facial hair. You could say I have done every hair removal

When I walked in for my initial session at the clinic, Rezhin Baban, owner of Bella Mia Clinic, asked me why I wanted to laser-remove my body hair. I began by thinking about being honest or not. Finally, I opened up by explaining to her that whenever I see my own body hair I get grossed out and I don’t know the reason why. She responded by saying that a lot of girls come for the same reason as I do, especially Middle Eastern girls. In general, the majority of people go to laser hair removal clinics to remove their thick brown hair.

Women in our society often feel the pressure to remove body hair to conform to society’s norms. In 2017 a survey showed that as many as 96% of women shave or epilate their armpit hair. The majority of women (53%) shave their legs

Why am I the only one with noticeable body hair?

occasionally when they go on dates or have to visit the physiotherapist. A smaller percentage of women (31%) make sure their leg hair is always gone (mostly because they dislike it). 16% of women simply put it off during the winter months. Only a few, 3.4%, shave their legs out of personal enjoyment. Among women, 50% completely remove all their hair, 11% do away with proliferation, and 39% trim it.

When I think about the 11-year-old Anahita I can’t avoid feeling bad for her. She’s never felt pretty due to her body hair. She blamed her genes and roots. After all these years I think, I can finally answer the question of why I feel so grossed out by my body

hair. It’s the way others made me feel. Even now, I don’t feel pretty or clean if I see any type of hair on my body.

There are plenty of other foreign girls who also experience these problems. Personally, I feel like we should talk more about diversity in school. Including the history of body hair. That way young people and girls in general can feel less ashamed of something that is completely natural. School should be a safe space for individuals to ask questions and talk about their insecurities. By doing so, it would educate the younger generation and teach them to love themselves just the way they are.

“Even now, I don’t feel pretty or clean if I see any type of hair on my body.”

Chocolate Side

Story and illustrations by Franziska Kircher, photos by Dobromir Muladzhikov

One half of the face is typically perceived as more beautiful. Dr. Joachim Graf von Finckenstein explains the background to this. He is a plastic and aesthetic surgeon and author of the book Why does beauty turn us on so much? In his book, he explores the phenomenon of why one half of the face appeals to us more than the other.

Most of the time the left part of our face appears more attractive. “That is because it shows emotions more strongly than the other side,” Graf von Finckenstein explains. The majority of people are right-handed and their dominant brain side is the right one. The right side of the brain is mainly responsible for emotions. However, they are expressed on the left side of the face, since the brain operates crosswise, the doctor explains. The idea is that these slightly stronger emotions on the left side of the face are more appealing to the viewer’s eye than those on the right side.

Symmetry is sexy

But not only emotions influence the beauty of a face. Much of it is about symmetries. These are what attract people. Depending, for instance, on the parting of a person’s hair or whether one eye is slightly higher than the other. As soon as the proportions are balanced through a slight tilt of the face, it becomes more pleasing to look at.

Proportions please the eye

The face can be divided into different parts. Decisive for attractiveness are not necessarily the individual components, but rather their proportions. This theory of relations goes back to Leonardo DaVinci’s golden ratio. For testing your own facial proportions all you need is your hand:

1. Take your fingers and use them to measure the distance in length from your hairline to the middle of your eyebrows

Result. If all three lots are equally sized, the face is considered to be perfectly proportioned. According to Graf von Finckenstein, no one is perfectly symmetrical. However, perfection is boring, he thinks. It is our anomalies that set us apart and make us interesting to look at.

2. Then take this exact measurement and place it from the middle of the eyebrows to the tip of your nose

3. Lastly, do the same from the tip of your nose to the end of your chin

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?

“Having breasts is part of of being a woman”

and photos by Willemijn Besaris

In the Netherlands, an estimated 6,000 to 8,000 breast augmentation surgeries are performed each year using a breast implant for aesthetic reasons, according to the Dutch Society of Plastic Surgery. Emmy’s first consultation took place recently but she still has doubts about the procedure.

Emmy is sitting on a chair at the dining table, in front of her is a cup of tea. In her living room is a painting on the wall, with different kind of breasts painted on it, in the middle a

sentence that says: “Calm your tits”. She laughingly points to a pair of breasts on the canvas, “That’s the way I want them”.

Emmy studies Creative Business in Amsterdam, is a naturally beautiful person and says she is not very insecure about her looks. She recalls that she has always been on the thinner side and was often called ‘plank’ or other comments about her breasts during her time at high school. “I think that got stuck in my head.” She looks back on her high school days and recalls that all of her

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

friends were getting boobs, and that she was left behind in that. “All my girlfriends got fuller bosoms in high school. I was always kind of jealous of that.”

For a second consultation, she visits plastic surgeon Gijs Selms at the Jan van Goyen Clinic. In front of her on the table are several silicone implants. She looks at them mesmerised and grabs one. “The implant you are currently holding, with a rough exterior, we have not been using since 2019. Research has shown that lymphoma can develop with these implants”, Dr. Selms tells her. “I’ll just give you a sports bra and then you can try on a few different ones and feel which size you feel comfortable with.” Emmy stands in front of the mirror and looks at her potential new breasts. She beams: “I really do like this, it shouldn’t be bigger than this.” Yet there is also doubt. She asks the surgeon: “Do you have a daughter?” He says that he has four daughters. She said: “What would you say to them if they wanted a breast augmentation?”

During the photo shoot for this reportage, there is not a trace of insecurity in Emmy. “A photo without a t-shirt? No problem! Just close the curtains, otherwise it will be nice for the neighbours!”. Even though she’s insecure about her breasts, she’s simultaneously sure about herself and with such ease in front of the lens. How long has this idea of having bigger breasts been developing?

“It comes in waves”, Emmy explains, “I feel like it makes me more feminine. Sometimes, when I have a shirt on, it almost looks like I’m flat. I don’t feel comfortable with that. For me personally, having breasts is part of being a woman.”

should look like. The environment I find myself in also plays a part, with girlfriends who very easily make this kind of choice, to have something improved by the plastic surgeon.”

Having silicone implants is not entirely without risks, according to scientific research and documentaries. One of the documentaries, called Moord tieten is about a woman who had to have her breast implants removed after seven years because they were leaking. Emmy also saw the documentary and it did cause her to have second thoughts. “I investigated it and during the consultation with the plastic surgeon I also asked questions about it. She says that there are risks involved. And, that you are going to be cutting into a healthy body. Which does make me wonder if I should do this.” Even though Emmy has her doubts, she’s still sure of her decision. “My mother once suggested that I should talk to someone about this. For me personally, comments like that I am a plank will always stay in my head unless I make the choice to have surgery. Then I will be able to let it go.”

But what about women who have A cups and are satisfied and confident with it? Are they also not feminine enough? “That has to do with your own point of view, of what a woman

“I feel like it makes me more feminine.”

What about

Women have always been under more pressure in terms of beauty standards than men. In the last few years, social media has spread a lot of support for the different shapes and sizes women have. This body positivity movement sure is important, but what about men?

Story and photos by Nicky Mai

While the body positivity movement tends to focus on women, men also struggle with body image. Many men are reluctant to speak about their insecurities. They are used to not sharing their feelings with the world and more used to suppress. Maurits Campman, a Computer Science student, says it is taboo for men to speak up about their struggles. He explains: “Men are expected to be less emotional than women and not feel shitty about their looks. It’s not okay to joke about a woman’s appearance, but when the same joke is made to me, it’s expected that I just laugh it off.”

Body image issues amongst men can start early. A study from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children has shown that around 25% of male adolescents were worried about their bodies, wanting more toned and defined muscles. Moreover, approximately 30% of high school-aged males expressed a desire to gain weight to appear more muscular.

Male bodies

Milo Verhaar, a 19-year-old Creative Business student, also struggles sometimes with his own body image. “There will always be something that people are not happy about when talking about their own body”, Milo says. Because of social media platforms and other online platforms, people get influenced by it very fast, and will create a feeling of jealousy towards these people, and are sad about themselves, he thinks.

Male fitness influencers, who portray a body that is completely unrealistic for most people, are often on some type of steroids, says Marcus de Kronnie, a 22-year-old competitive powerlifter. “Men can get body dysmorphia by seeing all these fitness influencers who claim to be natural”, he fears. “People believe those fake naturals and think that they can achieve a body like that by just training. They train for something that they will never be able to get.”

Men, just like women, face unrealistic beauty standards. However, they are still expected to stay quiet about their insecurities. When asked what could be done about this, Milo answers: “Men should not be scared to talk about their insecurities. We’ve come a long way to finally recognize women with different kinds of bodies. Now it is time to do so with men as well.”

In honor of Denzel

From Prehistoric Pretty to Filter

Fanatics

For as long as we have been on this planet, beauty has been in our lives, whether it was to look rich, to seduce someone or to live up to the standards of society. What did our ancestors consider beautiful?

Story by Tina Priemus

Ancient Aesthetics (3000 BC – 500)

Greek and Roman times are known for the development of scientific thinking. Pythag oras, who was born in Ancient Greek around 570 BC and later moved to Italy, came up with the Golden Ratio, a formula that linked symmetry to beauty. Women with a unibrow were considered more symmetrical and thus more beautiful. To fake this unibrow women used make-up to fill in the gap bet ween their eyebrows. An example of a woman is seen in the fresco from the Roman town of Pompeii (60 CE).

A Fresco (c. 60 CE) from the Roman town of Pompeii

Renaissance Refinement (1300 – 1500)

The interest in calculations of the perfectly proportioned face didn’t stop in ancient times. Leonardo da Vinci’s drawing The proportions of the head, and a standing nude (c. 1490) shows a face in which one third is covered by the forehead. Many paintings, such as Portrait of a Lady (1460) by Van der Weyden, portray women showing off their lengthy forehead. During this age of time women would even pluck or shave their hair to make their forehead look bigger and meet the ideal of beauty.

Prehistoric Pretty (25.000 years ago)

There is not much known about the beauty standard of the prehistoric age. However, this totem can tell us something about the way humans looked at beauty 25.000 years ago. According to Dr. Richard Johnson from the University of Colorado School of Medicine, the Venus of Willendorf represents survival in an extremely cold climate. For the people living in this age it was hard to get all their nutritions. Being fat meant you had a higher chance of survival. This wasn’t necessarily a beauty standard but it was the ideal to strive for.

(1460)

Venus of Willendorf (Credit: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons)

Portrait of a Lady by Rogier van der Weyden

The Proportions of the head, and a standing nude by Leonardo da Vinci (c. 1490) in the Royal Collection Trust

Filter Fanatics

(Now)

Even though body positivity is playing a great part in the way we look at beauty these days, there still are beauty norms women have to live up to. According to a 2021 survey by ParentsTogether, teens who use filters on social media are more likely to wish for plastic surgery. Social media is filled with girls showing off their flawless skin, fit bodies and long shiny hair. Beauty filters prove that not everything you see on social media is real.

Roaring 20’s Rebellion (1920-1930)

The 1920s, also called the Roaring 20s, was a time of more prosperity between the end of World War I and The Great Depression. This was especially true for the United States, but Europe was not left behind. In the Western world, more freedom for women came with more prosperity. Women started to dress more androgynous. A skinny body with a flattened chest and a short hairdo was the new standard. The movies at the time showed this new ideal of beauty. In the picture you see actress Marion Davies with a bobline and a skinny body.

Victorian Females (1837 – 1900)

After years of obese beauty standards, the ideal has shifted to the contrary. During the Victorian era women would try to get a very small waist by tightlacing a corset around their bodies. The picture shows a poster for corsets. It portrays how the item was normalized during the Victorian times. Valerie Steele writes about the dangers of corsets in her book The Corset: A Cultural History (2001). She describes the way women’s rib cages would be totally modified and the severe liver dysfunction that would show.

Bacchus, Peter Paul Rubes (1638-1640)

Four Eras of Fat (1500 – 1900)

Body positivity is not only a trend we see nowadays. From the 16th until the 19th century, having a fuller body was seen as beautiful. Having a body that was leaning to obesity meant it was healthy and was a sign of prosperity. Writer Luigi Cornaro, born in 1550, confirms this trend in his book The Art of Living Long. He describes the Italian civilization as one of immoderation. Being able to have a body like that meant you had enough money to eat. A wealthy body is shown in the painting Bacchus (c. 1639) by the Flemish painter Rubens.

Kendall Jenner using an Instagram filter (2022)

Venus of Willendorf (Credit: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons)

Actress Marion Davies and film director King Vidor on the set of The Petsy (1928)

(SK)INSPIRATION

Spots, pigment, tattoos, bumps, scars, stretch marks, acne, eczema, moles, freckles. The list is endless. Our skin is unique. We are taught that we need to ‘feel comfortable in our own skin’, but the types of skin our society seems to prefer are those no one seems to have. We expect our skin to be flawless, nothing out of the ordinary. We are getting used to an unnatural idea of what the norm of skin should be like. How can we ever feel comfortable in the skin we have, if what is deemed normal, is in reality unreachable? We live our entire life in the same skin. Why should we not make it interesting? It is the first thing we see: the pimple on somebody’s face, the large scar on the persons leg or the tattoo on their arm. Our skin tells a story. We can’t undo the scars of our past or alter how our skin responds to emotions or the world around us. We can not always change the way it looks, but we can change the way we look at our skin.

and photos by Quinty Veenman

ROXANNE

(21)

‘‘When I first discovered I had vitiligo, my dermatologist gave me make-up so I could cover it. I didn’t really understand why, I never felt the need to hide it, I think it’s unique.’’

Story

robin (23)

‘‘I got tattoos because I think it’s beautiful and edgy at the same time. It is also sort of a sign of independence to me. It’s my skin, I can do what I want with it.’’

QUINTEN (23)

‘‘When I was young I grew very quickly because of puberty and boxing. It’s something people think mostly women have. So I always tell people my stretch marks are badass tiger scratches.’’

FRANZI (21)

‘My skin does not define me. Being transparent about my perioral dermatitis and speaking up about it, not only helped my skin get better but also put my mind at ease. Never judge yourself for something that’s not your fault.

Skin: /skɪn/ ‘‘The thin layer of tissue forming the natural outer covering of the body of a person or animal.’’

QUINTy (22)

‘‘I’ve had eczema my entire life. It’s very common, but people don’t always understand. They think it’s contagious or because of bad hygiene. Embracing my skin took time, but I learned that hiding it is not worth it because all skins are beautiful.’’

remi (23)

‘‘I always was the only one with this many freckles. I used to get bullied for it as a little kid but as I grew older, people started to compliment them and say how unique I am. My freckles are now very valuable to me.’’

F*ck the standard,

stand out!

Make-up can make you stand out. At least that is how Matt perceives its purpose. The 33year-old uses the power of make-up to transform himself into his alter ego: Neon Noire. Matt has been interested in Drag for almost ten years, but never tried it himself until the pandemic started. “I’m a graphic designer by day and I studied art, so make-up was basically a new palette, a new medium to try out”, he says.

However, it took him quite some time to pick up this new hobby. As a queer kid, Matt explains, it was not very easy to try this tempting art form, that make-up has always been for him. But as he got older and got more confident within himself, he started to care less what society might think. Still, he was a little nervous to tell his friends, when he first started Drag. He explains: “I was intimidated to tell them, but they were not surprised at all.” However, his friends were not the only ones being very supportive. Even in the Drag industry with a lot of experienced performers he received compliments from the very start, motivating him to stay on track and perfect his skills.

Creating different looks for his alter ego Neon, Matt feels empowered. “If I paint my face

Story by Franziska Kircher and photos by Matt A.

Make-up. As the origin of the word suggests, most people use cosmetics to make up for ‘flaws’. Be it blemishes, wrinkles, or their freckles. But make-up can do much more than making one blend in with societal standards of beauty.

a Portrait of Matt A.

How does wearing make-up change anything about who I am?”

blue, it gives me this alien creature look”, he notes. Since he keeps his beard, he does not want to go feminine, but more theatrical. Creating a new look is like creating a new world

for him and make-up is part of that wondrous transformation to Neon.

Matt chose his stage name Neon Noire consciously. As a designer, he wanted the name to be a colour, he explains. “The colour neon came naturally to me, since it is the brightest one”, he says. Matt describes himself as quite outgoing and “the brightest crayon in the box”. As his last name he chose Noire, which means black in French. “I like the contradiction between these two – the brightest and the darkest colour that there is”, he elaborates. Even though his career in Drag is skyrocketing, Matt had and has to face some serious pushbacks from time to time. Going out as Matt, short hair, thick beard, large glasses, he has never had any problems. However, on the way to a show or a photoshoot in Amsterdam, already wearing make-up, strangers have offended him multiple times. “I’ve been insulted on the streets and taxi drivers have just driven off, refusing to pick me up”, he remembers. He feels like there is still the societal pressure to look a certain way – some are supposed to wear make-up and others are not allowed to. To Matt this does not make sense. “I mean this is so stupid. How does wearing make-up change anything about who I am?”, he wonders.

To overcome this societal expectation, Matt holds on to an old saying from the drag business: We’re all born naked, the rest is Drag. That means that beauty is whatever you want it to be, he explains. We’re all the same, yet so different. If he feels very masc (masculine) one day and the next day wants to go full-glam, that’s fine and that’s beautiful, Matt thinks. “Beauty is about feeling yourself and being unique”, he says. “I don’t think

We’re all born naked, the rest is Drag.

New day, new body

As fashion trends continue to come and go, so do body types. From Bella Hadid to Kim Kardashian, the everlasting rise and fall of body shapes are creating unreachable body expectations for women. Throughout this listicle, you will be able to pick and choose what body shape you would like to have. But please, take it with a grain of salt. Our intentions are not serious.

Story by Zara Garrido Jimenez, illustrations by Sarah Stallinger and Franziska Kircher

The Slim Thick

This body type is something that we see in the Kardashian family and it’s known for:

• Skinny but toned legs & arms

• A circular and perky buttock

• Small waist

• Plump and voluptuous breasts

If you are interested in picking this body type, you must remember that you will follow a mostly plant-based and sugar free diet (plenty of leafy greens, vegetables, oat milk & tofu). Also, to keep up your ‘natural’ physique, you will need to have a personal trainer who will make sure you workout every day of the week.

The Pilates Girl

Also known as the ‘it-girl’ body, this body type is seen in celebrities such as Kendall Jenner, Hailey Bieber, the list goes on and on and on. If you’re looking for the long and lean look, this one’s for you. Its main features are:

• Super thin arms & legs

• Flat, toned stomach, it’s really important that you have no fat whatsoever on this part of your body

• Small waist (this seems to be a common denominator in all body types that are currently trending)

• Small breasts or, even better, no breasts at all

This body type differs from the previous one as it requires different maintenance. Firstly, when it comes to food, you will have to drink a lot of green juices and weight-loss teas. Food won’t really be part of your diet as it will be based mainly on liquids. But, if you are really really hungry you can have a small handful of almonds (and make sure to chew them really well). Of course, you will have to work out every day. You will stick mainly to pilates classes, running and yoga. Remember that to maintain this body-type you must stay lean, so stay away from any muscle building classes.

The Heroin Chic

This body type emerged in the 90s and is mostly associated with the world renowned model Kate Moss. Nowadays, it’s mostly portrayed by Bella Hadid. To have this body, sticking to the pilates girl diet and exercise regime is a must. Additionally, it’s best if you have pale skin, noticeable under eye bags and emaciated features, as it’s a key characteristic for this look.

Now, all jokes aside. With the come-and-go of body trends, we are creating unrealistic expectations for women. As a society, by creating these expectations, we are making women believe that their natural body isn’t good enough when in reality the ‘ideal body type’ doesn’t exist as all body shapes are ideal and perfect just as they are.

The purpose of this listicle is to show you that women’s bodies cannot be manipulated and treated as fast fashion, as body types are not something that can trend.

“I had to learn to shed a skin”

Kadie Kposowa, although born in London, is originally from Sierra Leone. Throughout their life, they have struggled to identify with a gender. Now at 29 years old, they describe

Story by Zara Garrido Jimenez and photos by Kadie Kposowa

“Being non-binary feels obvious to me now, but it was difficult to even start to associate myself with the term; partly because of societal stigma, but also my own internal fear stopped me from allowing myself to think about it. That changed around last year. I began to look inward and consider my relationship with my body and with how I present myself honestly.

I do not believe the society I live in, or even any to be frank, accepts non-binary people. I would even go as far as to say society does not accept gender non-conforming people as a whole. This impacts women who are secure in their femininity but present themselves ‘differently’. The same goes for men who are secure in their masculinity and still choose to present themselves ‘differently’. Merging this with an already racist society equals a cocktail of issues in trying to live life and navigate various environments.

My desire to be true to myself has cost me relationships with my family. I grew up in what I now realise was quite a conservative household and most of my family is quite rigid in what they accept and that thinking has followed me all my life. I have had to learn to shed a skin in ways to be able to stand and declare my truth to myself. To love myself for it, and not in spite of it, is a whole other journey.

My perception of myself has changed massively. I no longer feel like an outlier, but I feel that the world views people like me too narrowly. I’ve realised I’m not the issue in a sense. Beauty is a billion, maybe even trillion-pound industry hustling women into chasing an impossible perfection. My sense of beauty standards was changing before I realised I’m non-binary. I was concerned with how society treats me as a black person. I was also learning about intersectionality, and learning that society has various layers of treatment for us all depending on socioeconomic status and a cocktail of factors such as age, abilities or disabilities, race and so on. I’m at the point where I believe beauty is a hollow but powerful weapon and I wish we could look past physical attributes and actually treat people based on how they behave. We exclude the ‘undesirable’ amongst us at every turn and the goalposts for beauty have changed immense amounts even since I was born.

Sierra Leone is notoriously hostile to the LGBTQIA+ community. Expressing yourself out of gender norms and trends must be done in secret always. The media does not hold back on demonising and haranguing gender non-conformists or on ‘anyone’ deviating from what is seen as unacceptable. It makes it difficult to imagine ever being able to live there safely.”

what it is like being a non-binary person of colour, what beauty means to them and how non-binary people are treated back in Sierra Leone.

‘‘I do not believe the society I live in, or even any to be frank, accepts non-binary people.’’

Mastering Beauty

Trusting your internal beauty brings you a step closer to self-confidence. It all starts with uplifting your energy levels and keeping an open mind. Experts Vanessa Vink and Suzanne Stutje talk about the interdependence of vibration and beauty.

Present-day youth culture is obsessed with looking physically beautiful by investing in millions of cosmetic products to enhance the face and body. Nourishing your body is what people are taught from a young age. However, society has a way of navigating what

you follow as an individual and they are often a reflection of Western culture,

beauty trends and looking ‘picture-perfect’ all the time. Beauty is not a look, it’s a vibe, an aura, a feeling of one’s own energy. But how does one feel beautiful?

According to research from Dove, a nationwide beauty and cosmetics company, only 4% of women around the world consider themselves beautiful. People tend to be critical when asked confrontational questions, espe cially about the physicality of one’s body.

around you”, says Vink. What is important to take out of this, is that the energy field around every living being is called an aura. “Taking care of not only your physical body but also your energy field will create a lighter, happier, highly vibrational situation. With this comes ease and your face will look less stressed. So, with that in mind, taking good care of your energy system will also make you prettier”, says Vink.

Taking a leap of faith

The first step is accepting yourself with all your insecurities. Mahatma Gandhi, an Indian lawyer, nationalist and ethicist, famously known for his wise quotes, said: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” As an individual moves through life, they try to find ways to overcome insecurities and work on their goals. “Invest in yourself, not only physically, but also mentally. Dare to choose what is best for you. Face your fears and work on yourself in whatever way suits you best. When you come out on the other side you will be stronger, and you will have a good solid ground”, Vanessa concludes.

“Self-esteem is something that only you can teach yourself.”

from within

your vibration. “If you are fully connected with yourself, you will be spreading joy and love. You will be inspiring to others with your radiance. This will attract more people around you.” However, if one person is constantly vibrating low energy, they keep attracting that energy, events and people. Therefore, resulting in a constant spiral of negativity. Emotions play an important part in the way a person radiates energy onto the world.

To illustrate this, Vanessa Vink explains The Map of Consciousness, created by Dr. David Hawkins. The map is an essential tool for understanding the framework for human consciousness and energy fields associated with it. For instance, it can be seen on the map that grief and anger have a low vibration on the scale. Correspondingly, love and gratefulness vibrate higher.

Keeping the high vibration steady Vanessa Vink explains that if you have high vibration, people come to you and want a part of that. “We are like literal fireflies. It’s a ripple effect. Everything is connected”, she states. And while many might wonder how a person can uplift their energy to be more radiant and therefore attract high vibration, expert Vink has got a few tips for the people seeking beauty from within. The diversity of ways that help one improve their vibration and look more radiant is vast. When you are happier, you vibrate in a higher state.

lower vibration. Addi tionally, organic foods have a grounding effect on the body and mind. “Consider your body as luxurious and high quality as a Ferrari. Would you willingly choose the lowest quality gasoline for your car?”, Vink asks.

Cliché but true?

Beauty is a social construct. Studies have shown that beauty is based on soci etally agreed ideas that have been put into the systems of people and accepted as a norm over time. In the end, it all comes down to listening to what your soul needs rather than focusing on your physical appearance. According to Vink, there is nothing more attractive than someone who is mentally happy, emotionally available, authentic and healthy. When a person

them fulfilled, they become

makes

“Energy has infinite possibilities. The mind is your limit.”

-Vanessa Vink

Capturing Auras

Muladzhikov

As part of my research, I decided to visit a socalled aura photographer based in the Netherlands. The goal was to see whether understanding the colour of my own aura will nudge me towards learning more about myself. I wanted to see beauty from within. When someone explores their own personality and engages in soul-searching activities, they

open themselves to more opportunities for selfgrowth and getting to know themselves.

Meeting up with Marloes van Mensvoort, an aura photographer based in Den Bosch, she explains that an aura photo is two pictures combined in one.

A digital one done with a normal camera and an energy one, done using a device that reads the

Story and photos by Dobromir

“Every color has its own beautiful set of characteristics that people can find themselves familiar with. Everyone is beautiful in their own colourful way.”

- Marloes van Mensvoort

A conducted experiment with aura photographer Marloes van Mensvoort

energy frequencies out of your hand. “Every person has one or two colours, based on the rainbow scale which are very personal. These colours show the meaning behind your own personality, your talents and your gifts”, says Marloes.

According to the aura photographer, it is important to remember that one’s personal aura colour does

not change with emotions or influences of people. It only gets mildly affected. However, with time as you evolve and grow as a person, your aura can evolve and transform its colour as well.

Jamila (27): “I pierced my belly button when I was 13 years old. I hate that there’s still a hole.”

Shahine (22): “I was born three weeks early, so I used to think I wasn’t finished when I came out and that’s why my navel looks unfinished.”

Feline (23)

INNIE OR OUTIE?

Did you ever look down and wondered what that tiny hole is doing in the center of your belly? Young and old reflect upon their belly button.

Story and photos by Tina Priemus

Lian (56): “The skin around my belly button is a bit loose, but I don’t mind because two little girls used to live behind it.”

Ralph (23): “I didn’t know my bellybutton was special until people started telling me so. I actually thought everyone’s belly button looked like mine.”

Big chance yours is turned inwards. NBC News’ poll shows that 88% of their readers have an innie, a belly button that is turned inwards. Only 12% have an outie, a belly button that is turned outwards. As many people might mistakenly think, the reason your belly button looks the way it looks, has nothing to do with the way your umbilical cord is cut. “It’s not because of us or our skills that your belly button looks a certain way”, says midwife Rosa Lürsen.

A clamp is placed on the umbilical cord from about five centimeters of the baby’s future belly button. Then the umbilical cord is being cut off. Within a week the remains of the cord dry out and fall off. What remains is a little wound. Rosa explains: “The reason why different types of belly buttons exist, has to do with the way the wound heals. Your belly button is actually your first scar.”

Why most people have an innie and only some an outie is still being researched and has never been scientifically explained. Plastic surgeon Michel

Cromheecke suspects it has something to do with the way the leftover skin shrinks, and that some babies’ skin doesn’t shrink enough to turn inwards. Whether or not your belly button is an innie or an outie, it’s unique in its own way.

‘‘Your belly button is actually your first scar.”

Senna (23)

Living with body dysmorphia

How mental illness can warp one’s self image.

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.

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 severely flawed. People affected believe that extraordinary measures are required to conceal or correct their flaws. Although these imperfections are often unnoticed by others, they can have a significant impact on an individual’s life.

BDD affects 1.7% to 2.4% of the general population – that’s about 1 in 50 people. “A person who has body dysmorphic disorder perceives defects in their body which otherwise are not there. You may think that something is wrong about your eyes or nose, but if you had asked someone else, they would have not agreed,” says Dr Samir Parikh, director of Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences at Fortis Healthcare.

Sophie Klein, a 21-year-old-woman, has been living with BDD for multiple years. Showing symptoms as early as 12 years old, she has suffered immensely. “BDD warps my perception of myself. I have no idea what I really look like, my self-image changes daily.” People who have body dysmorphia are prone to repetitive behaviours. Apart from obsessing over their appearance for hours, they also tend to touch, rub, or pick at the perceived flaw and compare themselves to others, requiring constant motivation and reassurance. This preoccupation causes them anxiety, distress, and sleep disorders, and often impacts their social life negatively. “BDD can significantly affect academic performance”, explains Dr. Parikh. ”Time-consuming thoughts about appearance make it difficult to focus on schoolwork, which can

The causes of BDD are unknown, but certain biological and environmental factors, such as genetic predisposition, neurobiological factors, personality traits, and life experiences, may all play a role. While the desire to look ‘good’ is natural, the problem arises when one begins to evaluate selfworth through physical appearance. “My illness has worked its way into every crevice. It has identified all the aspects of my personality, what I love and

what makes me tick. It made me into a shell of a human being for a really long time. No matter what size you are, no matter what number you are on the scale, you will always find fault with yourself”, expresses Sophie. “In my mind, I was the only one who felt that way; I was the odd one out. I was scared to go out because I felt like my appearance was offensive. I’ve sat in front of the mirror an entire day, obsessing and crying over my looks.”

Many people with BDD avoid seeking help because they are afraid that others will judge them or think they are ‘vain’. Meaning that many people with BDD will likely suffer from it for a long time before seeking help. “We need encouragement to recover, that doesn’t sugarcoat the hard work and effort that must go into it”, Sophie states. “The healing process from this disorder is never plain sailing, but you can come out the other side into a more prosperous, more fruitful life.” She still suffers from BDD, but it’s not at the top of her priority list anymore. “We cannot carry on acting as though this disorder is merely a mission towards selfacceptance. People are destroying their bodies in hopes of learning how to love themselves. No one should have to hit rock bottom to realise that life is

Story, illustrations, and photo by Sarah Stallinger

“It has identified all the aspects of my personality, what I love and what makes me tick.”

Insecurities are masculine

In society, men are considered to be strong. However, they are still humans with insecurities. Read what men dislike about themselves.

Story by Luisa Funk and Nina Suijkerbuijk

My biggest insecurity is being too skinny. No matter how much I eat I don’t seem to gain weight.

-John (29)

I am insecure about my missing beard growth, my poor physique and lack of muscles, my ears and skin blemishes.

-Benjamin (18)

My biggest insecurity is my skin. I have problematic face skin, acne to be more precise.

-Valentin (20)

I don ́t like my posture, sometimes I think it is really bad. -David (25)

I am insecure about my teeth.

-Petar (22)

Beauty past forty

Women from three different cultures give candid insights into how they feel about ageing and their perception of beauty as they get older.

Story by Chloe McDermott and photo by Evy Tjin a Ton

How comfortable do you feel about leaving the house without make-up? Quite comfortable. When I go to work or something where I have to make an appearance then I really would like to have some mascara on.

Do you have a particular skin care routine?

I put mascara on in the morning and I don’t take it off all day. I wash myself under the shower and I clean it off with a cleansing towel.

Do you use anti-aging products?

I have but I have been on the menopause for two years and I stopped because I was sweating with the cream on my face. I believe they work a bit. Not so much but maybe a little.

Do you ever feel pressure to buy these products with advertising?

I don’t feel pressure, but I am influenced for sure but not pressured.

Do you feel more self-conscious or less self-conscious now?

I don’t think it really changed much from when I was younger or older. I haven’t felt much confidence with how I look but that hasn’t changed.

Do you think men and women are judged differently in terms of ageing?

You don’t see male make-up. Certainly not in the bubbles I’m in. I think when it comes to my age group products advertised to men are mainly for hair loss or shaving like razors.

Dutch/Turkish Social worker

Antoinette Roovers (53)

Suzanne Duffy (45)

Scottish

Support for learning assistant

How comfortable do you feel about leaving the house without make-up?

I feel fine leaving the house without make-up. But I don’t feel fine leaving the house without my Vitamin E on. I just feel I need something on my face.

Do you have a particular skin care routine?

I always use a facial cleanser in the morning and then apply the vitamin E cream before going out. That works well for me as well as a healthy diet and drinking lots of water.

Do you use anti-aging products?

It either works for your face or it doesn’t. The vitamin E base works for me because I have extremely oily skin. It takes away the redness and the rawness of the weatherbeaten look.

Do you ever feel pressure to buy these products with advertising?

I wouldn’t say I am ever bothered by adverts really. I just try things. Then when I find something that really works, I stick to it.

Do you feel more self-conscious or less self-conscious now?

I am more comfortable in my forties, than I was in my thirties and in my twenties actually. I am more comfortable now than the last twenty years.

Do you think men and women are judged differently in terms of aging?

I think the majority of guys my age expect a woman to be a certain way, but they don’t want to make the same level of effort. I think that’s ridiculous.

Photo by Cameron Mcdonald

Sabrina

Alamudi (44)

Secondary teacher

How comfortable do you feel about leaving the house without make-up?

I do feel comfortable. I don’t mind not wearing make-up, but I only do that when I drop off the kids at school. However, if I have to go to work or when I go out then I do wear make-up.

Do you have a particular skin care routine?

I always start off with a moisturiser. It is not an expensive one, it is a really cheap one actually. Then the most important thing, I always put on SPF sunscreen. In the evening I always cleanse. I take everything off and that is also very important.

Do you use anti-aging products? No, I don’t. My anti-aging product is the SPF. I don’t believe in antiaging products. I believe it’s just a way to sell things and I don’t believe they work.

Do you ever feel pressure to buy these products with advertising? I get the feeling sometimes that I have to buy it even though I know it is just PR or a commercial but I never buy it.

Do you feel more self-conscious or less self-conscious now? Well, when you are younger you haven’t got a clue that you have this lovely skin. Then when you are older you have a wrinkle here, a wrinkle there. I wish I appreciated it more when I was younger.

Do you think men and women are judged differently in terms of ageing?

Women have to work harder to get what they want. They say when men get older, they get more handsome, but women get told they get uglier.

Dutch/Indonesian

Photo by Quinty Veenman

Anahita’s self-care moment

With the cold days, and early nights it’s very important to take a moment and take care of yourself.

Story by Anahita Ahmadi and illustrations by Franziska Kircher

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Take a warm shower and give yourself the time to ENJOY the shower. Try to feel how your muscles are getting more and more loose. This is the moment your body can finally take a rest. Do a hair mask, scrub your body, and enjoy.

After the shower, put on some body lotion. In this cold weather, your skin gets very dry, so you mustn’t skip this step! My favorite body lotion at the moment is ‘’COCO CABANA’’ by SOL de Janeiro.

Put on a facemask and sit back and watch some Netflix or Youtube while you wait for your face mask to do its job. It’s important to give your face the same treatment you’re giving the rest of your body.

Put on some cute PJs and warm socks and make yourself a snack and hot chocolate.

Take a notebook or your notes app and journal for a bit. It helps to write some of your thoughts down. If you’re thinking ‘‘I don’t have anything to write down’’, believe me, if I say that you have. Writing things down can give you more perspective about the stuff you’re struggling with. A lot of people forget to take care of their mental state. It’s very important you take this seriously too.

And last but not least sleep! Having a good night’s sleep helps you function better the next day. And if you function better then you can finish more of your work. Which leads to less stress!

I assure you; even if you just take 15 minutes each day for yourself, your body and mind will be very grateful.

A lot of people tend to forget to take care of themselves because they “don’t have the time” for this.

Am I pretty somewhere?

Story by Sarah Stallinger and photos by Quinty Veenman

I’m a coconut – brown on the outside, white on the inside. Growing up as a mixed child, with an Austrian mum and an Egyptian dad, my combined heritages have often been the roots of my frustrations. Time and again I get the question: “So, where are you from?” followed by: “No, where are you really from?”, which mostly leads to a fun guessing game about my heritage. I don’t mind, mostly. What I do mind, is being reduced to my ethnicity. There are more interesting things about me. In a group full of people, why am I the only one being asked that question, being singled out?

As a child, I always felt a bit out of place. Going to a catholic school in a very white country, the distinction in looks becomes clear quite quickly. And I hated it. I disliked the green undertone of my skin, wished

if I could be a potential love interest or not, purely based on my race. I’m a ‘type’. I’ve had many men who were trying to pursue me tell me they’re into ‘exotic’ women. I hate that term. I am not exotic. I’m not a rare species of lizard. I just happen to have some different features than ‘the norm’.

Even though I have no connection to my Egyptian culture, when it does come to a meeting point with my ‘ethnic side’, I’ve faced even more rejection. They don’t like the way I dress, speak, or see the world. I don’t belong there. I’ve been told: ‘‘You look like us, but you’re not one of us.”

That makes for another interesting situation I have to deal with. Even though my features are more similar to them, my way of living prevents me from

for a smaller nose and lighter eyes, and straightened my hair every day for years. I just wanted to look like my classmates. Why can’t I be the pretty, blonde girl, be the crush of every boy?

These thoughts have followed me my entire life. Growing up around almost exclusively Caucasian people with the awareness I looked different, you get a certain type of knowledge of people. When I meet new people, especially men who I’d be interested in, I know in the first couple of seconds

being a part of them. So, where am I wanted as I am? Where am I considered beautiful?

I think these questions will take a lifetime to answer. All I can do is try and continue my journey of self-love and acceptance, and create a place of belonging on my own. I have to embrace my differences and learn to appreciate them as they are. What makes it a whole lot easier is being around people that make me feel loved and cherished, proving there’s more to me than my looks or ethnicity.

“You look like us, but you’re not one of us.”

“I think that the beauty standards for men are as strict as for women.”

“It’s the way the industry works”

The last couple of decades the modeling industry has had great developments regarding body inclusivity, with many brands becoming more inclusive. How does a plus-size model experience the inclusivity of the tough modeling world?

Albert Jan Buitendijk is a 37-year-old plus-size and big and tall model. His modeling career began in 2017, and he is now one of the most famous male big and tall models in the Netherlands and has more than 11,2 thousand followers on Instagram. Big and tall is a modeling category that is a few sizes smaller than plus-size.

Big model, big belly

Before Albert Jan began his career as a model, he decided to lose weight. He thought it was necessary to have a fit body again. After working on a healthy lifestyle, he lost over 50 kilograms. Once he wasn’t overweight anymore, he got into modeling for plus-size men, however, the model world has its own requirements. The ideal body standard for a plus-size man is to have a small and healthy-looking face, but your belly has to be big. “These two things usually don’t go hand in hand. You need to be overweight to have a big belly, but in that case, your face won’t look skinny,” said Albert Jan. “It’s the way the industry works.”

Models need to have thick skin to deal with the commentary they get on their bodies. “In the beginning, I found it quite hard to deal with the criticism. It was weird that I lost a lot of weight to be healthier, but in the model world, I often got rejected because I was not big enough,” said Albert Jan. He even had jobs that required him to wear a fake belly prosthesis to fit the standards for plussize men.

Assumptions on plus-sized people

During photoshoots, the team treats Albert Jan differently to other size models. “Having a fuller body is often attributed to laziness and not being able to contain yourself with food.”

“On set, people give me chocolate or crisps to snack, just because they assume I eat unhealthily.” However, Albert Jan goes to the gym six times a week and it’s important to him to feel good in his skin and clothing. “I think I am more fit than the regular man who is less big.” Nowadays Albert Jan does modeling work as a big and tall model.

Albert Jan thinks it’s good that the modeling world gives a representation of bigger men. However, it’s not always real. “I think that the beauty standards

for men are as strict as for women. Every man in the media has a flat belly and a six-pack. And if not, it’s always with a function. Look at all the Hollywood stars; the only bigger guys you see are old men with a lumberjack shirt, and they always play a certain role like an old dad or a funny big guy. The main character is never just a regular person with a bigger size.” In the model industry it’s fake as well, he says. The industry tries to sell an inclusive image with bigger men, but they still need to have a skinny face at the same time. This further sells the image of double standards.

Just not their market

Although the modeling industry uses plus-size male models more often, the industry still rarely sells big sizes. “I have been modeling for 5 to 6 years now and it has only recently started to develop. And it’s still very sparse.” Even though 2022 is more inclusive than ever, it is still difficult for plus-size men to find clothes in their size. Many clothes sizes only go up to 2XL, which is still too small for many men like Albert Jan. “Some brands say bigger sizes don’t suit their kind of market, so they just don’t want to invest in producing larger sizes. It’s still a niche market because many brands simply don’t even know how to produce bigger sizes.”

“On set, people give me chocolate or crisps to snack, just because they assume I eat unhealthily. They would never have done this with smaller sized models.”

Story and illustrations by Nina Suijkerbuijk

the perception quiz

Nowadays you can find a lot of odd in beauty, but still there will be some things that will continue to amaze you. Do you know the correct answers to all the questions?

Story by Evy Tjin a Ton and illustrations by Franziska Kircher

Which lipstick colour makes you look younger?

A. Red B. Pink C. Nude

Who used dark make-up under the eyes to keep the devil away?

A. The prehistoric Greeks B. The old Romans

C. The ancient Egyptians

Which statement is true?

4

What percentage of men have never spoken about their mental health?

A. 25% B. 40% C. 65%

How many beauty products does the average woman wear a day?

A. 9 B. 12 C. 16

A. There is no correlation between a man’s foot size and his penis.

B. Male babies can get erections in the womb.

C. The human penis may have evolved because of competition.

Who is the first transgender model who made it in the fashion industry?

A. Tracey Norman B. Loiza Lamers

C. Valentina Sampiao

How long does the average man look in the mirror per day?

A. 17 minutes

B. 25 minutes C. 39 minutes

What percentage of all people has a third nipple?

A. 2.25% B. 3.75% C. 0.75%

8. Allthough the average woman takes a little longer with 55 minutes, the average man have a hand in it. They spent around 39 -minu tes looking in the mirror.

7. Surprisingly this is more common with men then with woman. 2% percent of all woman have an extra nipple and 5,5% of all men have an third nipple, which makes this an average of 3,75%.

6. She modelled and been photographed for such publications as Essence & ogueV Italia. Tracey Norman was the first trans woman who to achieve prominence in the fashion industry.

5. The funny thing is, all answers are correct. These are some facts that most don’t know, but have been scientifically proven.

4. The rights answer is twelve. A few examples are; face cleanser, serum, moisturiser, primer, foundation, concealer, bronzer, blusher, mascara, lipstick, perfume & make up remover.

3. The make-up that was made of lead and sulphate and produced over 4000 years ago. The ancient Egyptians didn’t only used this to decorate the eye. It was also used to protect the devils eye and themselves from eye diseases.

2. The correct answer is forty percent. Even though men have the same amount of mental health issues as woman, there is sadly enough still far too little acceptance for men’s health in this society. This is because it is almost always expected that men never have bad feelings.

1. The correct answer is red. The boldness of this colour accentuates the contrasts between your features, which is a trait of a younger face.

Hey teenage-me, this is for you!

Story by Luisa Funk and illustration by Nina Suijkerbuijk

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 and became insecure. Then there are those comments from classmates in high school. Not many, but they hit you even harder. Hearing something like, “you look like a witch” or “you have a witch’s nose” hurts. It still hurts today.

These random comments shape the way you think about yourself. Your selfesteem and self-confidence becomes low. You think you are not beautiful and therefore not as popular as other girls in your class. Then you start thinking about what you want to change about yourself because you think you are not enough. You have always been of normal weight, but now you are convinced that you have to lose weight to get recognition and reputation. Your physique is the only thing you can change. The rest, like your hated nose, you cannot, because obviously at 14, cosmetic surgery is no option.

Today, I would not even consider all that, because I learned to love you the way you are. Luckily, I had three good friends to talk to about my self-doubt. They made me realise that my personality and my inner beauty is much more important than my appearance. Then it clicked in my head. You should never let others decide how much you are worth. Looking back at my thoughts now, I think they were nonsense. Your face and your body will still change a lot throughout your whole life. There is no need to already be unhappy with your appearance at such a young age.

I would like to share a few things with you that I would have liked you to know earlier. First of all: Beauty comes from the inside. I know, it’s a phrase you don’t like to hear, but it’s true. As soon as you start to find yourself gorgeous you are going to radiate that outward. If you start to love yourself, you are no longer concerned about what others might think about you or comment on you. You gain self-confidence and the others around you are going to recognize this. Your personality is so mesmerising, so start loving it and do not hide it. And as long as you don’t feel confident yet: Fake it till you make it. It works, believe me. I began to fake my confidence at 18 and since I am 20 I have been confident.

My final advice: Your look is what makes you unique. If we all had the same figure or the same nose, that would be really boring. Everything that is apart from ‘the norm’ makes you stand out of the crowd and people are going to remember you. Never let others tell you what you should look like or how you should feel about your appearance. You get to define your sense of beauty, you define your self-worth. You decide that YOU LOOK BEAUTIFUL, no matter what others tell you.

What would you say to your puberty-you? Looking back, Luisa thinks that her struggles with feeling beautiful were ridiculous.

Meet the team

After reading all the exciting and inspiring stories, you’re probably wondering which faces are behind the pages. This is the team that combined all their energies and made this magazine possible.

Photos by Quinty Veenman

The energy field around every living being is called an aura. This is what the different colours mean:

Blue: dreamer with a powerful mind and clear vision

Purple: spiritual soul who is deeply intuitive and empathetic

Pink: kind, caring and loving, with a receptive heart and warm demeanor

Yellow: sunny and charismatic with a warmth that attracts many different people

Orange: bursting with creative energy and thrive on new experiences

Green: filled with compassion for others, open heart and feels everything deeply

Besaris Editor

Dobromir Muladzhikov Designer & Photo editor

Chief

Editor

Editor

Priemus Editor

Zara Garrido Jimenez

Willemijn

Jana Prochazka

Eliza Freeman

Luisa Funk PR Manager

Tina

Chloe Mcdermott Editor Evy Tjin A Ton PR Manager

Franziska Kircher Chief Quinty Veenman Designer & Photo editor

Katja Pelic Editor

Nina Suijkerbujk Designer

Anahita Ahmadi PR Manager

Nicky Mai Designer

Sarah Stallinger Chief