The hottest Beauty Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Culture Topics
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Possible verdicts

Austin Kleon • 1358 implied HN points • 23 Aug 22
🎭️ Culture Art Literature Criticism Judgment Beauty
  1. It's important to separate our feelings about beauty and personal taste when it comes to art. Just because we don't like something doesn't mean it's not beautiful.
  2. Adults can develop a deeper understanding of art by recognizing multiple ways to respond to it, beyond just liking or disliking.
  3. Being able to appreciate something as good, even if we don't like it right away, shows growth in our taste and judgment.

Birdsong

The Commonplace • 1120 implied HN points • 10 Jul 23
🎭️ Culture Nature Philosophy Environment Beauty Literature
  1. Take time to observe the beauty around you, like birdsongs and nature, instead of being consumed by technology.
  2. There is enchantment in the everyday environment if we open ourselves to see and hear it.
  3. Utilize technology, like bird identification apps, to learn more about the world around you and the beauty of nature.

What's got my attention this week #18

The Shift With Sam Baker • 239 implied HN points • 15 Sep 23
🪞 Fashion & Beauty Fashion Beauty
  1. Jenna Lyons, ex-J Crew powerhouse and Real Housewives of New York star, is making waves without her signature glasses due to a genetic disorder.
  2. Ageism in advertising is being challenged, and Poorna Bell launched a Substack newsletter discussing the illusion of busyness.
  3. An inspiring 91-year-old filmmaker, Tracey Emin's column in the Evening Standard, and the toxic impact of the 'positivity paintbrush' are worth exploring.

On Homosexualist Fashion

The Pedestrian • 396 implied HN points • 02 Jun 23
🪞 Fashion & Beauty Fashion Beauty
  1. The author reflects on being influenced by homosexual fashion trends
  2. He discusses how a TV show inadvertently groomed him to adopt a certain style
  3. The author raises awareness about how individuals might unknowingly conform to fashion standards set by others

Beethoven vs. Baby Shark

Fake Noûs • 377 implied HN points • 09 Dec 23
🎭️ Culture Art Music Philosophy Literature Beauty
  1. Baby Shark has brought more total enjoyment and viewership compared to Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata.
  2. The quality of aesthetic pleasure produced by art can be a factor in determining its value.
  3. The purpose and definition of art play a significant role in determining its artistic value.

Seeds of Time

Earthly Fortunes • 157 implied HN points • 18 Feb 23
🎭️ Culture Art Beauty Aging Time Society
  1. The concept of 'growing up' and 'aging' creates a false boundary in society.
  2. Beauty and goodness come from experiences and memories, not just appearance.
  3. Getting older is like planting a 'seed of time' to grow into a tree of life and memories.

Sexual Competition, Social Media & Algorithms

The Great Gender Divergence • 137 implied HN points • 20 Feb 23
🎭️ Culture Social media Psychology Beauty Inequality Algorithm
  1. Female beautification is inevitable, especially under intense sexual competition
  2. Sexual competition heightens beautification, with greater competition leading to more focus on appearance
  3. Algorithms on social media platforms like Instagram manufacture an inequality of adoration by showcasing the most popular posts, distorting girls' perception of peer competition

Looksmaxxing: chronicles of harmful beauty standards

The Digital Native • 58 implied HN points • 22 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Beauty Fashion History Trends Social media
  1. Looksmaxxing is about maximizing physical appearance through basic self-care techniques.
  2. Looksmaxxing should be balanced with mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being, not just focused on physical appearance.
  3. Historically, beauty standards have often been unrealistic and harmful, emphasizing the importance of balanced self-care.

Arsenic and old faces

The Quack Doctor • 19 implied HN points • 10 May 24
💾 History Beauty Medicine Advertising Chemistry Legislation
  1. Arsenic was once thought to provide a youthful complexion, leading to the trend of advertising arsenic pills and soaps in the 1890s.
  2. Entrepreneurs in the 1890s marketed commercial arsenic products for complexion, openly promoting the poisonous ingredient as a benefit.
  3. Chemists faced legal trouble in the late 1800s for selling arsenic soap that did not actually contain arsenic, signaling a dangerous trend of mislabeling products.

#069 ✰ Should I put a ring on it

Objet • 58 implied HN points • 18 May 23
🪞 Fashion & Beauty Fashion Beauty Jewelry
  1. Objet aims to bring back joy and pride in the relationship humans have with shopping and objects
  2. The soul and meaning behind possessions like Charlotte's Cartier trinity ring can create special connections
  3. Consider ethical and sustainable options like lab-created, Canadian, or recycled diamonds when making jewelry choices

Catch up with The Shift Bookclub Live with Jean Kwok

The Shift With Sam Baker • 39 implied HN points • 18 Nov 23
🎭️ Culture Bookclub Immigration Motherhood Divorce Beauty
  1. The Shift Bookclub Live with Jean Kwok covers topics like being an immigrant, motherhood, unexpected divorce, and beauty standards.
  2. The conversation ranged from growing up in a Chinese family to the concept of 'leftover women' to ballroom dancing and Icelandic volcanoes.
  3. The next bookclub live event will feature Nina Stibbe discussing 'Went to London, Took the Dog,' covering topics like menopause, midlife separation, and more.

Uglycel

Default Wisdom • 48 implied HN points • 21 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Beauty Gender Psychology
  1. The conversation explores the concept of ugliness as more of a vibe than a physical state of being.
  2. The idea is discussed that one can will oneself into ugliness without physical changes.
  3. The post includes updates on the author's advice column, a book club meeting, and asks for subscriptions and feedback.

Clothing and Sex

Polymathic Being • 58 implied HN points • 07 Jan 24
🪞 Fashion & Beauty Fashion Beauty Sexuality Clothing
  1. The clothing we wear communicates complex signals about our sexuality, intentionally or unintentionally.
  2. Human biology plays a significant role in how male and female bodies advertise sexuality.
  3. It's important to be aware that what we wear communicates to others and to understand and be prepared to deal with the responses it may elicit.

The Beauty Quandary

Polymathic Being • 77 implied HN points • 17 Sep 23
🎭️ Culture Beauty Evolutionary Psychology Societal norms Gender Studies Perception
  1. Beauty is a complex topic that influences various aspects of our lives, from societal perceptions to evolutionary biology.
  2. Looking good involves presenting ourselves in a way that signals health, status, and genetic viability.
  3. Our appearance can impact our social and economic outcomes, and understanding these dynamics can help us address biases and stereotypes.

Beauty by default

Holly Elmore • 39 implied HN points • 19 Jun 23
🪞 Fashion & Beauty Beauty
  1. Beauty virtue is about lacking flaws, not just being beautiful.
  2. Competing by default means winning without competing, just by showing up and following the rules.
  3. Beauty by default is when one wins by not having any flaws, similar to winning by default in a competition.