Picture flipping through a magazine or scrolling social media: a parade of flawless models and celebrities with “perfect” bodies. In this mirror, the beauty ideal is a moving target, and industries count on you chasing it.
Today the global beauty and personal care market is enormous – roughly $650 billion worldwide (with skincare alone ~$180 billion and related sectors like dieting and fitness adding hundreds of billions more). Every dollar spent on cosmetics, clothing, or procedures ties back to these standards. In fact, one industry analyst bluntly notes that cosmetic companies “have been known to push unachievable beauty standards and prey on consumers’ insecurities to make a profit”. In other words, the more imperfect we feel, the more we spend.
- Total market: ~$650 billion globally.
- Skincare alone: ~$180.3 billion.
- Weight-management: ~$260.7 billion (2022), set to double by 2032.
- Men’s grooming: ~$276.9 billion (projected by 2030).
- US consumer spend: ~$3,756 per year per woman.
- Huge ad budgets: Beauty firms spent ~$7.7 billion on advertising in 2022 to saturate media with idealized images.
Together, these figures show a staggering industry. But how did it grow?

The answer lies in history: as body ideals shifted over the 20th century, savvy marketers provided whatever products (corsets, diets, makeup, surgery) promised to attain each new norm.
We’ll trace these trends, explain the psychology of the marketing, and highlight case studies of brands that either exploited or challenged body ideals – all to show how these standards became a multibillion-dollar machine.
Shifting Body Ideals Through the Decades
Body ideals have swung wildly over time – and each era’s “perfect” body sparked new consumer trends.
In the 1920s, the flapper look reigned: short hairstyles, loose dresses and a straighter, boyish figure. This was a dramatic rebellion against the corseted Gibson Girl of the 1900s.
Studies note that by 1925 women’s bust-to-waist ratios in fashion media had dropped about 60% from 1901. Advertisements quickly jumped on the trend, pushing slim silhouettes. Diet powders, slimming garments, and simpler cosmetics were marketed to help ordinary women capture that youthful, androgynous look.
The 1930s swung back toward curves. Hollywood stars like Dolores del Río were celebrated for their “warmly curved” figures. In fact, a 1931 magazine called del Río’s body the decade’s “best figure”.
Jean Harlow and other silver-screen sirens made full busts and hips glamorous once more.
By the 1940s (wartime era), the ideal blended strength with femininity: sharp-shouldered suits and pencil skirts emphasized a strong, curvy silhouette. Katherine Hepburn was admired as an icon of “a tall, strong body”. Movies and advertisements of the 30s–40s sold plenty of dresses, perfumes, and makeup, promising women they could look as glamorous and self-assured as the stars.
1950s – 1960s
By the early 1950s the hourglass return was complete. Hollywood icons like Marilyn Monroe and Grace Kelly popularized a voluptuous figure – tiny cinched waist, full bust and hips – again enshrined as feminine ideal.
Advertisers on Madison Avenue responded in kind. Magazine ads depicted slender waists and bullet bras; catalogs overflowed with corsets, girdles and figure-flattering dresses to sculpt that shape.
By the 1960s a very different body was in vogue. Twiggy epitomized the decade’s waif-like silhouette. Fashion commentators note that “in stark contrast to the 1950s, the ’60s aesthetic was all about a slim figure”. Mini-skirts, monochrome mod dresses, and straight cuts dominated. This new ideal was all angles and bones – and it created new markets.
For example, youth boutiques and affordable knock-offs flourished, and the era saw a diet craze (think “Charleston Slims”). Marketers sold tanner, long-legged looks: from pointed pumps to skinny jeans, every product promised a slice of Twiggy’s appeal.
1970s – 1990s
The 1970s were more eclectic. Fashion still prized thinness, but other influences crept in. Supermodels with bigger busts, like Farrah Fawcett, briefly brought back a slightly fuller figure. At the same time a new emphasis on health and fitness emerged. Aerobics were born, and women started going to gyms. (Yes, Jane Fonda’s first workout hit late 70s.) The decade mixed athleticism and curves. Diet fads continued – and troublingly, cases of eating disorders began to climb as media pressured women from both angles (thin and athletic).
The 1980s celebrated fitness. Jane Fonda became the poster girl for the slim-but-toned aerobics body. Lycra leotards, leg warmers and cardio machines exploded in popularity. Supermodels like Cindy Crawford and Naomi Campbell reinforced long, lean lines on magazine covers.
This era saw a true “get fit” industry boom: every home had exercise tapes or a jogging shoe, and new skinny jeans came off the sewing machine with extra stretch. Advertisers sold both glamour and sweat: makeup ads in the morning coexisted with gym equipment in the evening. Consumers bought both cosmetic contouring and workout videos to achieve that lean aesthetic.
The 1990s split fashion and pop culture ideals. On one hand, runway models like Kate Moss reigned with a waifish “heroin chic” look. On the other, mainstream media idolized exaggerated curves (think Pamela Anderson on Baywatch).
Brands capitalized on both extremes: diet pills, shakes and juice cleanses promised ultra-thin bodies, while push-up bras, padded swimsuits, and later, silicone implants, catered to those pursuing curves. This was also the decade plus-size modeling began to emerge, sowing early seeds of change.
2000s And Beyond
By the 2000s, the body ideal was “strong and sexy.” The Victoria’s Secret aesthetic led the way – curvy supermodels and toned, athletic looks dominated cover shoots. Tyra Banks and others embodied an hourglass figure with flat stomachs. Low-rise jeans and baby tees were all the rage, a style that left little room for error. Beauty and fitness industries charged ahead: sculpting creams, body contour surgeries, and boutique workout classes all promised that VS Model body. People threw money at products claiming to trim waists, build abs, or lift glutes, showing how the selling of an image drives entire markets.
The 2010s added curves back in. Beyoncé and J.Lo normalized a fuller “bootylicious” figure. Social media also exploded, amplifying every new look: an Instagram filter or Kardashian photo could set a new standard overnight.
No wonder clinics reported a 256% jump in Brazilian butt lift procedures by 2018 as consumers chased that celebrity look. At the same time, the key lesson from recent history is blunt: “there is no actual ideal – these shifting ‘standards’ are often created with the interests of industries in mind”. Each decade’s new “perfect body” gave cosmetic, fashion and fitness brands something to sell. In short, changing ideals have created endless new product opportunities – and billions in profit.
Marketing Insecurities
Why do these body trends matter to business? Because advertisers turn every norm into a selling point.
Marketers typically use two levers: aspiration and fear. They present an ideal to aspire to and simultaneously imply the consumer is falling short.
For example, ads often highlight a “problem” (cellulite, gray hair, small bust) and then instantly offer a solution product. As one Cornell researcher summarizes: the “beauty industrial complex profits from insecurity” by making people feel an “imagined deficit,” then selling them something to fix it. In practice: marketing plays on self-doubt (“Are you not thin enough?”) while showcasing celebrities who are thin. The implicit message is “buy this and you’ll be more like her.”

How Ideals Become Sales
- Shifting targets: Beauty norms are constantly updated to keep consumers chasing something new. Once an ideal saturates the market (size 0 skinny or zero-wrinkle youth), advertisers quietly pick a new standard (slight curves or natural texture) to resell.
- Creating imagined flaws: Campaigns emphasize minor flaws as if they’re unacceptable. A deodorant ad might hint “Did you hear? You might stink underarms!” (implying you’re not fresh). A cream ad suggests “People are noticing those age spots…” Then a product swoops in as the cure. This tactic preys on consumers’ insecurities.
- Aspirational imagery: Brands hire models and celebrities to personify the ideal (from Twiggy to Beyoncé). Seeing an influencer with perfect hair or abs makes viewers yearn for that look – and buy the product touted to achieve it. Before social media, it was magazine ads; now it’s sponsored posts. Either way, fans believe “I’d look that good if I use the same shampoo/makeup.”
- Massive ad spend: Companies flood every medium with these images. For example, beauty companies spent an estimated $7.7 billion on U.S. advertising in 2022. That relentless exposure normalizes narrow ideals, so consumers may feel left out without the advertised goodies.
- Values-driven marketing: A recent twist is “empowerment” messaging. Some brands embrace diversity and authenticity (unretouched photos, plus-size models). This can seem like a positive shift – and it sells too. Campaigns featuring “real” bodies have won consumer loyalty. In fact, campaigns built on self-love have shown clear business payoffs.
In short, advertisers have turned every slender thigh or smooth cheek into profit. As one industry report put it, companies “push unachievable beauty standards” so people keep buying products that promise to fix them. This keeps markets for makeup, diet plans, surgeries, supplements, and more perpetually hot.
Case Studies: Brands and Campaigns
Dove (Unilever) – Real Beauty
In 2004 Dove took a bold step: instead of an idealized model, its ads featured everyday women in various shapes and ages. This “Real Beauty” campaign broke convention, earning global buzz. The strategy was as much about PR as soap, but it paid off. Consumers resonated with Dove’s message of diversity, and the brand grew stronger. Indeed, Unilever reports that in recent years Dove hit record sales – €6 billion in turnover in 2023 – its highest growth in a decade. In other words, celebrating real bodies helped Dove capture loyalty and sell more product. Dove’s experience suggests that authentically challenging narrow ideals can be good business.

Aerie (#AerieREAL, American Eagle)
Aerie (a lingerie line) ran a similar play. In 2014 it vowed to drop all airbrushing and launched the #AerieREAL campaign with unretouched models of all sizes. This was framed as empowering. Aerie’s goal was “to let customers know there is no reason to retouch beauty”. The public took notice. The initiative became a marketing milestone: within a year Aerie’s sales jumped 20%, a huge gain in retail. The CEO credited #AerieREAL’s message of body confidence for fueling this surge. By 2021, Aerie had become a $1 billion brand, its growth built on the back of a campaign that told women they were already enough.
Other Campaigns
In fact, the power of body-positive marketing echoed across industries. In 2018, CVS Pharmacy announced it would require beauty brands on its shelves to use only unaltered photos by 2020 – a move applauded as protecting consumer self-esteem. Meanwhile, longstanding players suffered for clinging to narrow standards. Victoria’s Secret – once synonymous with ultra-sexy, slender angels – saw plummeting sales and profits in 2019–20 after years of ignoring plus-sizes and diverse bodies. Retail rivals like Aerie and Torrid (plus-size brands) grew in that same period by embracing body diversity. As one marketer notes, the industry has shifted from “deficit” ads (buy this to fix your life) toward “empowerment advertising” – focusing on values and inclusivity. And this shift can drive profit: body-positive campaigns have spurred notable sales gains and media attention.
Redefining What’s Desirable
In every era, beauty ideals have been engineered by media and marketers – and behind them lies profit. By continuously redefining what’s “desirable,” the beauty and fashion industries ensure consumers always feel there’s a product just beyond reach. The result is enormous revenue. Global beauty and wellness is a $650+ billion industry, constantly boosted by new body trends.
Even as consumer attitudes evolve (body positivity grows, and some brands respond), the underlying economic model remains. Marketers still create new standards to chase, whether narrowly perfected or seemingly inclusive. As long as people compare themselves to these shifting targets, companies will continue to capitalize on the gap. In short, body ideals – no matter how diverse or narrow – have made the beauty industry extraordinarily rich.
