Five beauty-related documentaries that are really worth watching…
Add these to your watchlist this weekend. You won't regret it....
There are some fascinating documentaries about beauty out there, and so many are worth a watch even if you don’t agree or connect with them because they give us a rounded picture of the state of beauty culture. Here’s just a few that I think are worth a watch, but please do comment with any you think I should add to the list…
Toxic Beauty (2019)
This US documentary examines the legislation and approval of certain ingredients in our beauty and wellness products and speaks to scientists, doctors, and lawyers to explore the ethics around these ingredients. It’s worth noting quickly that this documentary hits a US audience slightly differently to an EU one; we do have stronger regulations around ingredients in products in Europe, but the discussions around talc are very relevant as the WHO says talc is ‘probably carcinogenic’ and ‘Johnson & Johnson is moving forward with a $6.475bn proposed settlement of tens of thousands of lawsuits alleging its baby powder and other talcum-powder products were contaminated with asbestos and caused ovarian cancer.’ (Source: the Guardian)
The Century Of Self (2002)
This isn’t strictly beauty related but is very relevant to our modern day times. Created by Adam Curtis for the BBC, this documentary probes into the roots of consumerism, and commodification and looks at how it’s shaped our modern-day society and how we see ourselves. It’s so, so impactful I can’t recommend it enough. Man the BBC used to be excellent!
Kathy Burke All Woman (2019)
British comedian Kathy Burke travels around the UK to explore different versions of womanhood. The first episode looks at beauty, and Burke speaks to a Love Island contestant who has 40k of surgery done before going into the TV show, and there’s also a brilliant interview with Sue Tilley, dubbed ‘Fat Sue’ the subject of Lucien Freud's famous painting.
Tan France: Beauty and the Bleach (2022)
Queer Eye’s fashion expert Tan France delves into his experiences with colourism within his Pakistani community, and explores the impact that the bias of skin colour has on the lives of so many. It‘s well done and very touching.
Korea's Illegal Beauty Scene (2014)
British Tattoo artist Grace Neutral goes to South Korea to explore the country’s underground tattoo scene. Along the way she explores the huge influence of beauty culture - from K-Pop stars to cosmetic surgery - and speaks to young generations about how they feel about it. It’s a fascinating window into the culture.
Let me know what you think - and what else I should add to the list!
Much love….
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