Beauty is a measure or assessment of a person, thing, place, or idea as something desirable and/or aesthetically pleasing. In the commerce world, beauty is marketed primarily toward teen and adult women who strive for outward physical beauty. Millions of products are available to this end, from cosmetics and lotions, to hair styling products and fashion. Most American shoppers are familiar with popular stores such as Lancome and Sephora for cosmetics and Macy's and GAP for fashion.

Reporting on beauty and judging it is almost as popular as creating it: There are a number of beauty magazines whose sole purpose is to report on fashion and inspire latest trends. such as Glamour magazine and Vogue magazine. Even television is in on the act of spreading the gospel of beauty, as there are not only shows that provide beauty tips, but also several shows that have judged beauty, including The Swan, America's Next Top Model, Project Runway, and What Not to Wear.

According to psychological studies, most people rate beauty more highly in people who exude self-confidence, and generally find strangers far more attractive than the strangers would rate themselves. In fact, most people are their own harshest critics when it comes to beauty and can often feel more or less beautiful in a matter of hours or minutes based on perception and company.http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200604/the-beguiling-truth-about-beauty?page=2 This of course, tends to contradict the necessity of self-confidence and can perpetuate a cycle of misperceptions of beauty, which can in turn lead to eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia.