The results I will receive are most likely going to be some negative ones about their own bodies. Because as a girl myself, I feel the constant beauty pressures around me, and all my friends disregarding their ethnicities, and genders, have also been feeling this way. I know for a fact that the results are most likely going to be from someone that is also affected by the so called “beauty standards” in some ways. And the results are not going to be somehting pleasant to read.

After reasearching for more than 3 months, I've delved to the deep end of the "beauty standard". How it became a thing, how it became this toxic etc. According to what the Halifax public libraries published on September 24 2021, the first people that used makeup in order to enhance their appearance are the Egyptians dating back to 6000 BCE as they believed that it was appealing to their gods, and both men and women of all social classes wore makeup.  The first makeup products were created in order to honor their gods, but the same cannot be said around now. As time progresses, so does social media websites. With vloggers and influencers using heavy filters to form an attainable beauty to influence young viewers, the trend of the "beauty standard" soon became fire with billions of people using social media websites on a daily basis around the world.

Currently in the U.S. alone, the country has made 14 billion dollars in the first half of 2023 selling makeup alone ( according to premium beauty news). And as of now, according to the official mental health foundation website, 1 in 8 adults have had suicidal thoughts regarding the 'beauty standard" 13%. 

According to Cleveland clinic, 2.4% of adults in the U.S. have developed body dysmorphic disorder (DBB), a mental disorder that brings distress to patients regarding their appearances, and body shapes. People who have DBB are more likely to have suicidal thoughts than mentally healthy indivisuals. 

There are 3 variables: Independent, dependent, and controlled. In this case, the independent variable will be the amount of answers I get on my survey. The dependent variable will be the results of the amount of answers I get. And lastly the controlled variable could be anything, from temperature affecting their moods to the hours they've studies so they got tired.

• After the first announcement of the research that is about to be conducted,  quite a lot of students looked very relieved, and a lot of them was expressing their gratitude over how they've always wanted these kind of surveys.
• A lot of students discussing about their former unpleasant experiences with the beauty standard, and how anxious they are whenever opening up social medias.

After reviewing all the heartbreaking answers I've currently received, and although it's only 11 results, it is still unacceptable to think that so many people out of them have had an impactful and unfortunate time with the so-called beauty standards. Careful and thorough observations had been done, and it is safe to say the standards that were once made for adults have now spread widely among teens, heavily influencing them, and giving individuals a specific shape that their body must have in order to fit in. I've also been examining videos promoting further insecurities among people, and the standards we have in this world are no longer inclusive, mostly importantly, not even safe anymore for some.  In reality, if anyone looks into any social media, I can guarantee that one of the first things they'll notice would be something encouraging insecurities.

While beauty may seem like a simple, easily fathomable topic, it is actually a black hole with a myriad of reasons, and definitions. 

The human nature has an instinct to be pretty in order to fit into the society, the topic has been evolving around the human race for centuries. And is still unable to be completely understanded. Fortunately we could understand some major components including the brain's role and responsibilities regarding beauty. How people in ancient Egypt have used make up since 6000 BCE, and most importantly, how people's perception change towards indivisuals with beauty involved. It could fool people's senses, the ability to tell rights and wrongs, more easily to be blinded by prettier indivisuals.

If we can't escape from the toxic beauty standards, moreover, from ourselvees, and others , then let's at least know about it, understand it.

2 source of errors in total

1. Human. A lot of people weren't willing to do the survey as they believed it was a waste of time, when they did it, they sometimes just randomly clicked buttons without looking.

2. Researches. I was researching on google quite often, but I missed one vital information. Date. I often chosen informations with a really unrealiable date, which could result in mistakes as results, and people change over time.

Kaziga, Ruth, et al. “Beauty Is Skin Deep; the Self-Perception of Adolescents and Young Women in Construction of Body Image within the Ankole Society.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 18, no. 15, 23 July 2021, p. 7840, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8345530/, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18157840.

Foy, Chris. “Beauty Standards, Mental Health, and Their Eye-Catching Relationship.” FHE Health – Addiction & Mental Health Care, 13 Oct. 2022, fherehab.com/learning/beauty-standards-mental-health.

“Chemicals of Public Concerns I Mercury.” Www.who.int, www.who.int/teams/environment-climate-change-and-health/chemical-safety-and-health/health-impacts/chemicals/mercury.

I would like to thank Mrs. Osicki and Ms.Meltzer for giving me the opportunity to join the calgary youth science fair, and also the amount of effort Mrs.Osicki has put into helping me with the project, getting ideas as I was late to join the club. After the teachers, I would like to thank my mom for inspiring me with ideas and knowledges that I haven't thought of, the amount of time she has dedicated with helping me is something that I will never forget.