Woman Introduces A 'Beauty Pyramid' Concept That Can Prevent Women From 'Looking Crusty'

Living in the world, particularly as a woman, under pervasive and unattainable beauty standards can be unduly suffocating. Far too many times women have been left relentlessly chasing after an idealized perception of what it means to be physically beautiful, leading them to constantly measure themselves based on what they lack in comparison to seemingly perfect images.

With that being said, it’s a natural human inclination to want to enhance your appearance with the hope of feeling more confident in yourself through various means: makeup, fashion, and personal grooming can greatly contribute to a person's self-esteem. However, according to one beauty concept circulating on TikTok, there is, in fact, a "right" way to go about it that puts special emphasis on one’s basic health.

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In a video on TikTok, skincare guru Malia Narte (@malianarte) reposted a screenshot that revealed a beauty pyramid chart parodying Abraham Maslow’s renowned “Hierarchy of Needs,” which proposes that everyone has a set of needs that can be arranged in a hierarchical order, placing basic physiological needs at the bottom and higher-level needs like self-actualization at the top.

Differing from Maslow’s theory, this “Hierarchy of Beauty Needs” pyramid centers its focus on physical beauty, with basic health needs on the bottom and plastic surgery on top (typically what one would consider as a last resort).

At the start of her video, Narte got straight to the point: “The reason why you look crusty is because you’re not following this pyramid. The reason why you look at someone and you’re like, ‘Ooh, they look crusty,’ it’s because they’re not following this hierarchy of beauty maintenance.”

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According to the chart, the best thing to do is 'master the basics first.'

In other words, centering one’s health needs and grooming can go a long way to maintaining a healthier, confidence-inducing lifestyle.

Narte continued, “Because when you look at someone that looks crusty and they look like they haven’t taken a shower in a couple of days but they have lash extensions on... the lash extensions aren’t saving them.”

Ultimately, as Narte points out, there are going to be circumstances that are out of one’s control, such as being unable to afford products or treatments that may feel essential to reaching those beauty goals. Instead, it’s important to focus on the things you actually can control — diet, fitness, sleep, hygiene, and the environment, all of which serve at the core of the pyramid.

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Although well-intentioned, can this beauty chart do more harm than good?

While this beauty pyramid generally functions as a guide rather than a means to pressure people into maintaining a “perfect” lifestyle, the very existence of a beauty guide and its excessive emphasis on external appearance may prove harmful in a world that promotes a very narrow definition of beauty.

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Along these lines, everyone has their own definition of what they consider attractive. However, constant exposure to images, trends, and “advice” on beauty that differs from one's own standards can lead to dysmorphic thoughts, lowered self-esteem, and an overall pressure to conform.

That’s why, in the grand scheme of things, it’s crucial to take these matters with a grain of salt, and focus on what makes you feel comfortable and confident without harming yourself in the long run. So if that means wearing lash extensions while looking like you woke up on the wrong side of the bed, then so be it.