It used to be that when you wanted to know what was ‘beautiful’ in society’s eyes, you turned to the cover of fashion magazines: the blonde blowouts, the pale, bare shoulders, the pouty lips, the cleavage. Now… now we scroll our social media feeds and dive into a sea of so many shapes and faces—individuals who have been redefining beauty that is without limits. At this incredible time in our world, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on beauty standards and what Om stands for.
The ideal to ideal-less
There has always been an ‘ideal’: a figure, a hairstyle, an eye colour that society favoured and reflected in the pages of catalogues and magazines. The ideal always changed, but not the expectation that there was one look to strive for.
For at least 200 years, the fashion world controlled this image. Those who intentionally defied it were outliers; those outside the ideal, overlooked. In 2022, things are changing.
On one hand, there is greater acceptance than ever, even celebration, of differences. We lift each other up for just being. And with social media, we now have the power to influence what we see.
But we’re also editors. In our virtual, insta, selfie world, we’re at risk of feeling like we have to live up to the filtered and photoshopped faces that are also so prevalent. So, we have this contrast: empowerment vs manipulation, authenticity vs mirroring.
With the new Om, we’re proud to be fueling the beauty movement that is as inclusive as it is diverse.
Everyone is welcome and everyone is beautiful
Today, beauty looks like anything and everything:
- An African Canadian man who loves lipstick
- An Inuit woman with the facial tattoos of her ancestors
- A 19-year-old boy with freckles and acne scars
- A 40-something with wrinkles and a half-shave
- A Korean woman with short, dark, curly hair and a nose ring
- A Sudanese mother wearing a hijab
It’s kind of incredible, when you look back at old fashion magazines with a singular look and compare them to the brilliant models of today’s empowering beauty brands. Think about how far we’ve come. Today’s definition of beauty is without limits and, in fact, celebrates all that is unique.
What changed? With social media, mobile phones and cameras, you got your own cover, your power, and you stood up and said, We are all beautiful. We are all welcome.
You claim your beauty
It’s an inner knowing that many of us come to with age and confidence: I decide that I’m beautiful. I can own and celebrate all that I am, all that makes me unique. Not society.
It’s something we learned on our own, too. Our founder, Kari Asselin, started out as a professional aesthetician in a world narrowly focused on external beauty and, often, society’s ideal. As she grew Om skincare and a mission to help people achieve healthy skin—to nourish and love their skin—we got really clear about our shift from beauty to authenticity. From fixing to freeing.
As each of us gets older and stands up for our values, we tend to look for empowering brands that do the same. Om celebrates and honours all, and we feel great joy to be on your journey of confidence and self-love with you.
It’s also a privilege to bring you skincare that stands up for other standards: no animal testing, no toxins. Just the highest quality plant-based formulas to nourish and empower, made right here in Canada.