Modern Beauty Standards Are Ruining Period Pieces - Here's How

Film-wise, period pieces are the "topics du jour." We're living in a time where audiences get a kick out of escaping modernity to journey with characters in captivating narratives based on real-life events or literary works. Entertainment aside, the nostalgia factor and the knowledge one gains about a bygone era from watching yesteryear events unfold in a succinct, old-meets-new fashion also makes period pieces a hit among modern-day audiences.

In addition to storylines, the overall aesthetics, such as makeup and costumes, are essential for bringing back historical cultural, social, and political events and allowing viewers to fully immerse themselves in the climate depicted on film. No matter how believable the script or the backdrop is, if the character's appearance is not period-appropriate, the piece just doesn't make sense. Unfortunately, that's the case with many period movies.

Even though makeup has evolved significantly, it cannot always play down the marks of modernity that are etched on 21st-century people's faces. For instance, an actor playing a 17th-century British woman can rock the perfect petticoat and lacey headdress, but if she has porcelain veneer teeth and Kim Kardashian-inspired faded eyebrows, the audience will feel like she's just a modern woman wearing a yesteryear costume. These tiny details are subtle enough to make the final cut, but they make the character look out of the picture. Below, check out some modern beauty standards that are not appropriate for historical pieces.

Eyebrows might seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but they can take away from the period-appropriateness of a face. In this day and age, people love seeking cosmetic procedures — such as microblading and microshading — to procure the most perfect pair of eyebrows that last long-term. Some popular eyebrow shapes are high-arch, S-shaped, fox brow, back-arched, and straight. No eyebrow stylist will recommend eyebrows that are too bushy or too thin or too spaced apart.

However, eyebrow grooming in the 21st century is not the same as that of the old days. Thin and crescent-shaped brows that were darkened with kohl or soot were the epitome of 18th-century eyebrows. The eyebrows worn by the character played by Keira Knightley in "The Duchess" — which was also set in the 18th century — are not standard 18th-century eyebrows. When you look at a person's eyebrows, you can tell if they are contemporary or not. Unfortunately, you'll find many characters in period movies with eyebrows that moreso fit modern beauty standards.

Have you ever looked at a period piece actor and wondered what kind of filler she injected into her lips or what sort of lip tinting she used? Plump, kissable lips are a huge cosmetic trend in the 21st century and a beauty standard that many women love to embrace. Many women use makeup or lip fillers to plump their lips. To add a long-term wash of color, many also resort to lip-tinting procedures.

While Kylie Jenner-esque lips are nice to look at in real life, they don't make any sense in period movies. Thick and big lips didn't become a big trend until recently. And overfilled lips are hard to ignore. Lips that have received too much filler may over-protrude and look stiff, making them difficult to produce natural facial emotions. In terms of color, red lips weren't always welcome in every part of history. Women in Britain in the Middle Ages were forbidden to use lipsticks. A hint of red was synonymous with the mark of Satan. That goes to say modern beauty standards aren't always a good fit for the past.