It started at a young age, watching fictional princess movies with flamboyant beauty. Growing up with the standard of “only the prettiest girl will find her prince charming.” Over the years people have tried to challenge the standard of beauty and test the status quo. With women’s biggest critics being men, many people still don’t understand the cost of trying to meet society’s implied beauty standards. 

Pink tax, social media, beauty standards, and more. They all have an impact on the people in the world today. Pink tax “is a term for the extra amount of money charged for certain products or services that are specifically marketed toward women. These products and services may include razors, soaps, lotions, deodorants, haircuts, and more,” according to The Balance in October of 2021. 

In some states, laws have been enforced to prohibit the discrimination of prices based on gender. Some of the states that have laws prohibiting the pink tax are California, Alaska, and Nevada just to name a few. But there are ways you can try to avoid the pink tax. Ordering online, you can purchase a monthly razor subscription from a start-up business. Or buy men’s products, some women purchase men’s deodorant that is scentless, and because “it works better.” 

In the past few years, social media has impacted people’s thoughts on body image and developed an unrealistic standard for not only women but also men. Eight-five percent of women struggle with body image issues, according to an article on Women’s Health. More causes of poor body image can be caused by being teased or made fun of over their body. Sometimes it can even be caused by past trauma and abuse.

After interviewing some of the students in AHS, it’s time to compare the prices of women’s products. Some of the guys said the price for a girl to get her nails done can range from $50 to $75. Freshman Rylee Bangel says she pays “$59.” The price for girls to get their hair done could cost from $40 to “$100 or something,” says Freshman Hayden Kleen. “Like $120,” says Sophomore Matalynn Harter. 

With the standard of beauty constantly changing, hopefully, soon we will be able to challenge the neverending stereotypes and start to celebrate each other’s differences. Maybe someday we won’t have to worry about the pink tax or social media, and maybe we won’t have to worry about finding the perfect prince.