Written by: Elisa Avalle, founder of LeLang
Jodie Comer (Killing Eve) had been declared the most beautiful woman in the world by an algorithm based on the canons of Greek beauty, which takes facial proportions into account. This prompted me to reflect: can an algorithm determine a person's beauty?
I don't think so. Beauty and its standards evolve with society, and a mathematical equation cannot establish who is the most beautiful. Julian De Silva, the cosmetic surgeon who created that ranking, applied facial mapping techniques — the same ones used to plan a procedure — to measure something that is, by its nature, immeasurable.
Algorithms don't have an opinion: they have instructions
We live in an era in which so much has already been decided for us: social media knows what we like to watch, Google knows where we go, and streaming platforms choose the next song or series for us. While algorithms simplify our entertainment, there are areas in which they should not have the final say. Beauty standards are the most obvious example.
A data-processing system exists only as a function of the information it receives. Behind the calculation of the "most beautiful woman in the world" was someone who provided the algorithm with a very specific beauty standard. The result is not a discovery: it is the reflection of a choice made beforehand by a person.
The same logic applies to skincare. A product "that works for everyone" is not a universal product: it is a product that does not truly meet anyone's specific needs.
Differences are the point, not the problem
I know the dynamics of a world in which many women feel trapped all too well. While it is true that there are features we are more attracted to than others, every face has unique characteristics. It is the small details — sometimes the ones we call flaws — that make a face memorable.
Believing that there are beauty standards we must fit into in order to succeed is profoundly misguided. It is worth remembering how much the very concept of beauty has changed over time: what is measured by an algorithm today would have been incomprehensible to anyone in any other century.
Why personalized cosmetics are relevant
We need to move away from standardization, at least when it comes to beauty. Personalized cosmetics aim to do exactly that: the same product may not be suitable for everyone, may have different effects from person to person, and may need to be used in synergy with others to deliver results.
The idea of hyper-standardizing beauty standards is unrealistic, and we cannot respond by proposing miracle products that work for everyone. Beauty references are multiple and vary from person to person: the only way forward is to move beyond forced standardization and work on real needs.
I create cosmetics that help everyone enhance their own skin. From my experience, I can say that there is no product suited to everyone's needs, and this has taught me a great deal about what we continue to call beauty. Skin needs and the treatment of imperfections cannot work the same way for everyone: that is why, before recommending a product, I prefer to understand what kind of skin I am dealing with. If you are interested in the method I use, I also wrote about it in the article on what cosmeceuticals are.
The point is not self-acceptance
I don't believe there can be an algorithm capable of telling us what we like, and I believe beauty is deeply subjective. That is why we offer personalized consultations: so that everyone can feel good in their own skin. Standards are constantly changing, and chasing trends leads nowhere if they do not match your own taste or your skin's actual needs.
My goal is not to convey a simple message of self-acceptance, but to uproot the habit of comparing ourselves and conforming to a standard, so that everyone can express their own beauty — unique and inimitable.
Elisa Avalle, founder of LeLang Skin Care
