Looksmaxxing isn’t new—men are just catching up

Oh, so now we’re worried? 

At its core, looksmaxxing is all about aggressively 'optimising' your appearance, sculpting yourself into the best possible version of you.

Of course, many of us have been unknowingly engaging in looksmaxxing to a certain extent for years, whether it's working out, perfecting a skincare routine, whitening our teeth. The list is endless and, frankly, very relatable.

But lately, the internet has collectively lost its mind over the more extreme iterations of ‘self-care’ we’ve been seeing on our fyp’s. We’re talking men hammering their jaws in hopes that bones will regrow sharper and more prominent, extreme calorie deficits, or even illegal drugs, all in the pursuit of that coveted lean physique.

While I agree that ‘looksmaxxing’ promoted by toxic men with huge platforms is dangerous and shaping young boys, only further fuelling the rise of the manosphere, I can’t help but find it ironic that we’re only paying attention now, when women have been ‘looksmaxxing’ for decades.

Alright, maybe we’re not literally taking hammers to the face, but let’s be honest. Many of us have gone to extreme lengths to stay relevant in a culture obsessed with appearance. Laser hair removal, monthly blowouts, weekly fake tans, nail appointments, lip fillers, nose jobs, the list truly goes on.

Women have been navigating and normalising painful, harmful standards for years. Yet now that men have entered the chat, suddenly it is shocking.

I’m all for finally critiquing beauty standards, but isn’t this conversation about 40 years overdue? Where was the concern when women in the early 2000s were starving themselves to fit into a size double-zero, or when filler and Botox became the go-to for chasing a youthful, pouty look, essentially mirroring these men taking extreme measures to meet unrealistic ideals of attractiveness?

Painful treatments and harmful beauty standards have long been normalised, becoming part of the daily routine for many women and young girls. Sure, it’s not quite as extreme as making meth part of your daily supplements—yes, 'Clav' actually called it an ‘effective appetite suppressant’—but it is just as toxic for your mental health.

So yes, looksmaxxing is absurd, and men and women are rightly calling out its dangers. But we also need to remember the standards women have been and continue to be held up to and recognise who has been playing this game for decades. That perspective is just as important as the conversation we are having today.