My name is Gabriella Silvestain, and I am a senior at Wakefield School in The Plains, Virginia. As a young woman not always happy with her appearance, I am well aware of the impact of beauty standards, which is why I am so passionate about this topic. It is difficult for me to remember if there was ever a time when I did not care about my physical appearance. I decided to write about this topic for my senior thesis when I stumbled upon an article about the "super skinny" beauty trend from the 90s, “Heroin Chic,” and its resurgence in the summer of 2022. This made me want to learn about the beauty trends and standards of the past, which ultimately led me to write my thesis on the subject of beauty in every aspect and how it affects people. I enjoyed learning about the science behind why we find certain faces attractive and the evolution of female beauty standards; however, it was sad to discover how far back our obsession with beauty goes. This shows that beauty standards have always been an issue that continues to persist today.