Mirror Mirror Forced Me To Confront My Own Insecurities

Channel 10's documentary Mirror Mirror lifts the lid on the ugly side of the beauty business and the trillion-dollar industries that profit from society's obsession with body image.  

While watching the first instalment of the two-part series, I quickly realised that no one, including myself, is immune to the influence of advertising, social media and the unrealistic beauty ideals they prescribe.

Host Todd Sampson's first solo interviewee in episode 1 is Melbourne nurse Tara Jayne, who has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on cosmetic surgery to achieve what she describes as a "doll aesthetic".

He goes on to speak to a young woman who gets a fat transfer to her breasts from her stomach and waist.

"Even when I'm talking to people, I'm thinking how do I look? I've got to sit certain ways to be my best angle, not look so fat," she tells him.

We see her male partner undergo a hair transplant to combat early balding, an older woman in her 70s get a facelift because she wants to look as young as she says she feels inside, and a Malaysian woman sing the praises of skin whitening creams.

Sampson himself admits he's contributed to an industry that perpetuates problematic beauty standards and consumer behaviour given his over decade-long career in marketing.

What struck me as I watched the doco was that while I've never considered getting plastic surgery, I still do things that prove I've actually bought into the superficial narrative that's sold to us by advertising and media. I want to look good and I want strangers to see that I'm living my best life.

I rarely leave my house without a bra that boosts an A-cup chest by two sizes and I've had facial laser hair removal (which is arguably a cosmetic procedure in itself).

I realise that I take joy in carefully curating my Instagram posts, crafting anniversary captions weeks in advance and sharing glam throwback snaps so no one dares suspect my tracksuit reality that existed even before lockdown.

When we meet Malaysian woman Valerie on Mirror, Mirror, we learn of the westernised beauty standards that are capitalised on by the cosmetic industry in predominantly Asian cultures. Skin whitening or brightening creams promise customers a complexion that's ghostly pale, born from the concept of colourism that dictates fairer skin equates to beauty, success and appeal.

As the daughter of Fijian Indian immigrants, I've overheard relatives gossiping about family friends who are "too dark". I've been comfortable with my skin colour, but I've dangerously believed other societal ideals that value Eurocentric features.

In my early 20s, I deliberately dyed my hair various shades of brown in a bid to look less Indian. I wanted to appear culturally ambiguous because that's what I thought it took to make it in the Australian media industry (especially on TV).

Overall, Mirror Mirror certainly delves into the more extreme (and expensive) measures people take to succumb to the pressure to look a certain way. But after watching it I can assure you that you'll still be reminded of the small things we do every day – whether that's editing a photo or getting a fake tan – that buy into this superficial world.