faceCULTURE

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

2012-02-14T11:53:00.001Z

Did you know that wing coloration is an important component of social signaling in butterflies? In some Asian countries such as China and in Japan, dragonfly enthusiasts, much like birders elsewhere, pride themselves on recognizing many different types of this species of insect. In fact, numerous festivals, and sanctuaries provide Japanese dragonfly enthusiasts with the opportunity to practice and perfect their skills. It is striking that many visual signals such as symmetry, used for communication by insects and animals, are judged to be attractive by humans. With such universal appeal it is no surprise that Ryan McGinley's film contributes to the notion that biological evolution as well as artistic innovation has allowed us to develop a sensory bias towards the beautiful.

Ryan McGinley’s Beautiful Rebels on Nowness.com.

It isn't make-up, it's art.

2012-01-29T00:56:00.003Z

Still delighted every time I watch this. Genuinely love observing the interpretation of the artists hand without lapsing into becoming derivative, and am inspired by Faas's approach to the face and body.

Oh you pretty things...

2012-01-29T00:43:00.000Z

Oh you pretty things,
Don't you know that you're driving your
Mamas and papas insane.

Photographer: Brett Lloyd

Tan The Man

2011-10-31T01:42:00.000Z

Tanning design created with vinyl stickers and solarium by Janine Rewell.

The worldcup of hair

2011-10-30T01:10:00.000Z

Reminiscent of the Detroit Hair Wars that take place in America, photographer Danielle Stier has produced a series of portraits shot in Paris on the hairdresser's worldcup. "Just like the footballers they battle it out every four years recreating a set of standard hairstyles that are hard to imagine. Teams from as far Mongolia, Colombia or Thailand travel to Paris, some in their team kits and often bring their models who were happy to have their picture taken...".

Detroit Hair Wars 2010

2011-10-30T01:08:00.000Z

Photographs by Peter Hapak for Time, 2010

Vogue Paris Beauty - part 4

2011-10-12T15:42:00.000+01:00

Vogue Paris Beauty - part 3

2011-10-12T15:41:00.000+01:00

Vogue Paris Beauty - part 2

2011-10-12T15:40:00.002+01:00

Vogue Paris Beauty

2011-10-12T15:32:00.002+01:00

For the August 2011 issue of Vogue Paris, Lloyd Simmonds, artistic director of makeup Yves Saint Laurent, made a beauty (p. 206) tops with Jourdan Dunn and Natasha Poly photographed by Hans Feurer.

Cornrows at McQueen show, backstage.

2011-10-09T14:26:00.001+01:00

Cornrows, also known as braids, are a traditional African style of hair grooming where the hair is braided very close to the scalp, using an underhand, upward motion to produce a continuous, raised row. Cornrows are often formed, as the name implies, in simple, straight lines, but they can also be formed in complicated geometric or curvilinear designs.

This clay sculpture with cornrows is from the ancient Nok civilization of Nigeria. It may be as old as 500 B.C.

Like many other “Africanisms” in the new world, knowledge of African hairstyles survived the Middle Passage. Heads were often shaved upon capture, ostensibly for sanitary reasons, but with the psychological impact of being stripped of one’s culture. Re-establishing traditional hair styles in the new world was thus an act of resistance; one that could be carried out covertly: