SpainThe article discusses the work of Chinese photographer Yufan Lu, who documented her experience visiting over 30 aesthetic clinics in China. Through her photobook 'Make Me Beautiful,' Lu explores the lucrative beauty industry and societal pressures around appearance, including the desire to conform to idealized standards such as larger eyes, higher noses, and lighter skin. She uses photography to confront personal insecurities and examine how beauty ideals have remained largely unchanged since her youth. The book includes self-portraits altered by medical professionals with various enhancements, highlighting the commercialization and normalization of cosmetic procedures. Lu, now 35, lives between Tianjin and Helsinki, where she pursued photography and is currently working on a doctoral degree.
Bias read (Center): While the topic involves societal norms and commercial practices related to aesthetics, which can have political implications, the article does not take a clear ideological stance. It presents the issue through a journalistic lens, focusing on the cultural and economic aspects of the beauty industry
