They call it psychocosmetics or neurocosmetics, and the origin, although it is now more strongly attached than ever, goes back even thousands of years ago.
The foundation is simple: take care
of
yourself with
products of natural origin
that help us to look our best version, awakening
positive emotions
in us
.
But how is this interpreted from the point of view of psychology?
The ifeel team of psychologists helps us understand it with these ten key points:
1.
Psychocosmetics is not something new.
Quality cosmetics have always served to provide a positive and satisfying psychological experience.
If it were a specific achievement of these specific products, the same would happen with anything we could make or consume;
that is, with other objects or activities that were capable of providing us with well-being, fulfillment and deep positive emotions.
In the end,
we would fall into the absurdity
of calling all psychodecoration, psycho-dressing, psycho-feeding or psycho-sports.
2.
Cosmetics are not psychocosmetics because it provides well-being.
It is only cosmetic.
You cannot hyperpsychologize anything that makes you feel good.
The term psychocosmetics can be
a great marketing strategy
, but that does not mean that there is something truly significant behind it.
All cosmetic products are oriented to the senses and this is not why we are talking about sensory cosmetics, since that effect is implicit.
3.
The cosmetic industry hides people's desire not to age.
The main use of cosmetics since the beginning of humanity has been to achieve
eternal youth,
although, in second place, there is health care.
Probably, Cleopatra already used psychocosmetics without calling it that, not only because she did not know the term, but also because it was not necessary to modify the name of a word that already says everything by itself: cosmetics.
4.
Cosmetic products don't have superpowers.
The use of cosmetics to improve the physical image and take care of our exterior is not enough for everyone.
Therefore, it seems necessary to
invent that some products have superpowers
and that they are almost the elixir of happiness.
And, in this way, they present them to the general public as if they were the great discovery: the internal and external world of the person, finally, united thanks to a product.
5.
The consumer must distinguish between self-care and ornament.
Many high-end products that are sold under the psycho-cosmetics label are probably of high quality and fulfill their basic functions.
However, it is a mistake to try to achieve significant well-being through cosmetics.
Although we apply the most psycho, neuro and smartest cosmetics that the industry can manufacture, the reality is that, with a bit of luck,
we are going to age like everyone else
.
6.
No psychocosmetic can achieve personal satisfaction and motivation.
If your self-esteem is damaged because your skin is dehydrated or because you have spots, it will improve if you take care of yourself with the right products.
But if your self-esteem does not have to do with the state of your skin, you should be clear that your satisfaction with yourself and your lack of security or motivation will not improve significantly for many psychocosmetics that you apply.
These products can make your skin healthy, bright or beautiful, but
they will not help you in your personal development
in the deep sense of the term.
7.
Do not confuse happiness with the pleasure of relief and self-care.
Although all three are psychological phenomena, applying a regenerating cream can bring a feeling of well-being, for example, if you have suffered burns.
However, that is not going to give you joy, or pride, or satisfaction with yourself, or a sense of maturity, or motivation to overcome your fears.
It's not going to teach you social skills or make you forgive yourself for your mistakes.
Nor is it going to solve any other problem in your life.
Ultimately, it is not going to make you happier.
8.
Adding the prefix 'psycho' to a cosmetic is giving it a prestige that it does not have.
Can't a good movie, a nice dinner or a time of incredible sex awaken a great level of inspiration and positive emotions in you?
However, that is not why you go to the psycho-cinema, or do psycho-dating, nor do you have sexual psycho-relationships.
And that the effects that these activities have on your psyche are much more profound than those of applying a cream or using a specific shampoo, no matter how pleasant its smells, its silky textures and its effects on your skin.
9.
True positive emotions go beyond the pleasant sensations that cosmetics can cause.
It is obvious that everything that enters through the senses (smell, sight, touch, taste and hearing) is capable of putting us in a certain emotional state.
But those states tend to be superficial and short-lived.
Positive emotions are deeper and more complex
: pride, joy, gratitude, 'flow', aesthetic emotions (such as those provided by works of art), savoring (reliving the positive experiences we have had), etc.
These emotions are not provided by a cosmetic, nor by an aesthetic treatment, no matter how good and continuous it may be.
10.
Every stimulus has an effect on us.
Our body processes it at different levels (cognitive, emotional, somatic and behavioral).
Sometimes we are aware that this happens and sometimes it does not, regardless of the relevance of the stimulus.
What we find pleasant generates a pleasant sensation, more or less lasting.
What does not, generates some kind of discomfort.
But this does not mean that we live a neuro-life, we decorate our house with neuromurniture, we eat neuro-food or we program neuro-trips.
We just live.
If we take better care of ourselves, for example, using quality cosmetics, we tend to feel better, but nothing more.
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
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