Lifting, sculpting, and contouring: Implications of the blurred boundary between cosmetic procedures and ‘other’ beauty products/services

Abstract

This paper critically examines how cosmetic surgery and ‘other’ beauty products are presented as forming a continuum in UK women's lifestyle magazines. Having analysed 744 adverts and various editorial features published across different lifestyle magazines, this paper qualitatively examines the categorization of cosmetic procedures and beauty products and treatments. The implications of this categorization for current attempts to regulate the marketing of the cosmetic surgery industry are considered.