No, they’re not after you, though for some people the thought of being pursued by Angelina’s lips might not be so bad. The problem, at least in my view, is the reverse: many women are actually after Angelina’s lips.
It seems that more and more often, especially in celebrity-conscious areas such as Southern California, people visit a plastic surgeon with a very specific request in mind. According to two Beverly Hills plastic surgeons who conducted a client survey last year, those famous lips are often the goal for women. Other noted requests are Katherine Heigl’s nose and Keira Knightley’s cheeks. For men, Matt Damon’s lips and George Clooney’s cheekbones top the list.
With the results of this survey in hand, “Star” magazine went a step further. The Hollywood tabloid decided to compile the favorite features into one face, that is, one each for a “perfect” man and woman. “Star” published the composite faces in their February 19th, 2008 issue.
Are they indeed perfect? Google the issue and judge for yourself. As far as I’m concerned, the best word to sum up the faces is, “strange.” On the woman, Angelina’s broad smile and full lips overwhelm the mid and upper parts of the face. And Keira Knightley’s cheeks look somehow too chiseled flanking Katherine Heigl’s all-American nose.
Seems I’m not the only one who reacted this way to the “Star” experiment. Reader comments on the images range from “odd” and “pretty ugly” to “scary” and even “disgusting!”
So go ahead, admire a certain celebrity nose or set of cheekbones. But admire them on the person they belong to. If you visit a plastic surgeon, let them guide the discussion, a discussion that should be about you—your features, your proportions. Talk about what you’re looking to improve and fine tune, and let the surgeon apply their skills in evaluating, measuring and recommending, based on their training and experience.
That’s how you can still be you—only better!