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Episode 108

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Published on:

21st Aug 2025

EP - 108 - The Beauty Trend That’s Slowly Killing Us

You see them every summer- skin sizzling under the sun like it's a badge of beauty. But what if that golden glow is just slow damage in disguise?

In this episode, I unpack the glamorization of tanning, the deadly consequences we keep ignoring, and the racial double standards woven into it all. From history to hypocrisy, we're calling out the cult of sun damage.

Wear sunscreen, friends!

Let's Get Into It.

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Sources & References:

World Health Organization. Artificial Tanning Devices: Public Health Interventions to Manage Risks. 2009.

Skin Cancer Foundation. Skin Cancer Facts & Statistics.

Valerie Steele. The Corset: A Cultural History. Yale University Press, 2001.

Bronwyn Cosgrave. Made for Each Other: Fashion and the Academy Awards. Bloomsbury, 2006.

Dr. Margaret Hunter. Race, Gender, and the Politics of Skin Tone. Routledge, 2005.

Ruth Goodman. How to Be a Tudor: A Dawn-to-Dusk Guide to Tudor Life. Liveright Publishing, 2015.

Dr. Elizabeth Hale. Commentary via the Skin Cancer Foundation. 2020–2024.

Dr. Seema Yasmin. The Impatient Dr. Lange: One Man’s Fight to End the Global HIV

Epidemic. Johns Hopkins University Press, 2017; and dermatology media commentary, 2020–2023.

Michaela Angela Davis. Interviews and essays including The Souls of Black Girls (2008) and public talks on race and beauty, 2008–2023.

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Apple Podcast:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beauty-unlocked-the-podcast/id1522636282

Spotify Podcast:

https://open.spotify.com/show/37MLxC8eRob1D0ZcgcCorA

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Follow Us on Social Media & Subscribe to our YouTube Channel!

TikTok:

tiktok.com/@beautyunlockedthepod

YouTube:

@beautyunlockedspodcasthour

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Intro/Outro Music:

Music by Savvier from Fugue FAME INC

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About the Podcast

Beauty Unlocked the podcast
Buckle up and get ready as I delve into a variety of topics regarding physical beauty.

We'll take a look at our society's obsession with physical beauty and the consequences these impossible beauty standards have had on us.
Let's face it; this fascination regarding physical beauty and body image isn't a recent phenomenon; it has been around for centuries, crossing borders, and has affected men and women alike.
The realization of this podcast has come about by my own experiences having to deal with society's perverse notion of physical "perfection" and researching an array of topics that have intrigued me over the years.
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About your host

Profile picture for Carissa Vikis

Carissa Vikis

Hey there!
I'm Carissa, host, content creator, and producer of the indie podcast Beauty Unlocked.
Growing up, I was frequently compared and criticized for my looks and weight. This started the vicious cycle of being self-critical and loathing my body. I knew I wasn't the only one suffering from society's ridiculous notion of what "we should look like." I started digging deeper and researching various topics, and the rest is h(er)story!
Beauty Unlocked The Podcast aims to educate and bring awareness of our society's obsession with physical beauty and the emotional consequences these impossible beauty standards have. Beauty Unlocked's social media platform showcases not only my work but that of other artists, illustrators, and fellow podcasters that I admire and that share a similar message of inspiration, empowerment, positivity, and raising awareness on a variety of social issues.