Beauty Unlocked the podcast

Carissa Vikis
  • 5.0 (13)
  • Education
  • Updated Weekly

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.

  1. Sep 22 ·  Bonus

    Bonus Episode: Glass Skin: When Did Healthy Skin Stop Being Enough?

    Why are we obsessed with glass skin, poreless complexions and perfectly smooth faces? In this bonus episode, we explore the rise of the K-beauty glass skin trend, our centuries-old obsession with flawless complexions, the war against pores and skin texture, and the growing skincare obsession among children. Because glass doesn't have lines, texture or pores...but glass isn't alive. Are.You.Ready? **************** SOURCES & FURTHER READING: American Academy of Dermatology Association. "A Dermatologist's Guide to Skincare From Growing Up to Glowing Up." 2025. American Academy of Dermatology Association. "What Can Treat Large Facial Pores?" Bolen, Rebecca, Tionna Szymanski, Jordanne Nichols, and Kayd J. Pulsipher. "Dermatological Safety of Cosmetic Products Marketed to Children: Insights on the Sephora Kids Phenomenon." Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, Vol. 24, No. 9, 2025, pp. 949-951. Cleveland Clinic. "Sebaceous Filaments: Difference From Blackheads & Treatment." 2023. eSafety Commissioner, Australian Government. "Social Media Age Restrictions." Grist, Kerry. "Dangerous Beauty: Hazardous Chemicals and Poisons in Historic Cosmetics." Science Museum Group, 2022. Hales, Molly, Sarah Rigali, Amy Paller, Walter Liszewski, and Tara Lagu. "Pediatric Skin Care Regimens on TikTok." Pediatrics, Vol. 156, No. 1, 2025, e2024070309. Matts, Paul J., Bernhard Fink, Karl Grammer, and Maria Burquest. "Color Homogeneity and Visual Perception of Age, Health, and Attractiveness of Female Facial Skin." Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, Vol. 57, No. 6, 2007, pp. 977-984. National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. "Dr. James P. Campbell's Safe Arsenic Complexion Wafers." Reuters. "France's Top Court Blocks Social Media Ban for Under-15s." August 14, 2026. Schallon, Lindsay. "This Woman's 'Glass Skin' Skin-Care Routine Is Going Viral." Allure, 2017. **************** Leave Us a 5* Rating, it helps the show! Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beauty-unlocked-the-podcast/id1522636282 Spotify Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/37MLxC8eRob1D0ZcgcCorA **************** Follow Us on Social Media & Subscribe to our YouTube Channel! TikTok: tiktok.com/@beautyunlockedthepod YouTube: @beautyunlockedspodcasthour **************** INTRO/OUTRO MUSIC: FASION/ '1-800-DIRTY'/Courtesy of Epidemic Sound

  2. Sep 16

    EP -127- The Aesthetics of Female Rage

    Welcome, friends! Why do we LOVE female rage when it's on a screen, hanging in a museum, or packaged into the perfect TikTok edit, yet become deeply uncomfortable when real women get angry? In this episode, we explore the aesthetics of female rage, from the pressure to remain beautiful and agreeable to the racial stereotypes and double standards that shape how women's anger is perceived. We look at what happens when women swallow their anger, what happens when they finally explode, and why female fury can become so compelling when it's transformed into art, literature and pop culture. And what if rage isn't always an explosion? Sometimes, it simply says: ENOUGH. Are. You. Ready? **************** Sources & Further Reading: Brescoll, Victoria L., and Eric Luis Uhlmann. "Can an Angry Woman Get Ahead? Status Conferral, Gender, and Expression of Emotion in the Workplace." Psychological Science, Vol. 19, No. 3, 2008, pp. 268-275. Cahill, Cathleen D. "Gertrude Simmons Bonnin (Zitkala-Ša): Advocate for the 'Indian Vote.'" National Park Service. Davidson, Helen. "'Repugnant, Racist': News Corp Cartoon on Serena Williams Condemned." The Guardian, September 11, 2018. Epstein, Rebecca, Jamilia J. Blake, and Thalia González. Girlhood Interrupted: The Erasure of Black Girls' Childhood. Georgetown Law Center on Poverty and Inequality, 2017. Ferris State University, Jim Crow Museum of Racist Imagery. "The Sapphire Caricature." Folger Shakespeare Library. William Shakespeare, Macbeth. Folger Shakespeare Library. William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew. Hajela, Deepti. "Serena Williams' Treatment at U.S. Open Resonates Among Black Women." PBS NewsHour / Associated Press, September 11, 2018. Hess, Ursula, Reginald B. Adams Jr., Karl Grammer, and Robert E. Kleck. "Face Gender and Emotion Expression: Are Angry Women More Like Men?" Journal of Vision, Vol. 9, No. 12, 2009. Jack, Dana Crowley, and Diana Dill. "The Silencing the Self Scale: Schemas of Intimacy Associated With Depression in Women." Psychology of Women Quarterly, Vol. 16, No. 1, 1992, pp. 97-106. Library of Congress. "Ida B. Wells-Barnett Holds Her Ground." Shall Not Be Denied: Women Fight for the Vote. National Museum of African American History and Culture. "Popular and Pervasive Stereotypes of African Americans." National Park Service. "A Noble Endeavor: Ida B. Wells-Barnett and Suffrage." National Women's History Museum. "Elizabeth Packard." O'Leary, Ann. "Stress, Emotion, and Human Immune Function." Psychological Bulletin, Vol. 108, No. 3, 1990, pp. 363-382. Renna, Megan E., et al. "A Systematic Review of Associations Between Emotion Regulation Characteristics and Inflammation." Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 2023. BBC Sport. "US Open 2018: Serena Williams Accuses Umpire of Sexism After Outbursts in Final." September 9, 2018. BBC Sport. "US Open 2018: Serena Williams' Claims of Sexism Backed by WTA." September 10, 2018. Uffizi Galleries / Google Arts & Culture. "Artemisia Gentileschi's Judith in the Uffizi." Zumwalt, Dominique. "Suppressed Rage and Autoimmune Disorders in Women." SonderMind, April 18, 2025, updated April 10, 2026. **************** Leave Us a 5* Rating, it helps the show! Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beauty-unlocked-the-podcast/id1522636282 Spotify Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/37MLxC8eRob1D0ZcgcCorA **************** Follow Us on TikTok & Subscribe to our YouTube Channel! YouTube: @beautyunlockedspodcasthour TikTok: tiktok.com/@beautyunlockedthepod **************** Intro/Outro Music: “Fame Inc” by Savvier — https://icons8.com/music

  3. Sep 9

    EP -126- Who Taught Us to Hate Our Bodies?

    Welcome, friends! Just a quick message before I tell you what this episode is all about. It arrived a little later than planned. Life got unexpectedly busy behind the scenes, so I gave myself a little extra breathing room. Thank you for your patience, and thank you, as always, for listening. Why do women so often become the enforcers of the very beauty standards that have hurt them? In this brand new episode of Beauty Unlocked, we're looking at where our earliest ideas about beauty come from, how seemingly harmless comments can follow us for decades, and why beauty standards can become intertwined with identity, belonging, survival, and worth. We also explore the influence of family, Eurocentric beauty ideals, and the uncomfortable ways inherited beliefs can become lessons we pass on to others. Because the fact that we inherited an idea doesn't mean we have to keep it. ARE. YOU. READY? **************** Sources & Further Reading: Deek, Melanie Rebecca, Ivanka Prichard, and Eva Kemps. "The Mother-Daughter-Sister Triad: The Role of Female Family Members in Predicting Body Image and Eating Behaviour in Young Women." Body Image 46 (2023): 336-346. Engeln, Renee. Beauty Sick: How the Cultural Obsession with Appearance Hurts Girls and Women. New York: Harper, 2017. Festinger, Leon. "A Theory of Social Comparison Processes." Human Relations 7, no. 2 (1954): 117-140. Kluck, Annette S. "Family Influence on Disordered Eating: The Role of Body Image Dissatisfaction." Body Image 7, no. 1 (2010): 8-14. Strings, Sabrina. Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia. New York: New York University Press, 2019. Vouloumanos, Victoria. "POC Are Sharing The Eurocentric Beauty Standards They Grew Up With And How It Impacted Them." BuzzFeed, February 25, 2023. **************** Leave Us a 5* Rating, it helps the show! Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beauty-unlocked-the-podcast/id1522636282 Spotify Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/37MLxC8eRob1D0ZcgcCorA **************** Follow Us on TikTok & Subscribe to our YouTube Channel! YouTube: @beautyunlockedspodcasthour TikTok: tiktok.com/@beautyunlockedthepod **************** Intro/Outro Music: “Fame Inc” by Savvier — https://icons8.com/music

  4. Jun 11

    Beauty Unlocked Update!

    Sometimes the hardest decision as a creator is deciding not to release something you're not proud of. Just a quick update to let you know what's happening with Episode 126 and Beauty Unlocked's upcoming summer break. Thank you for your patience, support, and understanding. I'll be back at the end of August when the show returns with new episodes and plenty more uncomfortable questions for us to explore together. Stay safe out there, my love buckets. Take care of yourselves and each other, and remember to stay curious, always. 🩷🖤🩷🖤🩷

  5. Jun 3

    EP - 125 - We Became the Tabloids!

    Why were Laetitia Casta and Aishwarya Rai criticized for their appearance at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival? What starts as celebrity gossip quickly becomes a much bigger conversation about beauty standards, aging, body image, and social media. Because the more I looked at the comments coming out of Cannes, the more one question kept nagging at me: Did the tabloids disappear—or did we become them? Are. You. Ready? **************** Sources & References: Andrejevic, Mark. iSpy: Surveillance and Power in the Interactive Era. University Press of Kansas, 2007. Andrejevic, Mark. Reality TV: The Work of Being Watched. Rowman & Littlefield, 2004. Berger, John. Ways of Seeing. Penguin Books, 1972. Bordo, Susan. Unbearable Weight: Feminism, Western Culture, and the Body. University of California Press, 1993. Dyer, Richard. Stars. British Film Institute, 1979. Festinger, Leon. “A Theory of Social Comparison Processes.” Human Relations, vol. 7, no. 2, 1954, pp. 117–140. Foucault, Michel. Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison. Translated by Alan Sheridan. Vintage Books, 1977. Gamson, Joshua. Claims to Fame: Celebrity in Contemporary America. University of California Press, 1994. Marwick, Alice E. Status Update: Celebrity, Publicity, and Branding in the Social Media Age. Yale University Press, 2013. Mulvey, Laura. “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema.” Screen, vol. 16, no. 3, 1975, pp. 6–18. Senft, Theresa M. Camgirls: Celebrity and Community in the Age of Social Networks. Peter Lang, 2008. Wolf, Naomi. The Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty Are Used Against Women. William Morrow, 1991. Articles & Reporting: Arieux, Chloe B. “Laetitia Casta : insultes, grossophobie… ce qui s’est passé à Cannes choque.” Public, 29 May 2026. Reporting and commentary covering public reactions to Laetitia Casta and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan during the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, including discussions of ageism, body shaming, beauty standards, and social media scrutiny. **************** Leave Us a 5* Rating, it helps the show! Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beauty-unlocked-the-podcast/id1522636282 Spotify Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/37MLxC8eRob1D0ZcgcCorA **************** Follow Us on TikTok & Subscribe to our YouTube Channel! YouTube: @beautyunlockedspodcasthour TikTok: tiktok.com/@beautyunlockedthepod **************** Intro/Outro Music: “Fame Inc” by Savvier — https://icons8.com/music

  6. May 27

    EP - 124 - "Your Body Hair is Gross!"

    In this episode, I’m unpacking the history of female body hair removal, the rise of shaving and Brazilian wax culture, and why women are taught to see natural body hair as “gross.” From Ancient Egypt and razor advertising to pornography, patriarchy, and Eurocentric beauty standards, we’re digging into how female hairlessness became tied to femininity, desirability, cleanliness, and control. Why is body hair considered masculine on men but unacceptable on women? And why does modern beauty culture reward women for removing visible signs of adulthood from their bodies? Are. You. Ready? **************** Sources & References: Attwood, Feona. Mainstreaming Sex: The Sexualization of Western Culture. I.B. Tauris, 2009. Foucault, Michel. Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison. Vintage Books, 1995. Gill, Rosalind. Gender and the Media. Polity Press, 2007. Herzig, Rebecca. Plucked: A History of Hair Removal. NYU Press, 2015. Ovid. Ars Amatoria (The Art of Love). Translated by James Michie, Modern Library, 2002. Peiss, Kathy. Hope in a Jar: The Making of America’s Beauty Culture. University of Pennsylvania Press, 2011. Strings, Sabrina. Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia. NYU Press, 2019. Tyldesley, Joyce. Nefertiti’s Face: The Creation of an Icon. Harvard University Press, 2018. Wolf, Naomi. The Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty Are Used Against Women. Harper Perennial, 2002. Additional historical and cultural analysis referenced throughout the episode includes studies on Ancient Egyptian beauty and grooming rituals, Islamic hygienic traditions and body hair practices, feminist media theory surrounding bodily surveillance, pornography and beauty culture, beauty labor and gendered self-surveillance, racialized beauty standards, Eurocentric femininity, and contemporary discussions surrounding Brazilian wax culture, “clean girl” aesthetics, and social media beauty trends. **************** Leave Us a 5* Rating, it helps the show! Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beauty-unlocked-the-podcast/id1522636282 Spotify Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/37MLxC8eRob1D0ZcgcCorA **************** Follow Us on TikTok & Subscribe to our YouTube Channel! YouTube: @beautyunlockedspodcasthour TikTok: tiktok.com/@beautyunlockedthepod **************** Intro/Outro Music: “Fame Inc” by Savvier — https://icons8.com/music

  7. May 20

    EP - 123 - Why Are Celebrities Thin Again? The Beauty Politics of Recession

    What's a recession indicator you've noticed? Lately, one answer keeps resurfacing online: "You can see celebrities' ribs again." And as unserious as that sounds at first, history suggests it may not be entirely wrong. In this episode, I dive into Ozempic, recession aesthetics, quiet luxury, heroin chic, and the return of thinness as a cultural ideal. From celebrity weight loss trends to the politics of appetite, I explore how beauty standards shift during periods of economic anxiety, social instability, and cultural fear- and why women's bodies so often become the place where those anxieties are projected. Are. You. Ready? **************** Sources & References: Bordo, Susan. Unbearable Weight: Feminism, Western Culture, and the Body. University of California Press, 1993. Bourdieu, Pierre. Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste. Translated by Richard Nice, Harvard University Press, 1984. Debord, Guy. The Society of the Spectacle. Zone Books, 1994. Foucault, Michel. Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison. Vintage Books, 1995. Foxcroft, Louise. Calories & Corsets: A History of Dieting Over 2,000 Years. Profile Books, 2011. Rose, Nikolas. Governing the Soul: The Shaping of the Private Self. Free Association Books, 1999. Stearns, Peter N. Fat History: Bodies and Beauty in the Modern West. New York University Press, 2002. Strings, Sabrina. Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia. NYU Press, 2019. Tolentino, Jia. Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion. Random House, 2019. Veblen, Thorstein. The Theory of the Leisure Class. Oxford University Press, 2007. Wolf, Naomi. The Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty Are Used Against Women. Harper Perennial, 2002. Additional reporting and cultural analysis referenced throughout the episode includes coverage of Ozempic and Wegovy, celebrity weight loss culture, recession aesthetics, heroin chic and 1990s fashion culture, wellness culture, self-optimization, and digital body surveillance from contemporary journalism, academic commentary, and media analysis. **************** Leave Us a 5* Rating, it helps the show! Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beauty-unlocked-the-podcast/id1522636282 Spotify Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/37MLxC8eRob1D0ZcgcCorA **************** Follow Us on TikTok & Subscribe to our YouTube Channel! YouTube: @beautyunlockedspodcasthour TikTok: tiktok.com/@beautyunlockedthepod **************** Intro/Outro Music: “Fame Inc” by Savvier — https://icons8.com/music

  8. May 6

    EP - 122 - Glow-Ups Explained: Why Looks Change How You’re Treated

    What if your "glow-up" didn't change who you are, but changed how the world treats you? In this episode, I'm unpacking pretty privilege, the psychology behind it, and why being seen differently can feel more unsettling than empowering. We're talking about perception, bias, and the uncomfortable truth behind why opportunities, attention, and respect suddenly shift. This isn't about glow-ups...it's about what they reveal. Are. You. Ready? **************** Sources & References: Thorndike, E. L. (1920). A Constant Error in Psychological Ratings. Journal of Applied Psychology. Dion, K., Berscheid, E., & Walster, E. (1972). What Is Beautiful Is Good. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Hamermesh, D. S. (2011). Beauty Pays: Why Attractive People Are More Successful. Festinger, L. (1957). A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance. Higgins, E. T. (1987). Self-Discrepancy Theory. Psychological Review. Fredrickson, B. L., & Roberts, T. A. (1997). Objectification Theory. Psychology of Women Quarterly. Ogden, J., & Clementi, C. (2010). The Experience of Being Obese and the Many Consequences of Stigma. Journal of Obesity. **************** Leave Us a 5* Rating, it helps the show! Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beauty-unlocked-the-podcast/id1522636282 Spotify Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/37MLxC8eRob1D0ZcgcCorA **************** Follow Us on TikTok & Subscribe to our YouTube Channel! YouTube: @beautyunlockedspodcasthour TikTok: tiktok.com/@beautyunlockedthepod **************** Intro/Outro Music: “Fame Inc” by Savvier — https://icons8.com/music

See All (200)

Trailers

5
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    Carissa Vikis
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    200
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Carissa Vikis
  • Show Website
    Beauty Unlocked the podcast

You Might Also Like