為什麼「美」愈來愈像？
不論品牌、臉孔還是審美風格，世界正變得愈來愈相似。Olivia 指出，當文化被數位平台主導、效率與可複製性被高度推崇時，「差異」反而成為最先被犧牲的元素。
美妝與個人護理市場雖然持續成長，但真正的創新只占銷售的 10%，其餘多半只是「看起來像新」。這種同質化不只是產業問題，更正在形塑我們對美與自我的想像。
About Olivia Houghton
Olivia Houghton 為英國趨勢顧問機構 The Future Laboratory 的 趨勢洞察與互動總監，長期研究消費文化、審美變遷與身分認同的未來樣貌。她專注於解析科技、演算法與文化如何共同塑造人們「看起來像誰」、以及「被允許成為誰」。
在全球多場重要產業論壇中，Olivia 以犀利而人本的觀點聞名，擅長將數據、文化洞察與人類情感連結起來。此次演講《The Great Beauty Blur》，她不只是談美妝產業，更試圖提出一個關鍵提問：當世界愈來愈數位化，我們是否正在失去差異、創造力與真正的人類表達？
演算法正在影響我們的審美嗎？
社群平台原本應該拓展我們的視野，卻反而收窄了審美邊界。演算法偏好熟悉、可快速辨識的內容，讓某些臉孔與特徵壟斷注意力。研究顯示，濾鏡與推薦機制正在強化白人中心、年輕、對稱的「Instagram 臉」。
長期下來，這些影像不只是被觀看，而是被內化，逐漸成為「標準」。
健康與美，真的更平等了？
Olivia Houghton ：「當代盛行的自我最佳化文化，實際上高度依賴資源、時間與社會特權。」
當「健康美」成為主流，問題真的消失了嗎？Olivia 表示，當健康被包裝為審美的一部分，美不再只是外表，而成了一場自我優化競賽。這樣的文化，可能無意間排除了無法負擔「理想生活方式」的人。
反常規美學，正在發酵
面對極致平滑與完美的疲勞，一股反向力量正在崛起。
從 anti-botox、刻意模仿皺紋的妝容，到強調戲劇性的時尚輪廓，這些「反流暢美學」試圖用更真實或是非濾鏡的形式，喚回驚奇、不適與真實感。美不再只是被優化，而是被重新感受。
「審美觀」正在回到文化根源
在全球化審美壓力下，越來越多人開始重新擁抱文化根源。
從中東與印度香氛影響力，到東南亞風味重新定義美食調香，beauty of origin的流行，讓美不只是全球模板，而是生活經驗與歷史的延伸。
這也是對永久改變外貌、切斷文化連結的一種反思。
美的未來，該由誰決定？
從 Olivia 的分享中，我們看見一個更大的問題：當科技愈來愈能改寫外表，我們是否也該重新定義「值得被看見的是什麼」？
未來的美，不只關乎技術與創新，而是價值選擇。我們是否願意為差異、模糊與真實留下空間，而不只是追求最佳化的結果？
Why Is Beauty Starting to Look the Same?
Have you noticed how brands, faces, and aesthetics are beginning to blur together?
Olivia Houghton observes that in a culture dominated by digital platforms, efficiency and familiarity often come at the cost of distinction. While the beauty and personal care market continues to grow, only 10% of sales come from true innovation.
The rest is repetition disguised as novelty — a pattern that doesn’t just affect products, but how we perceive beauty and identity itself.
About Olivia Houghton
Olivia Houghton is the Insights & Engagement Director at The Future Laboratory, where she explores how beauty, technology, and digital systems shape identity and self-perception.
In her talk The Great Beauty Blur, she challenges the industry to confront sameness, questioning how we preserve difference and meaning in an increasingly optimized world.
Are Algorithms Defining What Beauty Looks Like?
Social media was meant to broaden perspectives, yet algorithms often narrow them instead. As Olivia explains, platforms reward familiarity because it drives engagement. Filters and recommendation systems amplify Eurocentric, youthful, symmetrical features — the so-called “Instagram face.”
Over time, these visuals don’t just circulate; they become internalized as the benchmark of attractiveness.
Has the Wellness–Beauty Convergence Really Made Beauty Fairer?
“Optimization culture is intrinsically linked to privilege,” Olivia said.
The fusion of wellness and beauty is often celebrated, but Olivia urges caution. When health becomes aesthetic currency, beauty turns into a self-improvement race — one that quietly reinforces inequality rather than dismantling it.
The Rise of Anti-Fluid Aesthetics
As hyper-polished aesthetics lose their appeal, anti-fluid beauty is emerging.
From anti-botox movements to makeup that mimics wrinkles, these visuals reintroduce surprise and texture. Rather than smoothing everything out, beauty becomes something to feel again — not just optimize.
Beauty Is Reconnecting With Cultural Origin
Amid globalized beauty ideals, cultural origin is reasserting itself.
From Middle Eastern fragrance traditions to Southeast Asian reinterpretations of gourmand scents, beauty rooted in heritage offers an alternative to homogenization — one that values lived experience over conformity.
Who Gets to Define Beauty’s Future?
Olivia’s talk raises a deeper question: as technology reshapes appearance, who decides what is worth seeing?
The future of beauty isn’t only about innovation, but values. Will we preserve space for ambiguity, difference, and humanity — or optimize them away?
