The morbid lifelessness of modern beauty

There's a new beauty trend in town: why are women trying to look...lifeless?Today’s guest, Jessica DeFino - beauty reporter, critic, and author of the FLESH WORLD Substack - says contemporary glamorization of anti-aging products and long dead icons like Caroline Bessette Kennedy all fall within a macabre beauty trend, what she calls ‘the morgue gaze.’ Ageless, poreless, lifeless beauty inspiration keeps consumers coming back for more numb, frozen aesthetics - forever. Jessica joins host Brittany Luse to break down what the morgue gaze is and why we’re so fascinated with the beauty of lifelessness.(0:00) The Resurgence of Carolyn Bessette and the 'Morgue Gaze'(2:03) Aesthetic Immortality: Unpacking the Morgue Gaze's Appeal(5:49) From Mannequin Skin to Cadaver Fat: The Rise of Lifeless Beauty(9:41) Billionaire Longevity: Transhumanism, AI, and the Undead Future(12:59) The Dissociative Pout(17:58) The Inescapable Grip of Beauty CultureWant more about beauty? Check out these IBAM episodes: The beauty industry has an Epstein problemLooksmaxxing is teaching men that pretty hurts.Peptides & the pursuit of the "perfect" bodySupport Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy