What does it mean to be beautiful? L’Oréal’s CEO for Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia has the answer

“I think beauty in a person lies within their flaws, actually,” L’Oréal’s CEO for Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia answered, “I think what beauty is is allowing yourself to live comfortably.”

These days, what it means to be “beautiful” is increasingly subjective. As people start to embrace the differences of others, traditional beauty standards have become less applicable than ever. What becomes more important is what it means to feel beautiful, and what the power of that feeling can unlock.

For Ms Caldeira, beauty gives her the power to “express her personality further.” Because as we know, beauty is not just external—what’s inside a person counts, too. “I like people with strong points of view, I like people that can disagree and sometimes prioritise their own interests,” she added, “We all have these imperfections inside, too, and I find these people [that are not afraid of their imperfections] more fun because they are not actively trying to be perfect.”

“Many people try to be perfect, to which many even go through extreme lengths to achieve.” She commented, “there are people looking for “natural” beauty, a nurturing kind of beauty from all-natural ingredients, and there are those who think of beauty in a set way that sometimes can even be almost unattainable.”

The constant exposure to others and the way they present themselves poses challenges in unrealistic expectations—but also allows us to become more forgiving, embracing others’ differences as we see them. That directly translates to the description of beauty becoming so subjective. The images we see online, and in our daily lives, play a huge role in how we each define the concept of beauty. As beauty gives each of us power, the things and people that we choose to surround ourselves with are very important in not only how we see others, but ourselves.

Ms Caldeira’s advice on the matter: “surround yourself with people that you can trust.” When you surround yourself with coworkers, friends, family, and acquaintances that you can rely on, work becomes smoother, stress is more easily prevented, and your everyday life can be more manageable.

But those are not the only perks of the people around you, as for Ms Caldeira, it plays a role in inspiring her journey, too. “I don’t have one figure to inspire me,” she says, “I surround myself with all kinds of people; young people give me different ideas and they are not afraid to be themselves. They keep me young. The older generations share their experiences and they remind [me] what I should or should not do.”

When asked for final advice for those climbing up the ladder, Ms Caldeira gave an important lesson on the importance of perseverance: success will come to people who remember to endure the hardships. And most importantly, do not regret what they have gone through in their journey.

“Given the opportunity, I would do it all again,” she added, “I cannot renounce anything I have been through. If I start to renounce it, it means I’m renouncing all the adventures, the joy I’ve had, and the people I’ve met.”

As you go through life, you may look back to learn from what you had done and see where you are not, but do not regret it as part of your journey. As Inês Caldeira said, beauty is more than skin deep, and however beauty lets you face the day with joy, you are beautiful enough.