Cosmopolitan Magazine has been idolized as a women's bible for years.
Each issue's article topics range from beauty tips, celebrities' lives, sex tips, dating advice, social issues and some political subjects. However, the magazine's targeted goal is often overseen by the actual content, and which articles gather the most attention.
For a magazine that is meant to empower women, the articles with the most focus revolved around how to act in order to gain attention from men, applying the right kind of mascara, what you're doing wrong in your relationship and worst of all, the things you can do to look or live more like a Kardashian. Yes, they are an undeniably attractive and disgustingly wealthy family, but with the questionable impact that they are leaving on society and the beauty industry, why do we need more people out there trying to act like them?
Seriously, this magazine obsesses over the Kardashians to the point where the editors will eventually include locks of Kim's hair where the perfume samples used to be or hold a contest to win an old Abercrombie t-shirt that Kylie wore when she was 13-year-old. After all, this is the magazine that referred to them as "America's First Family" on a cover. Really? The first one ever?
While there were evident attempts to appear balanced between materialistic article topics and societal topics of substance within one issue, there is still a lot of work to be done. The hypocrisy between some of the articles is what blew me away the most. For example, I stumbled upon eight articles about the Kardashians in the "Beauty & Style" section alone just in the past month's issue. The most ironic part? Huddled in between all of the makeup and style tips about Kylie's lips and Kim's maternity fashion was just one article about how wearing less makeup can provide more confidence.
What's even worse, in my opinion, is that for a magazine that bounces back and forth so much between natural beauty and upscale makeup, the celebrities on the cover are still being photoshopped. Until this stops, how can we take your makeup tips seriously when your cover stars have to even go above and beyond that to look the way that they do? Let's get real, Cosmo, it's 2015 and embracing natural beauty is so in right now. Look at how many successful campaigns involving the removal of photoshop have made an impact on women in the beauty industry. Aerie, Dove soap products and other companies have proved that we do not need photoshop in order to be idolized and still considered beautiful. It is difficult to remain empowered as we flip through your magazine when one article contradicts the other, and you are writing ridiculous tips to achieve unattainable physical expectations.
I was pleasantly surprised to find a few articles related to feminism, women in power and other political topics. However, in the effort to actually find those articles I felt as if I was digging a hole through my laptop. The top listed article subjects on Cosmo's website were all related to beauty products and bettering your lifestyle. Also, the top scrolling thumbnails for articles had to do with Justin Bieber's newest music video, celebrity Halloween costumes and different hair braid styles you must try, like, right now. Big. Whoop.
I'm not saying that Cosmopolitan completely neglects the importance of versatile article topics and maintaining their goal to empower women. But, it is certainly not at the top of their priority list. Try something new, Cosmo. Let the articles of substance and bettering women actually reach the surface instead of being buried next to advertisements online or squeezed between contributing editors' names in the magazine. The only thing that needs a serious makeover is your image and impact that you are leaving on women, not the readers.
