The history of official beauty contests for women goes back to 1952. The first winner of the title of "most beautiful woman" was Armi Kuusela, a 17-year-old Finn at the time. The beauty contest took place in Fontana and was not yet televised at first.

The first television broadcast of a beauty contest took place in 1955. 

A beauty contest compares a person's body proportions and appearance in a points system. Increasingly, however, it is not just about looks, but character, talent and intelligence are also assessed. The winner is defined as the most beautiful woman in either the region, the country or the world. 

Beauty contests are criticised for primarily judging a person's appearance, putting young people under pressure to strive for their beauty idols. For many people, it becomes an obsession and they not only spend their entire fortune on expensive clothes, cosmetics and even cosmetic surgery, but also jeopardise their health. 

Cover photo: epsos.de