Widdows, a philosophy professor at the University of Birmingham and author of Perfect Me, published by Princeton University Press, explores the idea that beauty has become, for many of us, an ethical idea. "Moral language is all over beauty," she explains, giving examples such as how we deem ourselves 'good' if we stick to a diet or 'naughty' if we go for that slice of cake. In our quest for the perfect self, we judge ourselves and others harshly and place a high value on it that affects the way we view success at work, at home and in our relationships. We attach blame, shame or praise in our search for beauty and perfection, feeling like a failure as a person if we’ve not come up to scratch. "Beauty success has become success everywhere. So when we talk about 'letting yourself go', that’s not just about failing in beauty. As it becomes an ethical ideal, it becomes a failing of a self."