Y2K may be trending, but there are some noughties throwbacks Dove wants to leave firmly in the past. Unrealistic beauty standards have always been with us – shifting and evolving over time. Today, those pressures are more advanced than ever, amplified by filters, feeds, and AI-generated perfection. But in the early 2000s, they took on a new intensity and shaped how a generation of millennial women saw themselves.
A new study from Dove, The Weight of Words, reveals that 3 in 4 Millennial women say harmful beauty messages from the early 2000s still shape how they feel about their bodies today.
Dove analysed more than 140 magazine covers from the early 2000s to understand the beauty language that shaped a generation.
The findings:
- In the UK, nearly two-thirds (64%) of covers featured language that fuelled body-related pressures, from warnings about “muffin tops” to demands to be “bikini body-ready”.
- Among the toxic terms most recalled by UK women were “bikini body” (75%), “size zero” (64%), “love handles” (62%), “muffin top” (58%), “thinspiration” (31%), and “heroin chic” (27%).
- The emotional impact still lingers, with the majority of millennial women saying Y2K-era media left them feeling insecure (63%), judged (64%), and not good enough (61%) — and over half (56%) saying it made them feel ugly.
- 2 in 5 millennial women (42%) say the media negatively impacted how they see their own beauty — a perception that remains unchanged today
- Almost 7 in 10 women in the UK say say this language helped normalise harsh body criticism (69%) and over half (56%), believe their body image will always be shaped by it.
Dove is collaborating with actress Pamela Anderson to reflect on her own experiences and what impacted her body confidence.
The Why2K? podcast playlist by Dove, in partnership with Spotify, unpacks 2000s culture and helps women reclaim their body confidence. Each episode includes science-backed exercises and are developed with body image experts and academics, to support women in building body confidence.
“Words are powerful. I’ve experienced firsthand how society’s beauty standards can affect how we see ourselves. For me, it’s been a meaningful journey – learning to understand who I am beyond the expectations that were placed on me by others. I’m excited to work with Dove on this special podcast episode – a forum to reflect and have honest conversations about who we are.”
Pamela Anderson, Actress
The Why2K? podcast playlist by Dove includes:
- How to Fail with Elizabeth Day featuring Pamela Anderson (airs Monday 7th July): Beauty On My Own Terms: rejecting unrealistic body standards and toxic beauty ideals
- Happy Place by Fearne Cotton featuring special guest (airs Thursday 17th July): Self-Care and Body Confidence: a conversation about self-worth, beauty standards, and finding peace in your own skin.
- A Millennial Mind by Shivani Pau featuring special guest (airs Tuesday 22nd July): Friendship and Body Talk: Helping women navigate the impact of friendships on body confidence.
“We can’t undo the past influence of early 2000s culture, but we can change the story it left behind,” says Marcela Melero, Chief Growth Officer, Dove Personal Care North America & Dove Masterbrand. “Even the women who defined the millennial era weren’t untouched by its impact. At Dove, we’re on a mission to challenge beauty stereotypes and empower women to define beauty for themselves. Through the Why2K? podcast playlist, we’re supporting women to unlearn harmful messages and embrace a more confident version of themselves.”
The podcast playlist forms part of Dove’s first-ever body confidence programme for women, empowering millennial women to begin their own journey of beauty on their own terms.
“We know millennial women can really struggle with their body confidence – and it’s no surprise. They grew up in the 2000s, an era that constantly told them they didn’t look good enough,” says Dr. Nicole Paraskeva Senior Research Fellow and body image expert at the Centre for Appearance Research, University of the West of England. “The Why2K? podcast playlist from Dove is designed to challenge that. Each episode comes with its own journal developed with leading body image experts. The journal activities are evidence-based, and grounded in decades of research—practical, proven strategies to boost body confidence. It’s the first playlist of its kind, developed specifically with millennial women in mind.”
Dove believes beauty should be a source of happiness, not anxiety. But we can’t drive change alone. Together, let’s reclaim the #WeightOfWords, because words from the past shouldn’t define who we are today.
Tune into the Why2K? playlist by Dove on Spotify and visit Dove.com/Why2K to learn more.
#LetsChangeBeauty
