Hmmm...the title is a kinda misleading because the whole article talks about society encourages women to improve themselves through makeup, clothes, working out, etc. to meet beauty and feminine ideals.

It's the author's opinion (with very little evidence cited) this type of self-improvement is sold as 'revealing your authentic self'.

The author didn't explore at all the increasingly trendy practices actually connected with the 'finding/expressing your authentic self' movement from meditation to positive thinking.

Instead it seems to be using this angle as a roundabout way to take another pot shot at superficiality, consumerism and female beauty ideals.

Well on that topic. It's proven humans use heuristics to make snap judgements, like deciding what type of person someone is based on how they look. So if you can apply some makeup or dress better or work out to gain benefits in social encounters, job interviews, basically any situation involving with other people, why not?

I'm not sure how many people think improving yourself in this sense is about finding or expressing your authentic self...