Beauty is only skin deep

Meaning: Physical appearance is superficial; character matters more.

Origin: English proverb from Sir Thomas Overbury's poem A Wife (1613).

Translations

• French: La beauté n'est que superficielle (literally: Beauty is only superficial)
• Spanish: La belleza es solo piel (literally: Beauty is only skin)
• Japanese: 美人薄命 (Bijin hakumei) (literally: Beauty is fleeting)

More proverbs about Human Nature

• East or west, home is best — No matter where you go, home remains the best place.
• Variety is the spice of life — Diversity makes life interesting.
• Speak of the devil — Said when someone appears just as they're being discussed.
• You can't please everyone — It's impossible to satisfy every person all the time.
• A leopard can't change its spots — People can't fundamentally change their nature.
• When the cat's away, the mice will play — People behave freely when authority is absent.

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