I think there is a lot of money to be made from women's vanity (and I say this as a woman!) Plastic surgery, wrinkle cream, manicures, foundation, false eyelashes.... none of it would be possible if we were raised to be satisfied with the way we look in our natural state. Teachign us that we NEED all these products is a never-ending cash cow.
I don't think there's nearly as much pressure on men to look good. In TV / billboards / other media, you might see the occasional bodybuilder type but male newsreaders, politicians, and actors are allowed to be less-than-perfect-looking. If you're a woman, it doesn't matter what your job is, you HAVE to look good.