Beauty is only skin deep

Russian translation

Красота только на поверхности.
Не в красоте ценность человека; красота преходяща.

Variation

Beauty is but skin deep.

Synonyms

Beauty dies and fades away, but ugly holds its own.
Prettiness dies first.
Appearances are deceptive.

Comparison

Снаружи красота, внутри пустота.
Сверху мило, внутри гнило.
Лицом хорош, да душою не пригож.
Не с лица воду пить.

Examples

She says the poet is all wrong who said beauty is only skin deep; beauty begins in the mind. That's good dope, because everybody figures she has one. (Morley)

But beauty is more, after all, than bones, for while bones belong to death and endure after decay, beauty is a living thing; it is, in fact, skin deep, blue shadows on a white skin, hair falling loke golden feathers, on a white smooth forehead, it is embodied in the movement, in the smile and above all in the regard of a beautiful woman. (Mitford)

Lady Patricia was a perfect example of beauty that is but skin deep. She had once had the same face as Polly, but the fair hair had now gone white and the white skin yellow, so that she looked loke a classical statue that has been out in the weather, with a layer of snow on its head, the features smudged and smeared by damp. (Mitford)

Be as 'twill, she's a fine handsome body as far's looks be concerned. But that's only the skin of the woman. (Hardy)

Nonsence, my dear! Such shame is not even skin deep. And as to forgetting, surely you know that is Woman's First and Greatest Art? (Aldington)

Don't you think it's an exquisitely beautiful face? Ouite perfect, in its way. Like a Raphael Madonna. The other day I made an epigram. I said, Anni's beauty is only sin-deep. I hope that's original? Is it? Please laugh. (Isherwood)