Beauty Standards Around the World

Beauty Standards Around the World

Beauty standards affect both men and women everywhere. Beauty standards where we live affect how we see ourselves, how we value ourselves, and how we treat our bodies. However, beauty standards differ dramatically all over the world and change over time. Therefore, it is important to not put too much value on these standards as they are not fixed. The Beauty Standards in America

• White teeth - Americans are obsessed with keeping their teeth white and straight. We are willing to spend thousands of dollars to keep them this way, even though science suggests slightly yellow-tinted teeth are normal and healthy (Brittany Gibson).

• Being tan (Casey L. Daniel, Natalie R. Gassman, Alyssa M. Fernandez, Sejong Bae & Marcus C. B. Tan ) - Another thing Americans are willing to spend a lot of money on is being tan. In recent years there has been an increase in intentional tanning. Wearing heavy make-up- According to this study, 41% of Americans between 30 and 59 years of age wear makeup every day (Alexander Kunst).

• Being thin - This wasn’t always the beauty standard in America, in colonial times, being bigger was a sign of health. Now, the standard has done a complete 180 flip (Natalie Wolchover).

• Groomed Brows- America is unique in that people want to be sculpted, rather unrealistic-looking brows (Melissa Magsaysay).

The Beauty Standards in South Korea

• Small face (Beatriz)

• Big eyes

• Pale skin

• Slim figure

All of these traits are part of the youthful look that Koreans go for. And if these traits are not natural in a person, people will use makeup or plastic surgery to obtain them. Plastic Surgery - In South Korea, plastic surgery has become a very popular trend because of the extreme fixation on appearances and the unrealistic beauty standards (Harrison Jacobs and Annie Zheng). This is reported to be a rather unhealthy practice for people's self-confidence (Sanghoo Yoon and Young A. Kim). There is also a movement going on in South Korea right now called, “Escape the Corset,” women are throwing out their makeup to protest the culture's obsession with being perfect through make-up routines that take hours to complete (Benjamin Haas). Beauty Standards in India (Rebbecca Gelles)

• Fair and clear skin - historically the standard has been medium- to fair-toned skin, but with the new influence of the media in the twenty-first century, that standard is changing to lighter toned skin.

• dark/black hair - Most women in India already have this hair color, but those losing their hair pigmentation often use henna to darken their hair. It is also a standard that a woman's hair is at least shoulder length.

• Slim figure - throughout history it was fine to be a bit bigger, but starting in the 1990s the focus shifted to having a slim figure.

• Clothing - in urban areas some women wear westernized clothing, but traditional clothing like a sari blouse and sari petticoat remain popular.

Beauty Standards in Brazil

• Fit figure- Brazil is known right now for leading Latin America's fitness revolution (Laura Dibiase). As stated by the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association, Brazil has “more than 18,000 health clubs, second worldwide only to the number in the United States (Vincent Bevins).”

• Beauty products - The Beauty product industry in South America is led by Brazil, with an annual “annual per capita expenditure of US $ 223 (Mario Otero).”

• Body Confidence - according to one account of an American citizen, Lara Adekola, who spent a year in Brazil, Brazilians are more confident in their bodies. Adekola reports women embracing “supposed imperfections,” and how going back to the US was a bit of a “reverse culture shock” (Lara Adekola).

Western influence: As in many cultures, western influence has had a big impact on girls' body images. Media and advertisements in Brazil “promote a Western aesthetic” feeding people “oversexualized images for women to follow (Noa Covell).” Beauty Standards in Mexico

• Curvy figures (Laura F. Romo, Rebeca Mireles-Rios, Aida Hurtado) - Research suggests that Latino culture sees curvier women as attractive; thus, they are not as affected by mainstream U.S. beauty standards which revolve around people being thin.

• Hair- In Mexico girls usually have thick and long hair, this article talks about trendy hairstyles in Mexico that work well with thick hair.

Beauty Standards in Egypt

• Hair - it is becoming somewhat of a movement to set aside the Eurocentric beauty standard that anything less than straight hair is messy. Usually, Egyptian women are encouraged to straighten their hair, but now they are fighting back and letting their curls flow!

In Egypt, as women began to gain more freedoms and rights, Western ideas of beauty began to dominate in the 1980s (Hana Khaled). Like many countries, beauty standards that once dominated them are being protested and women (and men) are fighting to change their harsh rules. Beauty Standards in Russia In Russia, beauty standards are very fixed. Traditionally standards for women are as follows: (Bailey Frisco)

• Slim figure

• Taller women - with longer legs

• Long blond hair

According to many websites (Katrina Keegan), and some online chats with Russians, Russian women prefer to put more effort into their appearance, unlike Westerners who would rather be comfortable. The traditional beauty standards for men are equally as restricting:

• Tall

• “Triangle figure” - muscular shoulders, and thinner waist

• Darker hair

As in many other places around the world right now, people are fighting against the rigid societal beauty standards in Russia. Beauty Standards in France

• Slim figure - As in many countries, unfortunately, the unrealistic skinnier figure is popular and supported by the media. This woman in France accounts for the difficulties of not fitting that standard (Kaitlyn Mclintock).

• Make-up - In France women tend to go for a “natural” makeup look. Compared to Americans they use fewer steps in their makeup routines and in their face cleansing routines (Erin Jahns).

• Clothing - typically people wear “modern Western style clothing.” However, on occasion, for things like festivals and celebrations, people may wear traditional costumes specific to where they live.

While beauty standards may differ from country to country, the thing they all seem to have in common is how restricting they are. As many people around the world are starting to do, it is important to not let these standards confine or define you. At the end of the day, you should be dressing to make yourself happy, and no one else.

About the Author: Teagan Briggs