Western vs Asian Beauty Standards

What Are Beauty Standards?

Beauty standards are a social construct that varies across time, individuals, and groups. Regardless of our age, gender, race, or class, it affects us all.

Social media plays a large role in dictating what we see as desirable and excluding what is seen as “ugly.” Beauty standards aren’t necessarily bad as they can reflect our cultures, however, people will often take unhealthy paths to attain the ideal look. Beauty standards are generally exclusive of many body types, skin tones, and conditions, which is why it’s hard to fit into the mould.

What one thinks is beautiful, may not be as beautiful as what others think.

Asian Beauty Standards

Asian beauty standards vary across all regions but the general “look” for feminine figures is to have pale smooth skin, a small V-shaped face, large eyes, and a slender thin body frame. Having pale skin is linked to being in a wealthy lifestyle, suggesting that the person does not work in fields under the scorching sun.

In masculine figures, the general look involves being pale, lean, tall, tidy with a sharp jawline.

• Popular in South and Southeast Asia, many young people will use bleaching products to whiten their skin.

• Sunscreen, umbrellas, and covered clothing are popularised and used to prevent tanning.

• In East Asia where monolids are common, people will use synthetic products or surgery to create a double eyelid. This makes the eyes appear innocent and large.

• Phone applications will include special effects that enhance the eyes and slim down faces to create a V shape.

• Teenagers will often go on dietary restrictions to appear thinner which leads to many health problems.

• In China, controversial beauty “challenges” such as the A4 waist challenge showed pictures of women with waists smaller than the width of an A4 paper.

The rise of Korean entertainment plays a large role in Asian beauty standards where artists and actors typically embody the “ideal” look. It is not uncommon for celebrities to undergo surgeries, dietary restrictions, and exercise to achieve this.

Western Beauty Standards

Western beauty standards typically look for tanned light skin tones, round eyes, small noses, a fit physique, a symmetrical face, and high cheekbones. These ideals are similar for men. In recent years, curvaceous features, full lips, and thick hair have also been added.

• Typically for individuals with a white skin colour, having a tan is desirable because it shows that the person is active and healthy. It shows that the person does not spend most of their time indoors. Fake tans and tanning beds can be used.

• Small noses are a trait that’s associated with being feminine, delicate, and submissive. This standard comes from old European ideals.

• Having a fit physique in men and women represents health and activeness in the individual’s life.

Western beauty standards have strong roots in European -Greece and Italy- historic ideals. Having a healthy and athletic physique, a straight nose, and blond hair were favoured. In recent decades, Western beauty standards have become more inclusive and considerate of other body shapes and skin tones however its roots are still strongly entangled with colonialism standards that mostly fit the White race.

Looking Forward: Beauty Standards in 2021 and the Future

We all want to be beautiful, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. We all have insecurities and by attempting to fit ourselves into a mould, we shame and hide certain flaws that make us unique and human.

Despite our society’s progress to be more inclusive, we cannot deny the fact that beauty standards have always been associated with having white/ pale skin. Our job as individuals is not to shame others for what makes them unique, but to praise and encourage confidence because confidence is beauty.

Sources:

Voices of Youth

Asia Media Centre

LTL Shanghai

Rife Magazine

The Independent

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Written by JoYii Phnom Penh, Cambodia