A survey of beauty standards across different cultures reveals the fascinating diversity and subjectivity inherent in the perception of beauty. Through projects like Esther Honig’s and the collaboration between OnlineDoctor.SuperDrug.com and Fractl, we see how ideals of beauty can vary greatly from country to country. From the preference for curvier figures in Colombia to the pursuit of extreme thinness in China, each culture brings its own unique perspective on what is considered beautiful. These findings underscore the importance of recognizing and celebrating diversity in beauty, as well as challenging narrow and homogenous standards that may perpetuate unrealistic ideals.
Like language, beauty is subjective and varies around the world. It became popular in 2014.
Journalist Esther Honig gained international attention when she sent a photo of herself to graphic designers asking her to look “beautiful”.
Others were influenced by this style, such as Priscilla Yuki Wilson, who is multiracial, and Marie Southward, who added: “plus size”. OnlineDoctor.SuperDrug.com, a UK-based online medical service, and content marketing company Fractl collaborated on a comparable project in 2014. Fractl conducted a study on the differences in the perception of beauty in 18 countries by sending an image of a woman wearing trousers to graphic designers in the UK and Syria.
In terms of beauty criteria, the results varied widely.
Philippines
Darker hair and thinner skin embody the ideal of true beauty in the Philippines.
USA
In their view of beauty, the US has decided that having a thigh gap, a flatter stomach, and an extremely sculpted face are the obvious choices.
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China
China produced the most edited photo, claiming the model weighed roughly one hundred pounds. The face, hair, underwear, and whole body were changed.
Colombia
Colombians continued to see beauty as a curvier shape, with minor modifications such as more hair and less orange skin.
Egypt
he gave the model black hair, a narrow waist,t, and an orange shade.
Italy
they made a version that was almost as slim as the Chinese one and changed the color of the shoes and panties to reflect a completely different idea of ​​beauty.
Netherlands
The woman had slimmer legs, and lighter hair, and was wearing a pink bikini and boots.
Peru
Peru focused on slimming the model’s arms and stomach in addition to tweaking her eyes when judging the beauty.
Romania
it turned orange and lost inches all over its body.
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Serbia
he spoke to the face and figure of the model.
Africa
showed a taller, slimmer version of the vehicle.
Spain
retained a graceful aspect, unlike other nations.
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Mexico
gave the woman’s brown hair and tan a more realistic look.
Syria
it resulted in a transformation that looked a little out of place.
United Kingdom
The model got a significantly slimmer body and the UK kept the background simple with white.
Ukraine
she tried to significantly adjust the figure of the model and add more volume to her hair.
The color of her shoes and pants also changed.
Argentina
the model raised her breasts and simulated a tummy tuck.
Venezuela
he gave her beautiful black hair that was wavy and lightened her skin tone.
“Some designers in North, South, and Central America have created an exaggerated hourglass figure,” the Fractl team wrote, “while others in Europe and Asia have chosen to make it extremely skinny.” The variety of beauty standards shown in these images highlights how arbitrary beauty standards are around the world.
When it comes to the sense of beauty, individuals seem to have different perspectives.
When you compare them all, you will realize how completely the original image has been changed with a few Photoshop adjustments to match the beauty standards of the area. China made the lightest, Spain the heaviest, and China the thinnest of all submissions.
The diverse interpretations of beauty standards displayed in altered images from around the world serve as a reminder of the subjectivity and cultural relativity of beauty. From an emphasis on slim figures in some countries to a preference for thinness in others, these variations highlight the arbitrary nature of beauty ideals. As individuals, we each have our own unique view of beauty that is shaped by our cultural backgrounds and personal experiences. Ultimately, these images highlight the importance of embracing diversity and recognizing that beauty comes in many different forms.