Eyeopener Beauty Standards around the World ...

By Neecey

In an interesting experiment, a number of designers around the world were contacted by Superdrug (a UK high street retailer like a combined drugstore/beauty shop) and asked to photoshop an image to represent the “ideal beautiful woman” as per the “standards” of their home country. Originally, only freelance women designers were chosen but then four men were included, on the proviso that they conducted research before getting down to the job of touching up the original image. Here are the results.

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1

The Original Image

Sent with the instruction to "make it fit with your culture's perceptions of beauty and an ideal female form."
The Original Image

2

Mexico

Slimmed down all over and thigh gap created.
Mexico

3

Egypt

Curvier than Mexico, especially the lower half, but there's that thigh gap again.
Egypt

4

Colombia

A slight slimming of the torso and legs but there seems to be more emphasis on the hair change than anything on the body.
Colombia

5

Italy

We're getting on to being half the size of the original with this one. Another significant hair change too.
Italy

Famous Quotes

To give oneself earnestly to the duties due to men, and, while respecting spiritual beings, to keep aloof from them, may be called wisdom.

Confucius
6

Peru

A slimmed down body with a nice curve to go with slimmed down inner thighs.
Peru

7

The Netherlands

A change of underwear, a change of hair color and a change of footwear to go with a general trimming down of the whole body.
The Netherlands

8

Syria

What we have here is a seriously bad case of photoshopping. The Syrian image has turned out heavier on one side than the other and what is happening in her panties? Despite the obvious issue, there is yet another attempt at slimming down the image.
Syria

9

China

This is almost unrecognizable as the original image. Despite the horrific lack of skill in touching up the image, you can see the intention is to dramatically slim it down.
China

10

Ukraine

Another where the hair, underwear and show color all changed. And of course, obviously trimmed down all over.
Ukraine

11

United Kingdom

The entry from the UK surfaces with an added thigh gap and a body that's been made smaller all over.
United Kingdom

12

Spain

Were any changes made? Can you spot any differences from the original?
Spain

13

Serbia

A touched up tummy, slimmed down arms, reduced thighs and yes, a photoshopped in thigh gap.
Serbia

14

Romania

Still a curvy lady but those thighs have been made slimmer.
Romania

15

The Philippines

Another where the bottom half of the body has received attention from the touch up brush.
The Philippines

16

South Africa

A general shaving off all over.
South Africa

17

Argentina

Has pretty much gone for a homogenized image we've seen in a number of examples.
Argentina

18

Venezuela

The only image where the designer went to work on the top half of the body with a significant increase in the breast size and fullness. Panties have been slimmed down too. I hate to suggest it (very sexist of me!), but could this be the work of one of the male designers?
Venezuela

Beauty Snob
Related: Beauty Snob
19

USA

And last but not least, the USA has followed the same trend of overall reduction.
USA So, putting aside the lack of skill in the use of photoshop shown by some of the designers (scary, huh?) that have resulted in some strange women, the trend is very obvious. And that trend is to trim down and shave off the body, add thigh gaps and generally reduce the size of the original image.

Over to you to have your say!

Feedback Junction

Where Thoughts and Opinions Converge

Every country has its ideals. The beginning image didn't look that healthy anyways. There, I said it. Also wasn't this article somewhere else?!?

Yes first pic not great but at least real.... In pic five only her face is the same uncool

Wow, so no countries have any professionals! All the pictures are absolutely awful... Also everything in this article was taken from another site. Find some originality!

For the first couple of comments. What's wrong with having a bit of meat? And that is why our standard of beauty is the way it is now, and women getting surgeries and injections to "Fit In" the woman is healthy looking to me. A skinny person can be unhealthy than a person with weight. And it's a shame how this world acts smh

Those were not thigh gaps..

This was a study. They took ONE picture of one American model, unphotoshopped, and gave it to marketing companies in various countries. They didn't change the image to fit the culture because then when you put them all together, it wouldn't have been the same person, you wouldn't have seen how each country changed her. It's not "inaccurate" they didn't say "make this girl look like a beautiful woman from your country" they said photoshop her body to fit your countries standards. It's only ridiculous because society is shitty. But it's definitely not inaccurate nor ignoring race differences. They just gave one photo to a bunch of countries and asked them to photoshop her. It was also on buzzfeed, popsugar, Facebook, and several other social sites. It was originally on a university studies website.

People from South Africa are not all black. Your statement is ridiculous.

@playagal now that would be interesting. This article was not

Hi Alyx and Peony blue. My question is what us the fasination with that famous lady with a massive arse. I forgot her name. I prob wouldnt kick her out of bed tho. lol

No body shape is perfect, besides where are the black women too.. Every women in different colours has their own body shapes.. It's okay to have some meat too. We not perfect, just unique in shapes and sizes.

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