beauty ★★★★★

Eyeopener Beauty Standards around the World ...

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

Frequently asked questions

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

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

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

Why are the women all white? I'm white and black women are just as beautiful and should have been included.And there is no one perfect body either. Keep in mind genetics as well.

All of these look the same to me except for the very skinny girls.

Well,what you see and what you get are two different things. Stand at the door of a big department store and check out the women who pass in and out of it. How many do you see who would look like these pictures in their underwear ?

No South Africans are not all black Candace Swanpoel one of the most beautiful and sought after models in the world is not black

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.

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

YESSSSS!!! PREACH! YOU CANT MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY!!!

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

@neecey isn't this good enough to be original!!!! You have been dealing allwomanstalk long enough...

In the original she didnt look healthy, and yes each country has their ideal thought of whats beautiful