Beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder. Something found attractive in one place of the world may not be in another. Here are a few good examples of the different beauty standards around the world.
Crooked Teeth – Japan
In the western part of the world, having a set of straight teeth is considered the norm. At least more appealing. But in other parts of the world, that’s not exactly the case. In Japan, they actually have dentists do the opposite of helping straightening out your teeth, getting them more crooked instead. This is considered cuter. It also sometimes makes the canines appear more pronounced or seemingly longer, which is another style trend popular in Japan.
Extra Weight – Mauritania
In a lot of countries in the world, having a slimmer figure is more desirable. It’s not even an “east vs. west” sort of thing. People just want to look skinnier nowadays. And while the idea that you “need” a slimmer body is changing, most still want to be slimmed down. But in Mauritania, the opposite is true. They don’t necessarily have to be overweight, but men in this land prefer women with more meat on their bones. They find them a lot more attractive in comparison to skinnier women.
High Forehead – Africa
Just remember that, no matter what you look like, someone will find your attractive. You may know some people that don’t like high foreheads, but the Fula Tribe of Africa do. Some of the women in the tribes even remove parts of their hair so that they can create a higher forehead.
Long Necks – Burma
It’s not as uncommon as you might think that certain cultures find the neck to be an attractive part of the body. Although, they may not expect you to do anything to accentuate your neck. In Eastern Burma though, the Kayan Tribe stretches their necks out. Literally. They wear brass ring necklaces to get that effect.
Unibrows – Tajikistan
Most people in the western world find unibrows to be mock-worthy. Or they’re at least stared at. Westerners just don’t find them very attractive. But in Tajikistan, the unibrow is a sign of beauty, for both men and women. Some women that don’t have unibrows will even pencil one in.
Stretched Earlobes – Africa
Most cultures don’t have any real issue with ear piercings. Although, earlobe stretching isn’t quite an across the board sort of thing. The Masai Tribe purposely stretch out their ear lobes over time with heavy jewelry. Both men and women. Although, as far as women go, their longer ear lobes aren’t just a sign of beauty, but also a status symbol.
Face Tattoo – New Zealand
The Māori Tribe, native to New Zealand, are well-known for their love of tattoos. In certain western cultures, facial tattoos may be considered eye-catching, but not necessarily attractive. Sometimes they even prevent you from getting jobs. But not in New Zealand. Māori women often get facial tattoos to show which tribe they specifically come from and their standing within them. So they’re not just considered attractive, but have functions in their culture as well.
Body Hair – France
Fun fact, body hair was once used by people in prehistoric times to attract mates. That’s not so much the case nowadays, and in a lot of cultures people consider body hair to be unattractive. Or at least not particularly alluring. But that isn’t the case in France.Some French people actually prefer their partners to have more hair on their body. It might not be as popular a trend as it used to be, but people in France don’t need to worry as much about shaving.
Double Eyelids – South Korea
Double eyelids, which are when they have a crease on them, are actually a dominant trait. So only one parent needs to have them to pass them on. But in a lot of East Asian countries, people are more likely to have monolids. Those are eyelids without the crease. This led to a trend in South Korea wherein people start to get cosmetic surgery to get double eyelids. They’re actually just considered more attractive in that country.
Extraocular Implant – Netherlands
Eyes are the windows to the soul. Some people enjoy looking into the eyes of their significant other and it’ll often be a sign of affection. And that’s believed to have led to the emergence of extraocular implants in the Netherlands. It’s a small, surgical procedure that involves implanting a piece of molded platinum into a person’s eye. While the actually process sounds daunting, the results are interesting. And clearly the Dutch find the implants to be attractive in the first place, or else they wouldn’t keep doing them.
Sharp Teeth – Indonesia
This is another example of how the attractiveness of your smile is dependent on your culture. In the west, they like straight teeth. In Japan, they like them crooked. And Indonesia, they like them spiky. Some tribes in that country file their teeth into sharp points. And they’re considered a mark of beauty. It is quite a painful experience, but well worth it in their society.
Bigger Noses – Afghanistan
Many western countries think that smaller and straight noses are more attractive. Of course, that isn’t a universal idea. For example, in Afghanistan, larger and more hooked noses are considered attractive. Some Afghani women actually get rhinoplasty surgery to get their noses enlarged.
Guitar Shape – Brazil
The ideal body image of women differs from country to country. Although, the most commonly known one is the hourglass. But some people think that this figure makes someone look malnourished. The guitar shape however, which is a popular body type in Brazil, promotes a stronger and fuller physique. It allows for women to have wider hips but a smaller chest.
Mustaches – The Middle East
A lot of these beauty trends have applied primarily to women or both sexes, but this one only applies to men. Not everyone in the West likes facial hair, but people in the Middle East love mustaches. Men consider them to be symbols of masculinity, prestige, virility, and wisdom. Some men even get mustache hair transplants to give them thicker mustaches.
Nose Rings – South Asia
Intricate nose piercings like this are often associated with India. But they’re equally as popular in other South Asian countries like Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. Ordinarily, the piercing is done on a woman on the left side of the nose. They’re considered a social status symbol, but are also associated with the Hindu goddess of marriage, Parvati. It is common for Indian women to wear elaborate nose jewelry on their wedding day.
Extremely Long Hair – India
Long hair is popular in a lot of different parts of the world. It’s commonly associated with femininity, fertility, and sensuality. But, in India, they like to grow out their hair incredibly long. Akanksha Yadav even broke records with her hair being ten feet long. Some hair is grown out and donated to a temple as a spiritual offering. Men get in on the long hair practice too. Although it’s Sikh men who practice kesh, a practice wherein they simply do not cut their hair. They believe its a creation of God and should not be changed.
Cosmetic Contact Lenses – East Asia
Darker-colored eye colors are incredibly common in East Asian countries. But, some people want their eyes to stand out a bit more. That’s what led to the rise of cosmetic contact lenses. They’re colored, non-prescription lenses. They come in many shades and designs. While most only give the eye a larger and more rounded appearance, in addition to a potential color change, some lenses aren’t even a natural eye color.
Extremely Long Eyelashes – United States
Eyelashes are designed to keep dust and debris out of the eye. But their length and style can also change the appearance of someone’s eyes. The longer they are, they can make eyes look larger and more feminine. In the United States specifically, women have taken to using false eyelashes to give them fuller and longer lashes. And others even go as far as to get lash growth serums and extensions.
Big Belly – Ethiopia
This is another beauty trend used by men instead of women. This one in Ethopia is a bit unexpected. As it turns out, larger bellies are seen as incredibly attractive. Men will commonly eat more to achieve this look. Ethiopian people even have traditions put in place to help men achieve this desired physique.
Rosy Cheeks – Arctic
Yes, there are, in fact, inhabitants in the Arctic Circle. This is where the Chukchi people live. And they, too, have their own standards of beauty. People in these tribes have rosy cheeks from the colder temperatures. Children with these cheeks are considered cute. But adults with these cheeks are found to be quite beautiful.
Nose Jobs – Iran
Nose jobs are so popular in Iran that it’s not uncommon to see someone walking around with bandages on their nose. The straight nose in particular is the look many want to get, even if the procedure is a bit expensive. Many people, both men and women, get nose jobs to get the look they want.
Glass Skin – South Korea
Many cultures like the idea of natural beauty, but are still equally as likely to focus on makeup. But in South Korea, they try to make their skin so flawless that it actually appears shiny and borderline translucent. It’s known as glass skin and has become the standard for beauty for many in this country. Supposedly, you can get your skin like this using a ten-step regimen, but it sounds like a lot of work.
Chest Augmentation – Venezuela
Venezuela isn’t the only country where a larger bust is considered desirable. But the obsession of it in the country has led to a massive boom in plastic surgery procedures. It’s basically a regular part of life, and it lacks the same stigmas against it that are in other countries. The pressure to look a certain way even leads to women getting plastic surgery at as young as 15.
Body Scarification – West Africa
Scars definitely aren’t something that people find universally attractive. Some people might find them cool, but not much more than that. Some tribes in West Africa uses scars as a sign of beauty. Although, the amount of beauty these small, scarification marks being beautiful is only attached to women. The scars for men are a sign of strength.
Cheek Piercing – Thailand
Dimple piercings are about as far as people are willing to go in the Western. But in Thailand, you’ll find they even do cheek piercings. They’re looked upon as a sign of beauty, as well as one of religious devotion. Both men and women get cheek piercings, with the size of the hole varying from person to person.
