For so many years, Asian women were expected to embrace feminine beauty. In other terms, people expect them to be gentle and sweet. Korean and Japanese cultures even have specific words- "aegyo" and "kawaii." These terms may come from two different cultures, but they both refer to an attractive woman who projects cuteness and softness.
However, Eastern and Western cultures have very different beauty standards. But before we discuss these differences, let us first understand why the beauty standards of Asians are unique.
Asia's Obsession With White Skin
History has made it clear that Europeans colonized many South Asian and Southeast Asian nations. Their race was considered superior then, while dark-skinned people were considered lower class, often seen as enslaved people.
This white supremacy has been deeply engraved into the minds of many Asians, passed down from one generation to another until it became an obsession. However, some people view this as part of Asian culture.
In conclusion, the obsession of Asians with whiter skin did not begin with beauty trends but rather at the time of colonization of Europeans and Westerners. At first, it was all about wanting to look supreme until it became a beauty standard in many countries.
According to the 2017 report of Global Industry Analysts, the skin lightening industry worldwide was valued at $4.8 billion. There are literally thousands of skin whitening products nowadays that mostly cater to Asian countries and consumers. From creams, powders, facial night serums, facial cleansers, capsules, masks, and many more, skin whitening techniques just keep evolving.
Asian Beauty Standards
Asian beauty standards haven't really changed in the past centuries. A woman is considered attractive if she has long legs with small hips and is slim. So many Asian women do whatever it takes to achieve this body shape. Most Asian girls follow strict diets, which is the leading cause of eating disorders.
If you take the time to learn about bulimia and anorexia, you will find out that these two are pretty standard in most women. Aside from having slim bodies, Asian girls also seek to have flawless and paler skin.
Furthermore, Y-shaped faces and double eyelids have become pretty popular with Asian women. Generally speaking, Asia women consider themselves attractive if they have white skin, slim bodies, and large eyes.
American Beauty Standards
The opinion of Americans towards beauty standards has dramatically changed in the past years. Western people are not more body positive as they start promoting plus-size personalities and models. And as the beauty standards in the US keep evolving, most American women are striving to look different than before.
Only a few years ago, the ideal appearance for women looked healthy, slim, and athletic. However, several fashion icons and influencers have transformed these beauty standards into something else. Most American women used to love hips filled with muscles. But now, many are embracing injections and implants. In addition, large breasts have also become a symbol of beauty. Many women are willing to go under the knife to have larger breasts and get better curves.
But that's not all. One of the most common trends in the US nowadays is plump lips. When Kylie Jenner showed her new and fuller lips, many women followed her and decided to get lip fillers or injections. Some women who do not want to have surgeries or just can't afford plastic surgery opt for excessive lip lining to make their lips fuller.
American vs. Asian
As you can see, there is a vast difference between American and Asian beauty standards. You can see these differences if you browse the Instagram pages of popular Asian and American models as they are nothing alike. While many American supermodels are praised for having tan skin tones, athletic figures, and sexy auras, Asian models are celebrated for having slim bodies, cute appearance, and white skin.
However, if there's one common denominator between the two cultures, it's that most women prefer to look the same instead of embracing their unique bodies and features. Unfortunately, there is not much sense of diversity around us anymore.
Our perception of beauty changes rapidly in the modern era. Celebrities, models, and influencers have the power to set new trends almost every year and encourage people to follow in their footsteps.
In Asia, women do everything they can to look slimmer, cuter, and whiter. While in America, women work hard to look curvy and tanned, striving to make themselves look hotter. We don't know what beauty trends will come up in the future, but hopefully, women will embrace more of their natural beauty first.