Beauty Ideals from East to West:

A Comparison of China and the United States

Jaci HansenChina Textiles Study Tour 2010

IntroductionEach individual country possesses its very

own beauty ideals. Young women across the world feel different pressures to be beautiful, but it’s all for the same reason: to uphold beauty ideals that are learned from a young age. As a fashion and advertising student I am interested in the effects of media on young women, as well as the definitions of beauty that they are trying to fulfill. During my time spent in China I carefully observed the messages being conveyed to young women in order to compare and contrast them with the messages received by women in the United States.

Body ShapeChina Chinese women are

given mixed messages about how their bodies should look. Traditional beauty ideals tell them that they should be slender and petite, while advertisements show Westerners and Europeans with curves. Many Chinese women are interested in plastic surgeries that increase the size of their breasts in order to add more shape to their bodies.

United States Mixed messages are also

received by women in the United States. The media constantly portrays beautiful women as super thin, yet men would like women to have curves and large breasts. The “hourglass” shape is ideal. Plastic surgery is extremely common in the United States, not only for breast implants, but also for liposuction, buttock implants, and the like.

Skin ColorChina Born with pale skin,

Chinese women prefer to have lighter skin because it makes them appear more youthful. In China, light skin also signifies wealth. The working class are often out in the sun, therefore, women strive to keep their skin as light as possible. Young women can often be seen carrying umbrellas to shade themselves from the sun. Many powders and lightening creams are also available for purchase.

United States Women in the United

States seem to have an obsession with being tan. Women spend thousands of dollars on tanning per year. Several alternatives to traditional outdoor tanning are utilized including tanning beds, sunless tanning lotions (immediate and gradual), bronzers, and spray tans. Tanning is often part of a weekly beauty routine.

Beauty RoutinesChina Traditionally, women

wore red lip stick and drew on dark eyebrows. However, today a more natural and light look is sported. Makeup is applied lightly to create the appearance of porcelain skin. Some women also use skin lightening creams as part of their beauty routines. Lastly, many women drink tea, as it is said to have anti-aging and weight loss effects.

United States Several beauty routines are

followed by women in the United States. Aside from the constant tanning and dieting that many women practice, women also dye their hair and get their nails done. Cosmetics are huge in the United States. All looks can be found, from au naturel to far-too-much makeup. Plastic surgery is also a common beauty routine. The options for beauty are endless and more and more appear daily.

Inner BeautyChina It seems as though the

Chinese place a greater emphasis on inner beauty.

“Most of us consider beautiful as something that can add to our confidence. Once we put on the beautiful dresses, it really can make us feel that we are the most pretty girl in the world.” – Kara

“What I want to underline is that a person's inner beauty is most important. If a woman is very bad and not kind, even though she looks more beautiful, in my eyes, she is not a beautiful woman.” – Arvin

United States In the United States inner

beauty is often times ignored.

“I was going to the mall to get my nails done for prom. It was early in the morning so I didn’t have my hair or makeup done yet. People wouldn’t hold the doors open for me as they were walking in. I’ve noticed that people treat you differently when you’re all done up than when you’re not wearing any makeup. It’s upsetting because the people don’t actually know the real me.” - Ashley

Fashion TrendsChina Androgynous dress is

prevalent throughout China. Women’s clothes are often masculine and tailored. With a woman’s traditional place in society, it seems that they are currently transitioning into expressing themselves through dress.

“Nowadays, most girls in Shanghai are following a fashion named “Bohemia.” Ankle-length dresses are suit for the recent weather. And, more and more Chinese elements can be found on our garments.” - Kara

United States With women’s dress in the

United States the possibilities are endless. Women have the ability to express themselves, and most take full advantage of it. Current trends include:

Leggings Long t-shirts and tank tops Belts that accentuate

curves Rompers Blazers Chunky jewelry “Boyfriend” jeans Knee-length dresses

Cosmetic/Plastic SurgeryChina The most popular surgeries

in China are double-eyelid surgery and breast implants. The pressure to have bigger eyes like a foreigner is not only cast through advertising, but also through society.

“Generally speaking, the women with white skin, big eyes and thin bodies and so on are considered beautiful.” – Arvin

“Audrey Hepburn is a good example,  lots of men in China like her very much. Western or European women are really pretty in my eyes” – Arvin

United States The cosmetic and plastic

surgery industry in the United States is huge and constantly growing.

Over 10 million non-surgical and surgical procedures were performed in 2008

Top five nonsurgical procedures: Botox injection, laser hair removal, hyaluronic acid, chemical peel, and laser skin resurfacing

Top five surgical procedures: breast augmentation, liposuction, eyelid surgery, rhinoplasty, and abdominoplasty

What Advertising ShowsChina Most companies in

China use Western and European models in their advertisements. Even local companies marketing to Asian women use foreign models.

A whitening cream by GUERLAIN uses a foreign model with big blue eyes in their advertisement in ELLE China (June 2010)

Clothing company naivee uses foreign models when the target audience is Korean women

Silk company Spring Swallow based in Hangzhou, China uses foreign models in their look-book

Asian designer Tina Gia

uses a redheaded

foreigner in her look-

book

What Advertising ShowsUnited States Almost all fashion

advertisements show beautiful women with measurements that are completely unrealistic.

The average American model is 5’11’’tall and weighs 117 pounds; while the average American woman is 5’4’’ tall and weighs 140 pounds.

A Victoria’s Secret advertisement shows a thin woman with large breasts and perfectly sun-kissed skin

Controversial advertisement by Ralph Lauren of 23 year old 120lb model Filippa Hamilton was so dramatically retouched that many people have chosen to boycott the company

Fashion giant Ralph Lauren depicts a woman with skinny arms, no hips, and a barely-there waistline

ConclusionWhile the pressures to be beautiful are

slightly different depending on the country, the concept is the same: women of all ages are constantly striving to be something they can’t possibly be. Whether a Chinese woman is getting a double eye-lid surgery to make her eyes appear bigger, or an American woman is altering the shape of her body to look like “that girl” she sees in the magazines, both women are trying to attain a certain look that media tells them they must have in order to be beautiful. Of all the beauty routines that exist in the world, the one that should be embraced is “unleash your inner beauty.”

Sources Personal observations and discoveries while in China Various print media gathered in China and the United

States Interview – Kara (Chinese), Merchandising major at

Donghau University Interview – Arvin (Chinese), Engineering graduate of

Jiang Nan University Interview – Ashley (American), English major at

University of Nebraska - Lincoln Blog - http://www.lovelyish.com/694321816/female-

american-beauty-vs-asian-cultures-ideal-beauty/ Website - http://www.inch-aweigh.com/dietstats.htm Website -

http://www.cosmeticplasticsurgerystatistics.com/statistics.

html#2008-FACTS