Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, they said. As such, what is beautiful is not always the same around the globe. So, what is the standard of physical beauty in different cultures? From the more common to the more eccentric, Randy Fox takes you on a quick beauty trip.

 

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Wide eyes and milky skin, South Korea

In South Korea, having big, wide eyes is considered beautiful. Every year, thousands of young people undergo double eyelid surgery to make their eyes appear larger. Research conducted by Gallup Korea found that roughly one in three Korean women between the ages of 19 and 29 said they had cosmetic surgery. Other popular surgeries availed by women in South Korea are jaw reduction to slim the chin and create the “V” face shape and rhinoplasty to make the noise bridge appear higher and more pronounced.

However, the most coveted traits in this country has to be milky, smooth complexion which is traced back in history to a time where tanned skin implied a lower social status. Nowadays, pale skin, aside from being a signifier of wealth and prestige, is also associated with youthfulness.

 

Tattoo on face, New Zealand

The Maori women of New Zealand has a sacred tradition known as Ta Moko. This is a traditionally adorned tattoo on the chin. Each moko is different and includes ancestral tribal information specific to the wearer. The moko also displays the woman's family and tribal affiliations, as well as her social status within her tribe.

While both men and women are tattooed, the main reason for women to tattoo their lips and chins is for beauty. The most beautiful women are thought to be those with their chins and lips fully tattooed.

 

Long-necked women, Myanmar

You have probably seen images of long-necked women in parts of Myanmar (and even Thailand). This group of people is actually a sub-group of the Padaung and to clear any misconceptions, there are a lot of other sub-groups who do not practice this custom.

For those who do practice this custom, an extra-long neck for them is considered a sign of great beauty and wealth, and will thus, attract a better husband. It may appear that it must be torture for a woman to go through the process of lengthening her neck but, this could not be farther from the truth. In fact, the brass rings create a visual illusion, making the woman's neck simply appear longer. The weight of the rings pushes down the collar bone, as well as the upper ribs, to such an angle that the collar bone actually appears to be a part of the neck.

 

Showing off nose jobs, Iran

Women in Iran are obsessed with nose jobs. Having their nose done is considered the ultimate status symbol in the country. Women are so proud of going under the knife that they will continue to wear their bandages long after they're needed, in order to show off their beauty. Still others will purchase surgical tape to wear even if they haven't undergone the procedure.

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Stretched earlobes and a shaved head, Kenya and other parts of Africa

Members of the Masai tribe in Africa are known for their practice of wearing heavy jewelry made of stones or elephant tusks to stretch their earlobes over time.

As time goes by, a woman's status in the Masai tribe, as well as other tribes in Africa, is heightened by how large and elongated her earlobes have become. To draw attention to their elongated earlobes, Masai women will adorn them with brightly colored beads and jewelry to attract attention to their impressive size.

 

Heavy women, Mauritania (Africa)

In the African country of Mauritania, drought and famine is common, so being overweight has traditionally been a sign of prosperity. As such, heavier women are seen as more desirable, so much so that girls as young as seven were sent to fat farms and urged to eat in order to put on weight. Some of these girls at fat-farms could end up weighing between 130 to 220 pounds.

Presently (and thankfully), however, this practice is beginning to go by the wayside with younger generations shifting to the mindset that to be beautiful is to be natural and to just eat normally.

 

Body scarification, Africa

Scarification is a popular tradition throughout the world and in many different cultures from the Western Pacific to South America to parts of Africa. In many of these cultures, both men and women undergo the painful process of scarification, but women tend to scar their torsos and chest because it is considered sensual and intriguing.

Like the tattoos of the Māori tribe in New Zealand, the scars can send a message about the woman's social status, political or religious roles, and her genealogy.

 

Lip stretching, Africa and South America

To Mursi or Suri woman in Ethiopia, a lip plate denotes female maturity, signaling that she has reached child-bearing age.

The process includes the removal of the two lower front teeth before a piercing is made to allow a heavy clay or wooden disk to adorn and stretch the lower lip. Like ear stretching, larger and larger disks are inserted over time to further elongate the lip. The larger the disk becomes, the greater the beauty, as it signifies maturity, which is an attractive attribute to a male of the tribe.

The practice is also found in parts of South America.