Beauty Ideals in the Non-Western Cultures: Case Study China and India

Both China and India are being influenced by Western beauty ideals and both have a large middle class with a disposable income. Advertisements plaster urban areas and Western television shows and movies are heavily distributed in both countries. Whitening face masks, soaps, and lotions are widely available in both countries. Men and women in both countries buy products to lighten their skin with hopes to achieve a better life, higher paying jobs, and higher class mates.

Much as has been written about the impact of beauty pageants in India. Beauty pageants start in high school, take place again in college, and then happen nationwide for Miss India. Commercial sponsors use the pageants to raise awareness of their products. While at the local level, girls are measured by local standards, but as the pageants get larger, international beauty standards are put in place. The first Miss World held in India, took place in 1996. Feminist groups protested, but were co-opted by right wing Hindu nationalists who protested economic liberalization and transnational corporations. The protestors succeeded in forcing the swimsuit competition to be moved to Seychelles, but Miss World was still held.3

In China, the first ever Miss Artificial Beauty was held in 2003 for Chinese contestants who had cosmetic surgery, and were not eligible for Miss World or Miss Universe. The competition still continues. Urban Chinese women in their 20’s and 30’s are increasingly getting cosmetic surgery to improve their chances for economic success, while older women in their 40’s are getting cosmetic surgery to look younger. Popular surgeries include adding a crease into eyelids to make the eyes look rounder, narrowing the nose, liposuction, and breast implants. Some women even lengthen their legs.4

Women’s groups have been mainly silent in China. Some believe this is due to the size of the “beauty industry.” In 2005, in China, the beauty industry was the 5th largest industry in the country, behind property, cars, tourism, and IT. The industry is growing at a rate of 20 percent per year.5 With the Chinese economy growing so rapidly, the beauty industries will continue to grow as well.