Research Project
A Global Perspective On Female Beauty Standards
Bio
Hi there! My name is Hannah Lim, and I am in my final semester of the BA Professional Communication program. My interests include singing, reading, and fashion. Additionally, in the summer of 2023, I was a Social Media and Editorial Intern at STYLE Canada, where I covered press for ELLE Canada, SHEIN, Diner En Blanc, and many more. When thinking about my future endeavors, I aspire to get into the Public Relations side of the beauty and fashion industry.
Research Summary
When taking a global perspective on female beauty standards, there are several similarities and differences between cultures on what is deemed as physically attractive (Dimitrov & Kroumpouzos, 2023). As for similarities, studies show that facial features such as high cheekbones, small noses, thin jawline, smooth skin, and white teeth, are considered universally attractive (Spyropoulou et al., 2020). As for differences however, females with tan skin and fuller lips in places such as Latin America, the United States, and Australia, were more favourable (Spyropoulou et al, 2020). Whereas in Asia, females with lighter skin and smaller lips were preferred (Spyropoulou et al, 2020). In this analysis, I will be using secondary quantitative research methods, or existing or secondary data (Sreekumar, 2023) such as scholarly journal articles, to support my case. By the end of this study, we will be able to determine whether there is a universal definition of the ‘perfect woman,’ or if beauty perception varies among different observers.
References
Borelli, C., & Berneburg, M. (2010). “Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder”? Aspects of beauty and attractiveness. JDDG: Journal Der Deutschen Dermatologischen Gesellschaft, 8(5), 326–330. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1610-0387.2009.07318.x
Clapperton, Robert. (2023). CMN 480 Week 1 Introduction (Powerpoint slides). Retrieved from https://courses.torontomu.ca/d2l/le/content/802278/viewContent/5321522/View
Dimitrov, D., & Kroumpouzos, G. (2023). Beauty perception: A historical and contemporary review. Clinics in Dermatology, 41(1), 33–40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clindermatol.2023.02.006
Hergovich, A., & Süssenbach, S. (2014). The time trend of beauties: Detection of cross-cultural invariance in Playboy Centerfolds. Current Psychology, 34(4), 666–671. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-014-9279-5
Rajanala, S., Maymone, M. B., & Vashi, N. A. (2019). Evolving beauty—creating and transforming inequalities. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 19(4), 913–914. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.13098
Sorokowski, P., Kościński, K., & Sorokowska, A. (2013). Is beauty in the eye of the beholder but ugliness culturally universal? facial preferences of Polish and Yali (Papua) people. Evolutionary Psychology, 11(4), 147470491301100. https://doi.org/10.1177/147470491301100414
Spyropoulou, G.-A. C., Pavlidis, L., Herrmann, S., Tsimponis, A., Foroglou, P., Delimpaltas, A., Demiri, E., & Cohen, M. (2020). Can cosmetics’ advertisements be an indicator of different perceptions of beauty amongst countries? Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 44(5), 1871–1878. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00266-020-01679-1
Sreekumar, D. (2023). What is quantitative research? definition, methods, types, and examples. Researcher.Life. https://researcher.life/blog/article/what-is-quantitative-research-types-and-examples/
Wrigley-Asante, C., Agyei-Mensah, S., & Obeng, F. A. (2017). It’s not all about wealth and beauty: Changing perceptions of fatness among Makola Market Women of Accra, Ghana. Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography, 38(3), 414–428. https://doi.org/10.1111/sjtg.12200
Research Poster
