So, all of our natural features are ugly until a white supermodel makes a beauty trend out of it? Some of my earliest exposure to Western media subconsciously made me very aware of my ‘skin issues’ that are actually considered very common. Having a dark lining around my lips, hyperpigmentation, curvy body proportions, etc. were once considered unattractive. Of course, this was only until white models- the likes of Gigi Hadid had started lining their lips with a darker shade and suddenly, everyone is so jealous that some women have it naturally like they haven’t been made to feel like they weren’t beautiful because of that trait.
Many Asian Americans (in the American scene) are made fun of by their peers for having weird ‘smells’ following them around. This would either be a comment on their lunchbox, or even their hair oil. It’s customary in India for little girls to go to school with their hair practically drenched in coconut oil and two braids. It’s probably even a mindless thing to do around here, but when they do it there- the other kids are unkind about it, to say the least. Now, everyone is ‘slugging’ (Slugging refers to doing a deep hydrating treatment – typically using oil – on the scalp and leaving it on overnight (at the least)) their life away.
‘Bindi’ is a mark worn by Hindu women all over the world and has a lot of cultural significance in the parts of the world where this culture dominates. But recently the ‘Indian Girl’ attire has become extremely popular in the entertainment industry. The K-Drama industry and even Hollywood exploits this ‘getup’ to attract various audiences. Cultural Appropriation refers to when people from a dominant group adopt aspects of a minority group’s culture to make money. We have seen many musical artists adopt the ‘Bindi Concept’ into their concert looks when no aspect of their show has to do with being Indian, or Hindu.
We see that most conventional beauty standards basically surround the white person. But now a lot of the features BIPOC women were made fun of for having are now being celebrated. Turns out that even the white woman is no stranger to this. People of the Celtic heritage are known to have a once ridiculed and now adored feature- freckles. The regions also have the higher end of the red-haired population, another natural human trait that was mocked by the world. But today, colouring your hair ‘Auburn’ is an option. It’s also a well-known TikTok beauty trend to add freckles onto one’s face using henna. (Not to mention that South Asian women are mocked to have Mehendi on, but ‘Henna Tattoos’ are a thing now, and of course, this.)
The dilemma over the ages about what a ‘Beautiful Woman’ looks like might forever be a mystery. Or maybe the answer is right in front of you. There is no ‘Beautiful Woman’. Only ‘Beautiful Women’. Beauty isn’t something that can be measured in gallons or litres. Simply because it isn’t a liquid, or solid, or gas for that matter! Beauty doesn’t have a quantifiable measure, simply because it isn’t a quantity. Beauty can be external, in the form of genuine smiles and eye crinkles. It can be internal, in the form of kindness and warmth. Beauty is whatever you make of it.
“Beauty is within the eye of the beholder.”
– Margaret Wolfe Hungerford (née Hamilton)