Our notions of beauty are socially constructed: Various periods, countries, and subcultures have produced different understandings of the ideal human form. Yet, in a world increasingly connected by the internet, beauty standards have been globalized to an unprecedented extent – with potentially troubling results. From the booming business of skin-lightening products worldwide to the enduring underrepresentation of people of color in the fashion industry, global beauty standards can seem oppressively hom*ogeneous. Is the internet helping to broaden our sense of beauty, or reinforcing Eurocentric standards on a larger scale?
We set out to explore these issues through a specific yet telling question: When different countries search “beautiful woman” or “handsome man” on Google, what images do they see? Because the search engine provides different results based on users’ locations, the images presented reflect each nation’s notions of beauty.
Using a virtual private network (VPN), we mimicked Google searches from nine nations to get their country-specific image results. We then “averaged” the image results for each nation, creating representative composites. We also analyzed and manually categorized the images, exploring recurring themes at a national and global level. Which skin tones, hair colors, and eye colors characterize attractiveness around the world? How do search results for “beautiful” women differ between countries? For a singular look at how each nation’s beauty standards are reflected and reinforced online, keep reading.
Attractiveness Averaged
Our average faces of “beautiful” women in each country present interesting contrasts and some telling consistencies. Notably, lighter skin tones seemed to dominate – even in countries where people of color represent the majority of the population. In Brazil, where 56 percent of the population identifies as black, “beautiful woman” search results featured a range of light skin tones, as reflected in the country’s composite image. In India, where discrimination against individuals with darker skin has a deep cultural history, the effects of “colorism” were quite evident in our composite image as well.
The average face of a “beautiful woman” also seemed strikingly pale in Japan, a country where pigmentation is a source of political controversy. Nissin, a Japanese noodle company, was recently forced to apologize after “whitewashing” images of tennis star Naomi Osaka in an advertisem*nt. Relative to other countries’ images, the average faces in the U.S. and Germany also had a distinct feature: lighter hair. Among American men, the apparent connection between blond hair and beauty may extend even further. One recent study found men are more likely to perceive women as healthier and younger when their hair is digitally altered to be blond.
Global Good Looks
Each country’s image results for “handsome man” revealed many of the same dynamics visible in “beautiful woman” searches. Indeed, pale skin was the predominant feature of these “handsome man” images, even outside of the U.S. and Europe. This finding resonates with cosmetic purchase patterns in some countries. In India, men are buying skin-lightening products in unprecedented numbers, perhaps in admiration of the fair-skinned stars of Bollywood.
Interestingly, Japan was the only country whose average handsome man lacked significant facial hair. Some research suggests that women tend to find “heavy stubble” to be the most attractive facial hair style, so perhaps it’s no surprise that most of these images showed some growth. Given Japanese culture’s emphasis on personal grooming and hygiene, however, facial hair is the subject of more debate than elsewhere around the world. A ban on beards was actually the subject of a recent lawsuit in Osaka, which pitted city officials against subway operators who wished to go unshaven.
A Preference in Pigment
We determined to explore the skin tones featured in image search results in greater detail, utilizing the Fitzpatrick skin typing system to categorize the individuals featured in these pictures. In Japan, Spain, and Brazil, the majority of individuals featured in “beautiful woman” images had type I skin – the lightest tone of all. In the U.S. images, the most common skin tone was type II. Meanwhile, type III was the most common tone for “beautiful woman” images in France and Russia.
Relative to “beautiful woman” results, “handsome man” pictures featured slightly darker skin tones overall. In France, India, and Russia, for instance, the majority of handsome man pictures featured men with type III skin. But in every country and for images of men and women alike, darker skin tones were quite rare. In every country but France, fewer than 5 percent of “beautiful woman” results featured skin types V or VI. In each nation’s “handsome man” pictures, the two darkest skin types were represented in 5 percent of images or less.
The Eye of the Beholder
According to experts, between 55 and 79 percent of the global population have brown eyes. But in “beautiful woman” images from most countries, brown seemed overrepresented, while lighter colors were featured less prominently. In Spain, for example, “beautiful woman” images were more likely to show individuals with green eyes than brown. Elsewhere in Europe, shades of blue made frequent appearances in “beautiful woman” images. In France, Germany, and Russia, more than a quarter of these photos featured women with blue eyes.
In “handsome man” photos, dark brown eyes were more dominant, especially in some places. In Brazil and India, for example, more than 7 in 10 images featured men with brown eyes. But our data still suggest a connection between male attractiveness and lighter eye colors in some countries. In Spain and the U.S., green eyes were quite common in “handsome man” photos; in Germany, Israel, and Russia, blue eyes frequently appeared.
Hair Color Hierarchy
Brunettes outnumbered blondes in “beautiful woman” photos from each country, but the margin differed significantly by nation. And while blond women were featured most frequently in images in the U.S., there were also more surprising instances of fair hair’s popularity. In Japan, for example, 1 in 5 “beautiful woman” images featured a blonde – a striking testament to the rising popularity of blond hair throughout much of Asia. In every country, red hair accounted for no more than 8 percent of “beautiful woman” images.
In “handsome man” images, dark brown hair was far more dominant, accounting for the majority of photos in Brazil, India, Spain, and the U.S. In Germany and Japan, conversely, black hair was the dominant shade in “handsome man” search results. Interestingly, men with gray hair appeared in a significant percentage of photos in some countries, despite the color’s association with aging. And despite recent claims that redheads are enjoying a moment thanks to icons like Ed Sheeran and Prince Harry, they rarely appeared in “handsome man” photos in any country.
Traits of Temptation?
Exposed cleavage and exposed flesh – these attributes well-represent what populates the average person’s mind when they image a sexy woman. The distinction between “beautiful” and “sexy” can seem highly nuanced, posing contrasts between prim appreciation and passionate lust.
However, our findings demonstrated that traditional ideas constituting sexiness often intersect with those of beauty. Around one-third of “beautiful woman” search results for France and Israel featured exposed cleavage, placing these countries at the apex of this ranking. Both nations again topped the list for the greatest percentage of search results yielding bare shoulders. Taking into account that – generally speaking – these countries’ societies do not find bare shoulders particularly provocative, the latter observation may not be intriguing.
But when considered in the context of the overall rankings, both rankings reveal patterns in cultural differences. India sat at the bottom of both of our lists. Only 8 percent of Indian search results for “beautiful woman” featured uncovered upper chests, and 13 percent of them showed uncovered shoulders. Our rankings showed India as consistently more conservative regarding the female form.
In every country, less than 1 in 5 “beautiful woman” images featured their subject’s whole body. This may demonstrate that as much as societies incorporate sexuality into notions of female beauty, a distinctive line remains – a woman’s facial features rather than her physique primarily define her beauty.
Broadening Beauty
In the previous decades, the perception of beauty demonstrated pervasive and painful inequalities in consideration of the ideal human form. A slender build with a narrow waist and a large bosom was the standard of beauty for many of the past generations. Cheekbones were to be sharp and high, preferably paired with an angular nose.
If you had large, bright green or blue eyes complimenting long and thick golden hair, you would be counted as an ideal beauty. At the core of the world’s definition of beauty, was a youthful look with a light skin tone. Thus, the people of color were deeply underrepresented in the results of search queries “beautiful women” and “handsome men.”
But with an understanding that beauty is cultural, personal and universal, the global community strives to eliminate the implicit biases by adopting more inclusive definitions of beauty. Slowly, society is embracing diversity, graceful aging, and natural attractiveness as vital aspects of prettiness.
Beauty magazines now feature women of different skin tones, from Fitzpatrick I-VI. Plus-sized women with bald heads and vitiligo now make it to the global stage of beauty. Even those with gray hair and wrinkles are still regarded as attractive.
The gates of elegance that once seemed terribly narrow are now opening wide and everyone is allowed in with their unique display of beauty.
Remarkably, the evolution of plastic surgery and other anti-aging practices like the use of fillers and Botox contribute to the unprecedented rise of beauty queens.
Supposing you entered the phrase “beautiful woman” into a search tab now, the results would be more diverse and inclusive compared to a decade ago. It’s no longer unusual to spot a woman of color or a lady wearing hijab on the cover of the world’s leading beauty magazines.
How 2020 Impacted Global Beauty Searches
It’s hardly surprising that 2020 made for a different year for every industry across the globe. No part of human existence was left untouched by the global pandemic of COVID-19.
A shift in beauty searches was inevitable. According to Google, most beauty-related searches focused on self-care and home beauty therapies.With salons and barbershops closed for a long period of time – some of them didn’t survive, either – people resorted to cutting or dying their hair at home, giving an entirely new perception of beauty. Instead of sophisticated hairstyles, easy-to-maintain designs like bob were the choice of many.
Apart from hairstyles, a rise in the searches of skincare products and ingredients was notable. Consumers tried several new recipes of DIY skin essentials as a way of enhancing and maintaining beauty during the pandemic.
Methodology
We searched for “beautiful woman” and “handsome man,” selected “images,” and documented characteristics of the first 100 images to better understand the demographics making up these searches. After exploring the United States we decided to see how these trends change around the globe. To do this we used a virtual private network (VPN) to access the internet in various countries to “trick” search engines into thinking we were performing these searches from within each of the countries, collecting the images revealed per term.
In specific cases, comparable terms were used to better fit the language of that country.
Searches were performed January of 2019.
Categorizing the Images:
Images were categorized manually for a series of characteristics and visual cues.
- Skin color was tagged using the Fitzpatrick scale
- Eye color was tagged using the colors found here
- Hair color
- Portion of body displayed
- Bare shoulders exposed
- Exposed cleavage
Notes and Limitations:
Group images and black and white images were excluded. In some cases, eye color was indistinguishable and categorized as such. For skin tone, the Fitzpatrick scale was used to help simplify classification by selecting the tone closest to the shade in the Fitzpatrick scale.
Countries Included:
Countries were selected by first looking at the top 10 languages spoken around the world. In some cases, top languages came from similar regions and were removed from the list (e.g., Hindi, Punjabi, and Bengali). In addition, some countries block Google or were not accessible via VPN and were replaced by countries we thought would be interesting to compare. When doing so, we attempted to select a variety of countries from across the globe, each home to a different native language.
Fair Use Statement
If you care about the impact of beauty standards on men and women across the globe, we invite you to spread the word about this project. And if you’re interested in sharing our images and information on your own site or social media, all the better. We do have two simple requests, however. First, please use our project only for noncommercial purposes. Second, link back to this page to cite your source when sharing. Thanks in advance: Your cooperation helps us continue our work!
FAQs
Frisby analyzed the responses and discovered that participants, of whom 45 were Caucasian and 34 were African American, found the light brown skin tone most attractive.
Which country has the most fair skin? ›
Researches at Penn State University identified SLC24A5 as the gene responsible for skin pigmentation, and a specific mutation within it responsible for fair skin. The mutation, A111T, is found most commonly in Ireland and all who possess it share a common genetic code descended from the same ONE person.
Which country people has best skin? ›
If you want to look young and have a great complexion, adapt a lifestyle similar to Japanese women who are known for having smooth, clear and youthful skin. Many Japanese women maintain a diet rich in vitamins and minerals that contain antioxidants.
Which skin tone is mine? ›
In natural light, check the appearance of your veins beneath your skin. If your veins appear blue or purple, you have a cool skin tone. If your veins look green or a greenish blue, you have a warm skin tone. If you can't tell whether or not your veins are green or blue, you probably have a neutral skin tone.
Which skin color is the rarest? ›
The rarest skin color in the world is believed to be the white from albinism, a genetic mutation that causes a lack of melanin production in the human body. Albinism affects 1 in every 3,000 to 20,000 people. What is this? People with albinism usually have very pale or colorless skin, hair, and eyes.
What skin color is most attractive to guys? ›
Researchers have found that men are subconsciously attracted to fairer skin due to its association with purity, innocence, modesty and goodness, while women feel that darker complexions are associated with sex, virility and danger.
Which country has the most beautiful natural beauty? ›
Italy is truly the world's most beautiful country. It flaunts the most inspiring cultural treasures and magnificent scenery, which you cannot find anywhere in the world. Venice, Florence and Rome with their diverse architecture, Tuscany with its rolling hills, vineyards and snow-peaked mountains will mesmerize you.
What country has the most beautiful body? ›
Russia. After Brazil, Russia is probably the country with the most beautiful women per square mile. You'll find female eye candy on the Moscow subway, but also throughout the most remote corners of Siberia, where supermodel Irina Shayk was discovered. Female beauty is part of the Russian landscape.
What country has the highest beauty standards? ›
In 2015, a global survey by the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons placed South Korea in the top ten of countries who had the highest rate of cosmetic surgeries. Korean beauty standards prioritize a slim figure, dewy skin, v-shaped jaw, pale skin, straight eyebrows, smooth skin, and large eyes.
What color complements skin tone best? ›
The general rule of thumb is that skin with cool undertones look best with greys, browns, blues, greens and purples. Skin with warm undertones look best with either bright or light colors. And skin with neutral undertones looks great in bold, bright colors.
Golden skin tones are medium skin tones. This skin tone is usually seen in people of Asian and Southern European ethnic descent. It can also be referred to as olive skin. This skin tone has a balanced neutral beige hue.
What skin tone is for gold? ›
Pale people with warm, yellowish undertones can really suit rose gold and yellow gold. Some people with dark complexions have cool blue undertones, and can find platinum and white gold pop really beautifully on their skin.
What is Celtic skin? ›
Celtic skin is pale, freckly, sensitive and easily damaged by sun and the ravages of winter weather. People with Celtic skin have blue/grey/green eyes, pale skin, blondish/reddish hair, and skin that burns and peels easily.
What was the first skin color of humans? ›
These variants arose about a half-million years ago, suggesting that human ancestors before that time may have had moderately dark skin, rather than the deep black hue created today by these mutations. These same two variants are found in Melanesians, Australian Aborigines, and some Indians.
What nationality has the darkest skin? ›
Natives of Buka and Bougainville at the northern Solomon Islands in Melanesia and the Chopi people of Mozambique in the southeast coast of Africa have darker skin than other surrounding populations. (The native people of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea, have some of the darkest skin pigmentation in the world.)
What skin disease has no color? ›
Vitiligo is a chronic (long-lasting) autoimmune disorder that causes patches of skin to lose pigment or color. This happens when melanocytes – skin cells that make pigment – are attacked and destroyed, causing the skin to turn a milky-white color.
Is black skin different from white skin? ›
There exists substantial evidence to support that Black skin has a higher TEWL, variable blood vessel reactivity, decreased skin surface pH, and larger mast cell granules compared with White skin. Although some deductions have been made about Asian and Hispanic skin, further evaluation needs to be done.
What race is pink skin tone? ›
Those with pink skintones are typically pale skintones, from English or Celtic ancestry- the so-called "English Rose Complexion".
What hair color do men find most attractive? ›
Most Attractive Hair Colour According to Men
According to the survey, the majority of men (42%) found blonde hair to be the most attractive. This was followed by brunette (36%), red (16%), black (5%), and gray (1%).
What look are guys most attracted to? ›
10 Physical Features That Attract Men The MOST
- Legs. ...
- Eyes. ...
- Lips. ...
- Clear skin. ...
- Hair. ...
- Well-kept nails, hands, and feet. ...
- Your figure. ...
- Your smile. A good smile is something that really can make an average girl look like a model, and to a point, also can make a girl look more approachable and flirt-ready.
Red is by far the number one most attractive color to most men, but some other contenders are blue, black, pink, and green.
What US state has the best natural beauty? ›
No state will leave you in complete awe of nature like Alaska. Whether it's Kenai Fjords and the glaciers of the inside passage, Denali's vast expanse of snow-capped peaks, or the sprawling tundra that makes up the interior, the state boasts the kind of rugged wilderness that just doesn't exist in the rest of America.
Where does the US rank in natural beauty? ›
Despite its long Pacific and Atlantic coastlines, as well as its myriad natural attractions and national parks ranging from the Grand Canyon to Yellowstone, the United States didn't make it into the top 10. With a score of 6.04 out of 10, the country ranks number 12.
What state has the best beauty? ›
Washington – 9.29 State Beauty Score
With an impressive 8,000 lakes, 3,167 named mountains, and 3,132 waterfalls, Washington is home to some of the most incredible natural beauty in the country, earning it the top spot in our ranking.
Which country girls have beautiful eyes? ›
Russia. Russian ladies are amazing with their flawless features and blue eyes. Models to actors, from Olympic gymnasts to tennis players, Russian women are as famous as they are for their beauty.
What is the most attractive female body type? ›
Top hourglass body shape
Considered to be the most attractive body shape, this is very similar to hourglass body shape, except that in this case the curves are more defined.
Which country wears the least makeup? ›
Certainly, one thing you'll notice after spending some time in the Netherlands is that people (well, Dutch women to be precise) wear way less makeup than what you're used to. That doesn't mean they don't take care of themselves — simply that there isn't the same culture surrounding makeup as in many other countries.
What is America's beauty standard? ›
America has a culturally accepted norm of what makes someone beautiful. A standard that is hard to meet. Being light-skinned, blonde and blue-eyed is the benchmark of beauty, of what is most desirable.
What country has the most naturally beautiful woman? ›
Sweden. The stunning Scandinavian nation of Sweden is known for surreal forests, coastal islands, glittering lakes and glacial mountains. It is also known for being home to the most beautiful women in the world. With complete elegance, sporty charm and passionately deep eyes, women of Sweden are perfect beauties.
What colors look best on Hispanics? ›
People with “warm undertones” look best in yellow hues and gold jewelry. Most olive-skinned Latinas have cool undertones, Diaz writes, and look best in the colors of Paprika, chili pepper and saffron. Fairer Latinas look good in mustard yellow, pumpkin and olive green.
Cooler skin tones, like Winters, are safer wearing black next to their faces. Summers, while also considered cool skin toned, cannot wear black next to the face without ageing themselves.
What colors look best on biracial skin? ›
Complimentary colors are cool colors, which include blues, greens, pinks, purples, and reds. Pastels look great, although stronger colors, like dark blue or red look good, too. White and black clothing can wash light skin out and is best avoided. Silver jewelry looks best with this coloring.
What ethnicity has olive skin? ›
Type V pigmentation is frequent among populations from the Middle East, parts of the Mediterranean, Romani people, parts of Africa, Latin America, and the South Asian subcontinent. It ranges from olive to tan, Middle Eastern skin tones. This skin type very rarely burns and tans quite easily.
What skin tone suits gold or silver? ›
Do I suit gold or silver jewellery? Those with cool skin tones (pink or blue undertones) look best in silver, platinum or white gold, while those with warm skin tones (yellow or olive undertones) look best in yellow gold or rose gold.
What does olive skin look like? ›
An olive skin tone is usually light brown and falls between a dark skin tone and a light skin tone, but it may also be a darker tone or even a lighter one. Your undertone can also play an important role in determining how light or dark your olive skin tone is.
How do you tell if you look better in gold or silver? ›
As a general rule, gold jewellery tends to flatter warm undertones more whereas white metals such as silver, platinum and white gold look better on paler skin with a cool undertone. Rose gold straddles the line somewhere between the two and so looks equally as good on those with warm or cool undertones.
What skin tone suits silver? ›
Cool skin tone
If you have skin that is fair with undertones of pink or blue, your skin is cool toned — light or white metals such as platinum, white gold and silver are a perfect match.
How do you know if you're a gold or silver person? ›
Take a good look at yourself and your hair and eye colour. Silver is best with blue and green eyes and light hair because your skin has a cool undertone. With brown eyes and dark hair colours, gold is better, because your skin will probably have a warm undertone.
What is the perfect color for skin? ›
The general rule of thumb is that skin with cool undertones look best with greys, browns, blues, greens and purples. Skin with warm undertones look best with either bright or light colors. And skin with neutral undertones looks great in bold, bright colors.
Who has the prettiest skin? ›
We've compiled a list of the top five celebrities with the silkiest looking skin.
- Kim Kardashian. She has the type of creamy skin complexion that makes people jealous. ...
- Nicole Kidman. Kidman may be one of the best role models in Hollywood for judicious use of sunscreen. ...
- Jennifer Aniston. ...
- Natalie Portman. ...
- Beyonce Knowles.
No matter your skin type, you can wear pale pink, bright red, teal and dark purple with confidence, as they are all universal colors that work with all skin tones. Though these colors look great, it doesn't mean that you should show up to work or a social event wearing all four at once.
What colors look best per skin tone? ›
Generally, warmer skin tones look flattering in warmer colors (like red, orange and yellow) and cool skin tones look flattering in cooler colors (like blue, green, purple).
Does skin color determine attractiveness? ›
Skin Tone, Facial Features, and Attractiveness
Men tend to have a darker complexion than women do (van den Berghe & Frost, 1986). The sexual dimorphism hypothesis suggests that women with light skin tone are perceived as more attractive than women with dark skin tone, whereas the opposite is true for men (Lewis, 2011).
What colors look bad on pale skin? ›
5 worst colors for pale skin
- Avoid clothes and accessories in your skin tone. You don't want to fully disappear or look like a ghost when you're out and about, right? ...
- Avoid those light and dreamy pastels. ...
- Avoid blacks. ...
- Avoid neon shades. ...
- Avoid white. ...
- Yes to neutrals. ...
- Rock that emerald green. ...
- Include bright blue.
People with “warm undertones” look best in yellow hues and gold jewelry. Most olive-skinned Latinas have cool undertones, Diaz writes, and look best in the colors of Paprika, chili pepper and saffron. Fairer Latinas look good in mustard yellow, pumpkin and olive green.
Who has the most beautiful natural face? ›
According to the latest Golden Ratio of Beauty Phi report, English actress Jodie Comer has the most beautiful face in the world at 94.52% accuracy.
Who has the most attractive female face? ›
In order to calculate this golden number of beauty, De Silva based his list on a calculated measurement of the size and position of the eyes, eyebrows, nose, lips, chin and jaw. Among all the data collected, Bella Hadid ranked highest with a result of 94.35% of symmetry.
Who has the most natural beauty in the world? ›
Coming in at the top of the list as the most beautiful place on earth is Indonesia, which has a natural beauty score of 7.77 out of 10.
What color makes you look skinny? ›
Black never fails to make you look slim and elegant. Darker shades of colors like blue, purple and brown can also help to hide flaws and create a slimming illusion. On the other hand, lighter colors, like white and khaki, can add pounds and give the illusion of a larger frame.
What color makes you look the prettiest? ›
Scientists have revealed that wearing the colour red will make you more attractive to the opposite sex. Studies reveal that red is the most attractive colour to both men and women but, curiously, the two genders are attracted to the same colour for different reasons.
According to Real Simple, four universally flattering clothing colors are Eggplant, True Red, Indian Teal, and Mellow Rose. Sounds fancy, right? Each of these colors is either in a neutral place on the color-wheel or an opposite color of our skin tone which makes them very flattering.
Who can wear fuchsia? ›
Fuchsias in dustier, softer shades are a great match for Summer women. It's very feminine and ideal for blondes, paired up with light make-up.
What colors should warm skin tones avoid? ›
Medium Skin tone: Tan / Olive
Wear: Warm colors such as rich browns, orange-yellow, olive green, deep reds, and purples. Try to avoid: White and black, pastels, any kind of faded color.
What hair color for warm skin tone? ›
In general, those with warm skin should stick to warmer hair colors. Think caramels, rich mahogany or chestnut, golden blondes, strawberry blondes, coppers and warm reds. Colors to avoid include icy, ashy tones and blue blacks (sorry ya'll, the silver trend may not be for you).
