Examining Beauty and Fashion Cultures Around the World: Cross-Cultural Psychology

Examining Beauty and Fashion Cultures Around the World: Cross-Cultural Psychology

Post 1: South Korea

By Sierra Lookabill 

For our first exploration of different beauty cultures around the world, Peyton and I decided to explore South Korean beauty regimens. During my research, the same terms kept coming up for important and well-known aspects of Korean beauty culture, including "the 10 step Korean skin care." Though it originated and is primarily common throughout South Korea, this 10 step routine has been growing in popularity around the world, including the United States as more retailers are offering these products. The process involves makeup and oil remover, using a water based cleanser, exfoliator, toner, essence, treatments, sheet masks, eye cream, moisturizer, and sun protection. Sheet masks, according to Sokoglam.com, are "the soul" of the well-known Korean skincare regimen. They are meant to moisturize and promote relaxation (Sokoglam.com, 2020). Because sheet masks were an easy product to obtain and something we could show the process of, Peyton and I decided to try them out. We ordered authentic sheet masks made in South Korea- though their packaging came in English. Pictured below are the 12 face masks we received. 

 Time-lapse video of Peyton and I applying our sheet masks. Makes for a good laugh!

Peyton and I left the masks on for the directed 15 minutes and took some very beautiful pictures to prove it.

Though trying the sheet masks were fun, they are only a small piece of South Korea's diverse and large market in the world of beauty. There is a vast culture of cosmetic surgery that the country is known for, that for obvious reasons Peyton and I could not explore. Like the United States, there is a high pressure for a very particular version of beauty that leads many to alter their looks permanently. In an opinion piece written by a Korean American woman who is quite familiar with these beauty standards, she details the pressure of the Korean population to be "homogeneous" in their looks, not wanting anyone to look different or against their cultural norms.  

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedium.com%2F%40ruthielamay%2Fkoreas-impossible-beauty-obsession-c97d92c4147e&psig=AOvVaw1MTLdAQNtimDBFT2ipMkKI&ust=1581516628369000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCOC91ufWyecCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD

The author also details the pressure to have "lighter" skin as it is considered to be a mark of being "upper class," and that many skin care products are tailored for this specific skin type.While I think this type of attitude is expressed in the United States as well, with the same types of measures taken to look the way people feel that they should look, this view made me consider the ways interdependent cultures might rely on other's views and perspectives more seriously to dictate how they should look. In this case, the beauty norms of their culture and their place in it are incredibly important. So going to such great lengths to achieve the expected beauty standard is understandable and is seen throughout their society. According to the Alexandra Stevenson in New York Times, South Korea has the most cosmetic surgery being performed per capita (Stevenson, 2018).  

While our personal introduction into South Korean beauty standards addressed a very small part of their culture, it was very interesting learning about their cosmetic surgery practices and how their societal standards of beauty impact their decisions. Though their beauty goals and standards are different, my impression is that their attitude is very similar to how Americans view their relationship with beauty and society. There is this pressure to look and be a certain way, even when we might not always want to look that way. 

Sources: 

“MAKEUP REMOVER& OIL CLEANSER.” SOKOGLAM, sokoglam.com/pages/the-korean-skin-care-routine.

Stevenson, Alexandra. “South Korea Loves Plastic Surgery and Makeup. Some Women Want to Change That.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 23 Nov. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/11/23/business/south-korea-makeup-plastic-surgery-free-the-corset.html.

“The Destructive Effects of South Korea's Beauty Standards.” Medium, Authentics, 29 Dec. 2019, medium.com/the-4-elements-of-change/the-destructive-effects-of-south-koreas-beauty-standards-65c810b6290f.

“MAKEUP REMOVER& OIL CLEANSER.” SOKOGLAM, sokoglam.com/pages/the-korean-skin-care-routine.

Stevenson, Alexandra. “South Korea Loves Plastic Surgery and Makeup. Some Women Want to Change That.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 23 Nov. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/11/23/business/south-korea-makeup-plastic-surgery-free-the-corset.html.

“The Destructive Effects of South Korea's Beauty Standards.” Medium, Authentics, 29 Dec. 2019, medium.com/the-4-elements-of-change/the-destructive-effects-of-south-koreas-beauty-standards-65c810b6290f.

“MAKEUP REMOVER& OIL CLEANSER.” SOKOGLAM, sokoglam.com/pages/the-korean-skin-care-routine.

Stevenson, Alexandra. “South Korea Loves Plastic Surgery and Makeup. Some Women Want to Change That.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 23 Nov. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/11/23/business/south-korea-makeup-plastic-surgery-free-the-corset.html.

“The Destructive Effects of South Korea's Beauty Standards.” Medium, Authentics, 29 Dec. 2019, medium.com/the-4-elements-of-change/the-destructive-effects-of-south-koreas-beauty-standards-65c810b6290f.