Beauty is in the eye of the beholder! This adage came a long time ago, but it’s still true to this very day. In fact, you might be surprised by some of the interesting things that people find attractive in various countries around the world. When we say interesting, we mean you’ll probably need to look twice you’ll be so surprised. So, check out the list we have curated below and see for yourself!
Crooked Teeth – Japan
For the most part, if you live in the Western part of the world, having a set of straight pearly whites is a must. In fact, many of us that don’t, often tend to smile less because we don’t want to show the world that we don’t have this feature.
However, in Japan, their take on teeth is a little bit different. They actually think that when you have crooked teeth, you are cuter. This change is starting to be seen as attractive in the Western world.
Body Scarification – West Africa
We know what you’re thinking – scars are not really something that is universally accepted as being a beautiful attribute. That may be the case in most parts of the world, but for the inhabitants of New Guinea and some African tribes, they are most definitely a sign of beauty.
When it comes to these tribes, the beauty quotient of these scarifications is solely attached to the females. For the men, the scarifications are a sign of strength and being a warrior.
Heart-Shaped Face – South Korea
There are some countries in the world that really put a big stock on looks, and so people in these places tend to be more open to cosmetic surgery. Take, for instance, South Korea, where you will often see advertisements for procedures.
One of these procedures is intended to help the women there achieve a particular attribute that is seen as a true sign of beauty. This, of course, is the heart-shaped face which can only be done with a little cosmetic surgery on the chin.
Extra Weight – Mauritania
People take their body image seriously all over the world. In most countries, when you have a little bit of extra weight, you feel a bit self-conscious as it’s not necessarily looked at as attractive. Though this may be changing slightly, it is still a known struggle.
But for the women of Mauritania, this is not the case. In fact, men find women there that have extra weight vastly more attractive than those that don’t.
Surgical Dressing – Iran
No matter where you live, you may find yourself wanting to get a little work done on your nose. Maybe it’s too big or too small or maybe you just want a different look. There are a lot of people out there that want to make some adjustments.
In Iran, this procedure is very common, even though it is also pricey. To have a straight nose in this country is deemed beautiful, and so many people, both men, and women go under the knife.
Pale Skin – China
It may seem counterintuitive to many people from the Western world who long to have a golden tan, but some countries in the world feel that pale skin is a sign of beauty — places like China, for example.
To obtain this paler skin, many of the beauty products sold within this country have some sort of bleaching agent involved. Chinese people will also try to stay out of the sun or wear masks so that they can achieve their desired skin tone.
High Forehead – Africa
Many different parts of the body, depending on the culture you come from, are found to be attractive. For instance, if you come from the Fula tribe in Africa, you may find that you want to have a high forehead.
Many of these tribal women will go as far as to remove parts of their hair so that they can create a higher forehead. When you really think about it, the lengths we go to, in order to achieve our standard of beauty is quite astonishing.
Long Necks – Burma
It is not a surprise that there are many places in the world that find the neck one of the most attractive parts of a woman. Typically though, these places don’t require you to do anything to them, except maybe to lift your hair off your neck.
However, in Eastern Burma, this isn’t the case. In fact, the women of the Kayan tribe there actively stretch their necks out. They do this by wearing a brass ring necklace that helps elongate the neck. Ouch!
Red Skin – Africa
It’s not a big surprise that one of the physical attributes people find attractive has to do with skin tone. In some parts of the world, you want to be darker, and in others, you would want to be lighter, but in Africa, there is a tribe that wants to be redder.
The Himba tribe in Namibia uses a mixture of red ochre and fat to help keep them safe from the harmful rays of the sun. Because of this mixture, their skin tone turns red, and this has become one of the features that this tribe deems beautiful.
Henna Tattoos – India
There are a lot of beauty trends in India, and one of these is henna tattoos. These special tattoos are applied to make themselves look more interesting, especially when it comes to big occasions like weddings or holidays.
Women will put them on their hands and feet to accentuate their beauty, but these tattoos are also an expression that is looked at as being very spiritual too. Do you see the beauty in henna art?
Body Hair – France
We find this hard to believe, but there are some places in the world that actually feel that being natural in any way is more attractive than not. For some, this means letting some of the hair on their body grow out.
Though we’re not so sure that this trend is quite as popular as it used to be, there are still some that feel they don’t need to shave as much as others.
Double Eyelids – South Korea
We know that this physical attribute may sound like something that belongs to a science fiction alien character or something but this is actually something that in South Korea is believed to help you look more beautiful.
So, in order to achieve double eyelids, there is a specific surgery available there, or you can simply use eyelid tape to make this happen. What it does is widen the eyes, which many people there feel is a sign of beauty.
Chalk Body Covering – Africa
Make-up is basically a form of body painting. Though for most of the world, the only place that it belongs is on the face. This is not the case when it comes to the body painting of the Caro tribe in Ethiopia.
The people of this tribe use white chalk to create spider motifs all over the body. This body painting is deemed a mark of beauty among both men and women.
Extraocular Implant – Netherlands
Many people in the world believe that one of the features that they find the most attractive is their significant other’s eyes. This may be why in the Netherlands extraocular implants are seen as such a symbol of beauty.
To do this, the person goes under a small surgical procedure that implants a piece of molded platinum in a specific shape that they have chosen into their eye. It sounds a little scary but the end result is pretty cool.
Sharp Teeth – Indonesia
A great smile is always attractive, but that great smile actually depends on where you’re from. It might be straight and white or, in the case of tribes in Indonesia, sharp and pointy.
There are some tribes in Indonesia who file their teeth into sharp points and this for them is a mark of beauty. The procedure to achieve this is actually is quite painful, but even still, women rush to get it done so they can attract a mate.
Minimal Makeup – France
In the Western world, you rarely find a culture that wants women to embrace unconventional beauty. For the most part, women in these countries tend to try to emulate what they see in the media which in turn makes many look alike.
In France, however, they are different, and they love to embrace an alternative idea of what beauty can be. This gives these women a little bit more liberation and a lot more room to play things up or down. So, minimal makeup is actually admired here.
Fake Tan – USA
Unlike many of the Asian countries, when you head to the West, particularly in the United States, having pale skin isn’t always thought of as being beautiful. That is why so many people sit out in the sun or head over to the tanning salon.
Even though this puts them at risk for health concerns, it is still not a deterrent as most people feel that having tan skin is a physical attribute that is very appealing.
Big Bottom – USA
In the United States, there is a lot of emphases put on body image. Women often feel pressure to keep up with the beauty trends of the time as they are also constantly changing.
One of the hottest body image trends going now is having what some might call the ‘hip-hop booty.’ This means that the woman has a tiny waist but a large posterior, like the hourglass shape. This is a shape that is also endorsed by celebrities like the Kardashians.
Big Eyes – Asia
When you look at someone and decide whether or not you are attracted to them, often the first place you’ll look at is their eyes. This is where the saying of how “the eyes are the window to the soul” came from.
In Japan and many other Asian countries, this may be why one of the beauty attributes that get the most attention is having big eyes. Of course, not everybody has that so sometimes people go under the knife to achieve this look.
Turmeric Face – India
If you are into health and beauty, then you probably have heard about the wondrous spice called turmeric. In Indian holistic healing as well as in beauty products across the globe, turmeric is touted as one of the best beauty treatments there is.
It might seem strange to rub this yellow spice on your face, but it does have a lot of great attributes. It will, however, stain your skin a bit. Yet interestingly enough, this yellowish tint in some places is looked at as a sign of beauty.
Facial Piercing – USA
The crowd you hang out with may also determine what physical attributes are seen as cool or deemed beautiful. There is a large population of people in the United States that are into alternative ideas of beauty.
For some, one of the most attractive physical attributes is body piercing, in particular facial piercings. While some find that less is more works better with this, others are excessive and want to have piercings all over their body.
Waist Training – USA
In order to achieve a more hourglass figure and well-sculpted derriere, women in the US have caught on to waist trainers. The end goal is to get a super slim waist while allowing your hips to protrude.
We are not sure how healthy this is for the human body – surely you can crush your bones or organs with this? But even despite the potential health damage, it is something that is now considered beautiful.
Teeth Chiseling – Africa
There are several tribes in the world that deem having pointed teeth as a sign of beauty. This isn’t only in Indonesia but also in the African nations as well. For many of these tribes, not only is having chiseled teeth beautiful but also a way to look fierce.
The process is quite painful, and many women go through it every year. This is a great way for them to show their status and feel beautiful.
Rib Resection– Asia
In Asia, another prominent physical attribute that is looked at as being attractive is a slimmer waist contour. This is not always something that is given naturally, and so many women have taken to cosmetic surgery in order to have rib resectioning done.
This process allows them to have a thinner waist and therefore wear slimming shirts or even corsets. Having this procedure done seems to be a more extreme version of the US waist training.
Glass Skin – South Korea
While some cultures believe that makeup can cover any skin issues, South Koreans prefer to focus on having the most flawless skin they can get. Known as glass skin, for its shiny and almost translucent look, the look has become the standard for beauty in the Asian country.
The look is supposedly achievable by implementing a ten-step regimen that includes face scrubs, toner, moisturizers, and cleansers. If you have extra time on your hands, this dewy and bright skin can be yours.
Red Under-Eyes – Japan
While most women spend hours of their lives and hundreds of dollars on reducing under-eye discolorations, women in Japan are purposely applying red pigments to their under-eye area.
Known as byojaku, Japanese for ‘sickly’, the makeup is supposed to make the user look like they’re sick or suffering from allergies. The makeup is supposed to be combined with a pale color foundation to make the red even more obvious. Who knew sick days could inspire your next makeup look?
Bagel Head – Canada and Japan
In 2012, news of a strange new body modification procedure spread across the globe. Known as ‘bagel head’, the procedure involves injecting saline into the forehead which is then shaped into a ring, or doughnut shape.
While the procedure was actually invented in Canada, it became a popular trend in the Japanese underground party scene. The injections last about 24 hours but come with several health risks. Seems like a real bagel or doughnut would be a better choice!
Androgynous Male Style – South Korea
Known as Kkonminam, this new generation of South Korean men is challenging long-held beliefs about what it means to be masculine. Kkonminam are young men who enjoy fashion, different hairstyles, and even cosmetics.
Their style can be seen in many famous Korean pop bands and male celebrities. Most Kkonminam are clean-shaven with longer hair. South Korean men are increasingly becoming fans of skincare products and cosmetic surgery. Many fashion experts believe that this unique style will have a worldwide influence on men’s fashion in the future.
Perfect Smiles – South Korea
It seems that across the globe, one physical attribute that is the focus of a lot of beauty trends is the smile. Whether that is the lips or the actual teeth, the smile seems to be a universal sign of beauty.
However, in South Korea, they have a little bit of a different take on what exactly makes a smile beautiful. In order to get the perfect smile, many women go through a procedure known as smile lifting. This gives them almost a permanent smile at all times.
Puffy Under Eyes – South Korea
Sometimes the reason for a physical attribute being beautiful has to do with the culture itself. For instance, in South Korea, bags under your eyes don’t always mean you’re tired. In fact, often, people look at this attribute as a sign of youth.
That may be why this is one of those physical attributes that people find very attractive. And just like everything else in South Korea, that is why there are cosmetic surgeries that can help women achieve this look.
Big Belly – Ethiopia
We’ve talked a lot about beauty when it comes to the female of the species. But some unique physical attributes across the globe are deemed attractive when it comes to men as well.
In Ethiopia, large bellies are seen as very attractive and as a result, the men there will eat more in order to achieve this look. There are also other traditions in place to ensure these men achieve that physique.
Facial Scarification – Africa
Body scarification is one thing, but when it comes to the face, this seems a little extreme to most. But that is not so when you find yourself amidst the Mundari tribe in Africa. Here facial scarification is looked at as a sign of beauty for both men and women.
There are set scar patterns that people attempt to achieve and this look tends to be two to three parallel lines on the face. What do you think of it?
Stretched Lips – Africa
We’re sure you’ve all seen images in magazines like National Geographic of the African tribes who use discs to stretch their lower lips. While this might be strange to us in the Western world, to them, this is a sign of beauty.
The discs that the girls begin to stretch their skin out with vary in size, and the larger the disk, the higher the girl is seen in society. This, of course, means that the dowry will be larger as well when she gets married.