In Japan, Spain, and Brazil, the majority of individuals featured in “beautiful woman” images had type I skin – the lightest tone of all.
White skin (or at least paler skin) is a marker of beauty in a hell of a lot of traditional cultures, like India, Indonesia, China, Japan, Thailand, etc... and this predates contact with Europeans in a lot of instances.
Average skin colors are seen as most attractive. Typically, tan is the average skin color, making it very attractive to most people. However, the most attractive skin color varies on preference, culture, and sex. A healthy skin complexion and rosy “glow” is always considered attractive.
Korean culture has always had a beauty preference fair skin based on historical class status. Sun tanned skin was always associated with farming and field work and fairer skin was associated with the upper class. There was a short period when suntanning was trendy but mostly with young KPop stars.
Skin whitening is thought to date as far back as the sixteenth century. In England, pale skin was regarded by the Elizabethan upper classes as a sign of beauty and status. The most popular face whitening make-up for men and women was ceruse, a dangerous mixture of vinegar and white lead.
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.
Blue-eyed, fair-skinned people show more aging skin changes than people with darker, more heavily pigmented skin. With aging, the outer skin layer (epidermis) thins, even though the number of cell layers remains unchanged. The number of pigment-containing cells (melanocytes) decreases.
Fair skin is thought to be equivalent to beauty. Fairness of skin is related to prestige and attractiveness to both genders, and for women, increased matrimonial prospects. Desire for fairness leads to all kinds of treatments to achieve a desirable skin color.
Korean cuisine, rich in fermented foods like kimchi and nutrient-dense options such as seaweed, sweet potatoes, and green tea, has been linked to glowing skin. The inclusion of fresh fruits, vegetables, and hydration also contributes to maintaining a radiant complexion.
The South Korean beauty standard
In a survey, South Korean women were asked about their preferred height range, and their answers fell between 165 to 175 centimeters. Women not only have a preferred height for themselves but also for their future spouses.
From previous research, it has confirmed that people are more interested in brighter irises than darker ones, and it seems that the stereotype of blue and green eyes being the most amazing does exist, as the recent research shows that the most scientifically attractive eye color is either blue and green.
An oval face is considered one of the best attractive face shapes for women, but unfortunately not for men. Though, for hair cuts it is a good face shape to have, because many look will look good on you. Men with an oval face can pull off different shapes and lengths because the face is well balanced.
Skin color and dating experiences
Researchers have asserted this occurs because lighter-skinned women are perceived as honorable and attractive, and, therefore, are perceived as more desirable marriage partners (Parmer, Arnold, Natt & Janson, 2004; Russell, Wilson & Hall, 2005; Wade & Bielitz, 2005).
Diet plays a large role in keeping skin beautiful and fresh. Japan, China and other countries located in Asia have a rich diet of vitamins (specifically A and C, which benefit skin elasticity) and minerals including antioxidants from fruits and green tea. The Asian diet is very low in saturated and total fat.
Due to migrations of people in recent centuries, light-skinned populations today are found all over the world. Light skin is most commonly found amongst the native populations of Europe, East Asia, West Asia, Central Asia, Siberia, and North Africa as measured through skin reflectance.
(i).
Further studies have indicated that yellower and redder skin is also more attractive in male faces [37,38]. Skin yellowness and redness are probably linked to health and attractiveness because these colour properties vary with current health [39].
In South Korea, a growing number of couples are choosing to delay their official marriage registration, prioritizing economic benefits over legal formalities. Lee Jae-yeon, a 39-year-old Seoul resident, exemplifies this trend.
Historically, having fair skin was an indicator of higher social status, as individuals engaged in manual labor often had darker complexions from sun exposure. The elite, meanwhile, enjoyed a sheltered indoor life due to their wealth, which translated into fairer skin.
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.
Fair Skin Tones: You are very fair or have porcelain skin, and burn very easily. You may be very blonde and have pale eyes, or have very dark hair and a porcelain complexion. Light Skin Tones: Your skin is pale, and you burn and then tan. You might be pale in the winter and have a healthy glow in the summer.
Myth: Tan skin is more attractive than pale skin.
Truth: While you may feel good seeing bronzed skin when you look in the mirror now, chances are you won't like the appearance of your skin at all after the long-term effects of photodamage begin to appear.
Findings indicated that non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics have accelerated aging, and non-Hispanic Whites have decelerated aging.
Natural Sun Tanning
Fair skin can tan under the sun, but only with care.
Skin barrier function is reportedly stronger in darker skin tones (the stratum corneum is the skin barrier). Asian skin is reported to have similarities with Caucasian skin in terms of water loss and has the weakest barrier function.