Conspicuous Consumption

Chinese Beauty Culture

Beauty Standards ME

WORLD

Inner Beauty

Virtue – Virtuous – Connotation – Intelligence – Well cultivated – Confident

Health Beauty

Constitution – Exercise & fitness – Skin care

Outer Beauty

Social recognized Beauty

Appearance

Cultural Criteria

– Body shape building – Facial features – Hair style – Cosmetics – Fashion

– Traditional Chinese aesthetic – Modern Asian aesthetic – Western aesthetic

Social Recognized Beauty

Different Culture & Different Standard

Chinese Standard Then and Now –Sickness and fragility –Delicacy, elegance and grace –“Three Inch Golden Lotus” as symbol for feminine beauty, hierarchy and morality

–Slender and graceful figure as ideal of feminine beauty –Strength and confidence as virtues

–Beauty no longer as a formal requirement in ideal standards relating to women’s role –But to possess virtue and talent

–Delicate features and plump faces –Energetic, full-bodied women –Known as “Jade Beauty”

Western Han Dynasty

T’ang Dynasty

–Beauty was influenced by women’s newfound freedom and increased contact with Western –Rise in popularity of lipsticks, eyebrow plucking and shorter skirts

Ming Dynasty

Source: Article

Ch’ing Dynasty

Republican movement

Chinese Standard Then and Now –Hollywood movies’ function as the bible of beauty –Famous actresses, ladies and young girls from ordinary families all copy the same style –With eyebrow pencils and false eyelashes, dark-colored lipsticks

1930s-Hollywood Parade

–Being ashamed of the "evil whiteness" of skin- the "capitalistic color" –A sun-kissed, scorched visage after years' graft in the fields was ultimate early' 60s fashion statement

1960s-Say 'no' to whitey

–1980s: Conspicuous Consumption  Panda eyes  Blood red lips  Not realize make-up can be applied according to personal preference –1990s: Contemporary Lady  women start to have freedom to change faces  Singer Faye Wang is well-known for her innovative face make-up  The blue-gray edges and "less is more" fashion. –2000s:  Female beauty became a commodity in a renewed importance of the expression of body and gender ideals

After 1980sFashion-any fashion at all-is in

Source: Article &

Beauty Icons Then and Now

Li Yuchun

Ruan Lingyu Gong Li

Jiang Qing Hu Die

Zhang Ziyi

Deng Lijun

30-40’s Source: 2006

70’s

80’s

90’s

00’s

Social Context of Beauty

Social Recognized Beauty Trend Diverse aesthetic of Chinese beauty 萝卜青菜，各有所爱 Ordinary beauty

Trend I: Diverse Aesthetic of Beauty

Classical & Elegant Beauty

Naive Beauty

Stunning Beauty

Standard-featured Beauty

Intelligent Beauty

Delicate & Sweet Beauty

Wild & Sexy Beauty

Character Beauty

Trend II: Ordinary Beauty Li Yuchun is on the Top beauties list by following Gongli, who looks plain and is better known for her tomboyish style, outpaced Zhou Xun and even Zhang Ziyi to secure the second place shows there is no fixed aesthetic criteria in today’s China.

1

Gong Li is said to have oriental charm and western disposition Source: People's Daily, 2006/05/22

2

3

Ordinary Beauty

Sweet and lovely like a fairy, she achieves her fame in movie and music.

4

representation of “oriental beauty”

Outer Beauty

Care of Looking Good Urban citizens spend average 13.7 minutes per day on looking themselves into the mirror 1 3 .7

8.6

Average Source: 2006 Fashion Index Survey, Horizon

Men

Beautiful Face Features Criteria Accordingly a Chinese beauty must have an oval face, willow-leaf shaped eye-brows and a mouth that curves upwards at the corners. The outline of Zhang Ziyi's face

Fan Bingbing's eyes

How it comes out? Cecilia Cheung's eyebrows

Liu Yifei's nose A picture of a simulated woman's face made by the computer which is viewed as a standard Chinese beauty

Maggie Cheung's mouth

Source:International Cosmetics and Fashion Week, The Beijing based Mirror newspaper, Dayoo photo, 2005/10/15

Outer Beauty Trends Extremely pursue perfection of beauty Man-made beauty Body shape building

Keep up with global fashion trends Beauty lies in details

Trend I: Extremely Pursue Perfection of Beauty  Man-Made Beauty

Hao Lulu was so-called “No.1 Chinese man-made beauty” by 18 times surgery to transform the appearance, obviously she was successful and led herself in the spotlight and a promising future.

Cao Dandan is awarded “the best appearance award” in the first Chinese man-made beauty pageant, now she steps into entertainment circles.

Li Fei shows the "V" before undergoing plastic surgery in Shanghai, she believes that creased eyelids will improve her chances of securing a good job and a suitable husband after graduation. - That’s Shanghai

 Man-Made Beauty "A Chinese woman uses the pretext of tourism, successfully completed plastic surgery in Korea and afterwards found her knight in shining armor." - Report by Korea's "Cultural Daily " More and more Chinese are flocking to Korea for plastic surgeries despite the expensive surgery fees, which is 12,000 RMB (US$1,500) for double eyelids, 16,000 RMB for bulking up nose and other more difficult procedures are priced at between 20,000 to 60,000 RMB. According to a research article in Time Out magazine in Beijing, over one million Chinese were surgically enhanced last year.

Source: Chinanews.cn 2006/05/23, Time Out Magazine

Body shape building

Trend II: Keep Up With Global Fashion

Trend III: Beauty Lies in Details

Health Beauty

What To Do For Health Beauty At Home Skin care treatment regularly

Beauty Parlor

47.1%

Fitness

Owership of Gym card

Owership of bodybuilding equipment

12.3%

Cosmetics: ￥ 314/M

Not Fixed 40.6%

84.20%

62.70%

16.70%

Beauty treatment ￥ 118.3 once

Fitness ￥ 821.5/Y

17%

Source: , Y2006; <Survey of women’s consumption in 8 cities>

Health Beauty Trends Physical health IS beauty Skin care  Health conscious  Whitening vs. Natural Skin Color  Dermatology vs. Beauty from inside out  Skeptism in brand promise

Trend I: Physical Health IS Beauty

Trend II: Health Conscious Air pollution Dry climate

Working environment Computer radiation

Ultraviolet radiation

Low water quality

Unsuitable skincare Air conditioner

– Pay attention to what to eat, what to drink, what to use for skin care, what to nurture body – A key incentive for Chinese consumers to buy a product is perception of medical treatment benefit – Keep skin healthy, stay away from chemistry – Products what promise no chemistry additive, but instead with natural ingredients become more popular

Source: “China’s beauty market” 2005/08/04, Hong Kong Trade development Council, Euromonitor,

Trend III: Whitening vs. Natural Skin Color Young Chinese women are increasingly aware avoiding suntan, since maintaining a fair complexion especially white skin continues to be the mainstream beauty trend Natural and healthy skin color represents image of full of energy and vigor, becomes a character beauty trend

一白遮百丑 A white complexion is powerful enough to hide seven faults.

Trend VI: Dermatology vs. Beauty from inside out Through advanced dermatology, beauty can be achieved by all the problems of skin are solved According to Chinese medicine theory, skin and overall condition mirrors the inner body, achieving beauty only can by keeping inner health, both physically and spiritually.

– 排毒 Detox (Clean body) – The concept of Chi – Keep good habits – Sleep well – Eating healthy – Release pressure

– SPA – Massage – Exercise

Physical Outside

Inside

Spirit & Mind – YOGA – Outdoor Sports – Arts

– Keep good spirit – Smile, big smile – Peaceful mind – Slow down

Trend V: Skepticism in Brand Promise

– Since SKII’s problem was discovered, followed by Clinique, Lancome, Dior and Estee Lauder werehave the same problems, this caused trust crisis – Consumers start to be very cautious about ingredients inside the skin care products and its exaggerated effect, and consumers want the manufacturers really take care of their skin

Inner Beauty

Inner Beauty Beauty is confident of being who you are Beauty is a way of life

Beauty is Confidence Yang Lan has been the Olympic image ambassador of Beijing, her smile, her confidence makes her more beautiful. -2006 Miss Chinese Cosmos Pageant

Outer beauty gives more confidence, and when you are confident of your looking, then beauty is from inside out. - Annie Yi

Beauty is Way of Life Top 5 Attributes of Attractive Women

94.57%

Elegant

Intelligent

Healthy

Sexy

Fashionable

Source: 2006 China International Beauty Week

79.49%

72.65%

70.45%

67.13%

Chinese Beauty Trends ME

WORLD

Inner Beauty

Virtue –Beauty is confidence –Beauty is way of life

Health Beauty

Constitution –Physical health is beauty –Skin health conscious –Whitening vs. Natural Skin Color –Dermatology vs. Beauty from inside out –Skeptism in brand promise

Outer Beauty

Appearance –Nothing too much for taking care of looking good –Keep up with fashion trends –Beauty lies in details

Social recognized Beauty

Cultural Criteria –Diverse aesthetic of Chinese beauty –Ordinary Beauty

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