The Ideal Beauty Standards in Indonesia

Appearances can be the most important things for every person around the world. If you look better, you might feel confident. I think all people want to look good, clean and neat. But, when you show preferences about your looks or your styles, maybe some people and society say it is not good or it is a worse thing. So, you are confused and then try to find what they think looks good for them (society). As we know it, it is called beauty standards.

Indonesian society thinks that the way you look, how your face shape, how your body shape and what color of your skin, it is important. Especially for women, many Indonesian women really care about their visual beauty, but they went in the wrong way. Many of them think having dark skin is a bad thing. Moreover, they have been through some hardships because of that. So based on Indonesian society, what is the ideal Indonesian's beauty standard?

There are 5 types of the ideal beauty standards which are shaped by Indonesian society and also other factors. They should have a light skin, a clear skin, a pointed nose, straight hair, and slim body. If all women have these criteria, it means they are pretty and the others not?

1. Light Skin

Some Indonesian people think that having light skin or white skin is more beautiful than having dark skin. How can they have this thought? Colonialism made it all. We know that for more than 350 years Dutch have colonized Indonesian. 

During that time, the Dutch ancestries placed on top and Indonesians people at the bottom. As a result, light-skinned people became the standards of beauty. That is why Indonesian people still think the light-skinned people are called beauty itself. 

It is proven that many whitening products have been used and also many Indonesian brands released the whitening or brightening products to get more buyers. Even some Indonesian women do not care if the products might contain dangerous ingredients for their skin. Because having a white complexion is their goal, they ignore the future effect on their skin. For them, white is a must.

2. Clear Skin

Talking about having clear skin, some Indonesian women take care of their skin by using daily products routine to have a glowing skin. They try to use all products that went viral, but maybe not all people can have the same result, so they have big problems after using it all. 

They are insecure because they have acne, pimples, acne scars, dark circles, wrinkles, and dark or white-head. Then they try to conceal them by using a makeup complexion that does not help the skin condition or the skin problems might be getting worse. Some women are frustrated because of skin problems.

3. Pointed Nose

Most Indonesian people have a flat nose, but some of them too have a pointed nose. All Indonesian women want to have a pointed nose to make them look prettier. Honestly, for me having a flat nose is unique and also cute. Back on Indonesian society that thinks if someone has a flat nose is bad luck and makes them not have self-confidence.

4. Straight hair

As we know, the women's hair is their crown. Every woman's hair has a different type of hair. Some women have curly hair, straight hair, coily hair, and wavy hair. In spite of that, Indonesian society believes the beautiful woman has straight hair. I think it is because many Indonesian artists back then had straight hair in advertising or TV programs. It is quiet seeing Indonesian women that have curly hair or wavy hair.

5. Slim body

Many Indonesian women have a hard time because of their body shape. Indonesian society says that women should have a slim body. In reality, there are many women who have their own body shape. Some people have a round or oval body, hourglass body and spoon body. All of these are natural to have. As your body is healthy, it is okay to not have a slim body.

Those are all my opinions about the ideal beauty standards in Indonesia. I feel all these beauty standards are ridiculous. It is possible to have these annoying beauty standards, but should we change all of us to just be approved that we are pretty? Oh, it is BIG NO. We are all beautiful. We are attractive the way we are. We deserve it.

To sum up, the ideal beauty standards in Indonesia are hilarious. Indonesian women should know they are all gorgeous. God gives us the difference to not to be equated by humans. Being different is not a crime, it is wonderful if we all accept ourselves. Accepting ourselves is the first step to start loving yourself.