What the ideal woman looks like in 18 different countries

What does it mean to be beautiful - and how does that differ across cultures?

After journalist Esther Honig who sent her picture out to designers in forty countries around the world with the instruction "make me beautiful", Superdrug asked designers in 18 countries to retouch a stock image to fit with their culture's perception of what it means to be beautiful.

The brief was:

Photoshop her form. The idea is to Photoshop and retouch this woman to make her more attractive to the citizens of your country. We are looking to explore how perceptions of beauty change across the world. Multiple designers are involved. You can modify clothing, but her form must be visible. No nudity. All other changes, including those to her shape and form, are up to you.

The results were as varied as they are fascinating, with Spain barely retouching the model and the Netherlands going as far as to Photoshop her shoes.

Scroll below to see results of the 'perceptions of perfection' project across five continents:

1. America

2. China

3. Britain

4. Egypt

5. Romania

6. The Philippines

7. Italy

8. Peru

9. Serbia

10. Mexico

11. South Africa

12. Colombia

13. Venezuela

14. Argentina

15. Ukraine

16. The Netherlands

17. Syria

18. Spain

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