One of my biggest passions after makeup and photography is geography. I’m an avid consumer of guide books, atlases, and street maps. I buy an A-Z of nearly every UK town I visit, bought Leila her first globe last year and can spend literally hours poring over google maps. Despite never having lived there, I can navigate London as well as a native and will always rate exploring a city above lazing on a beach. I’m crazy about culture (nothing too high-brow mind!), buildings and places. I geocache in my spare time and go on guided walks in my local area just so that I can see it through the eyes of a tourist. How many cool points have I lost?
Without getting all cultural about it, and heaven forbid – stereotypical, I’ve been trying to think of how where we live affects our lives from a beauty perspective. I couldn’t come up with too much in the way of trends without reverting to cultural stereotypes but then I got to thinking about the kinds of products that certain areas of the world seem to produce very, very well.
When I think of skincare, I often think firstly of France with it’s Parisian skincare, therapies and more classic approaches to anti-aging. Moving across the globe to Australia and it becomes more about the natural approach with tea tree oils, aromatherapy and herbalism. Heading north to Asia and it’s all about sun protection and masks to promote collagen, a mixture of hi-tech science with traditional ingredients. Tanning? Go on… guess. Brazil!
I would look to the Middle East and India for insights into promoting healthy hair, with natural oils and remedies coming top of the list. South Asia for treatments… massages, exfoliations, all that body-beautiful stuff. The U.S.? Probably surgical cosmetic procedures!
The world really is our oyster when it comes to picking and choosing products, techniques and knowledge.
Where do some of your biggest associations come from? Which countries or regions do you align with your beauty routine?
I noticed that eyeliners are typically made in Germany!
very interesting post!
i agree with everything, only that i don’t know much about Australian brands and skincare.
i would say Asia is all about rituals… and Europe/USA try to get a miracle in just 1 bottle 🙂
This is such an interesting post!
Like you, France comes to mind when thinking of skincare and also when I apply powdwer with a powder puff. How deep in our minds is the image of a boudoir with a Parisian girl embeded?
For some reason, I associate Brazil with my nails (I do bright reds, so I guess reds on tanned skin… I don’t know…)
I could not agree with you more on the other locations, I just add that India always brings to mind heavy, heady scents because I do use a heavy-scented Indian oil for my hair.
I can’t wait to read more opinions!
France is fragrance! End OF!
USA – plastic surgery, tick.
Brazil is coming up strong on the nail front, I feel.
Brazil is actually the country that makes me think of cosmetic surgery! When I think of the US I think of variety and low prices. I remember when Essence came to the US everyone was shocked at how much cheaper it was than in European countries, where it is manufactured. Asian countries, specifically Korean and Japan, make me think of innovative, and often gimmicky, beauty products. Companies there aren’t afraid to playing with textures, finishes, packaging, etc.
Being an American, I see things from somewhat a different perspective. I know many people think the U.S. is all about cosmetic procedures, but only in certain areas of the country. I actually think of Brazil, South Korea, and China as the top countries for cosmetic surgery, because of many Asian women’s obsessive pursuit to have double eyelids and Western-looking noses. I also think of tanning when I think of women in the U.K. :P. Probably because of women like Katie Price and shows like TOWIE.
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