Global market research firm Synovate polled 7,000 women across India, United States, Brazil, Singapore, South Korea, Canada, Bulgaria, Spain and South Africa on their idea of beauty. Excerpts:
Print Edition: 24 Aug, 2008
Perception of beauty
11% of Indians attributed beauty to "getting compliments from others"
7% Americans believe "they are not beautiful and want to change", the highest among all respondents
35% attributed beauty to what's inside and 32% attribute it to confidence
South Africans (43%) and Spaniards (35%) equated beauty with confidence
Self perception
South Africans (32%) and Indians (24%) are most likely to think they are beautiful and do not need to change a thing
Koreans (21%) are most likely to feel they look ordinary and want to change, but curiously, they were also most likely to think they look ordinary but do not need to change (16%)
Overall, 57% of people do not want to change the way they look (whether they believe they are beautiful or not)
Curiosities
Indians (57%) and South Africans (59%) are most likely to try a personal shopping service to improve their clothes or style
More than 60% of Brazilians would have plastic or cosmetic surgery if their wallets permitted
It's good to be beautiful in India where 55% of women think you can get away with less work if you look good.
