Young Women’s Perceptions of Traditional and Contemporary Female Beauty Ideals in China Jaehee Jung University of Delaware This study examined cultural standards of the female ideal beauty as perceived by young women in China using a qualitative approach. Twenty-three female Chinese students enrolled in Donghua University in Shanghai were recruited for focus groups. Being fat and a round face were mentioned as traditional characteristics of female beauty, while contemporary characteristics included a slim body and a small face. Women in contemporary China seem to endorse many Western standards for the female beauty ideal. These standards have been pervasive in media images in the context of rapid and disruptive social change, in particular for changing gender roles for women. Keywords: women; ideal beauty; China; culture In contemporary societies in this digital age, individual visual representation has become increasingly more important as images play an important role in marketing, entertainment, fashion, and beauty industries as well as in personal and corporate social media. Because physical appearance is still considered an important part of feminine identity, more women than men are pressured to assume the cultural standards of the ideal beauty for their feminine identity and social functioning (Gillen & Lefkowitz, 2012; Levine & Chapman, 2011). While most women understand that it is difficult to obtain the cultural standards of the ideal beauty, many women tend to change their appearance on a daily basis through the use of beauty products such as cosmetics and accessories. Some women engage in extreme measures such as invasive or noninvasive cosmetic surgeries in an effort to obtain a desired image. The beauty industry is thriving in many societies, but this is especially so in China due to rapidly rising consumer income levels and consumer interest for beauty products. The total volume of retail sales of cosmetics has continued to show rapid growth in China from 162 5 billion yuan ($26 billion) in 2013 to 222 2 billion yuan ($35 billion) in 2016 (Investigation of China’s Current Cosmetics Market, 2017). According to the Chemical Inspection and Regulation Service report, China has surpassed Japan and China has become the world’s second largest market in the total consumption of cosmetics products following the United States (Investigation of China’s Current Cosmetics Market, 2017). Author’s Note: Jaehee Jung, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Fashion & Apparel Studies, Department of Women and Gender Studies (Joint Appointment), University of Delaware. Please address correspondence to Jaehee Jung, Department of Fashion & Apparel Studies, Department of Women and Gender Studies (Joint Appointment), University of Delaware, 206 Alison Hall, Newark, DE 19716; e-mail: jajung@udel.edu. Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal, Vol. 47, No. 1, September 2018 56–72 DOI: 10.1111/fcsr.12273 © 2018 American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences 56