The Changing Aesthetic Standard and Affirmative Participation of the Filipina in the Event of Ideal Whiteness and the Commodified Beauty

Christine T. Cerezo

The Filipino society’s beauty preferences and conception underwent through several transformations and innovations. The emerging beauty trends, the expanding capitalist cosmetic and skincare market and industry, and our colonial past have largely contributed to the current definition of what is aesthetically likable to the general public. These factors necessitated and pressured the Filipinos to strive for a marketable and conventionally beautiful face. This study examined the conceptions and preferences of beauty among select contemporary Filipina from ages 15 to 30. Further, this illuminates different sociocultural and historical facets regarding Filipina beauty that evokes a dual standard within the society: the cosmopolitan ‘white’ and conventionally attractive mode of beauty, and on one hand, the diverse, inclusive, affirmative and cosmopolitan version of beauty. This study also identified how these women expressed and affirmed themselves in the convoluted capitalist space while being limited by the commodified aesthetics and the existing socio-cultural preferences for physical appearances within society. These women, in this redefined ideal and the capitalist market, are thus agents and active consumers with proactive choice and awareness, not solely as subjects of the beauty culture and its capitalist scheme.