What are beautiful eyes? For some women of East Asian descent the answer is having a crease in their eyelids. And it's not uncommon to hear friends and family call those born with natural folds "lucky." Many who aren't so "lucky" fake the fold with precut surgical tape-packaged specifically for lid duty and as readily available as toilet paper and cotton swabs at the nearest convenience store in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, or Singapore.
In some circles, using precut eyelid tape is just the first step. Next comes blepharoplasty. This cosmetic eyelid surgery is often meant to reduce signs of aging, but increasing numbers of young women in East Asia, as well as many Asian Americans, are going under the knife to have creases created. It's all part of the beauty standard being set throughout the world, which calls for women to be thin (to the point of fragility), pale, long-haired, slim-nosed, and wide-eyed. Sure, that sounds suspiciously like Courteney Cox, but some Asian women who tape claim they're not trying to look white-just prettier and "more awake." But to critics it's all about the influence of Western culture. |
