Fact: Asian women think that their eyes are ugly. They will go to many lengths to change the appearance of their eyes, from high-maintenance temporary alterations to more expensive and permanent options. So much so, that every Asian person has at least one sister, mother, aunt, grandmother, or friend who has tried to change their eyes.
The most common things Asian women change are their “lids.” Asian eyelids usually have a single fold (otherwise known as a monolid), whereas Caucasian eyelids have “double folds.” It is this “double fold” that Asian women spend most their lives coveting.
Young girls often start off with cheap and easily accessible apparatuses for achieving double-fold eyelids: tape or glue. Using these tools, asians, with the help of some adhesive and plastic tools, make possible this “pleat” in their own skin. During their teenage years, Asian girls learn about this from an older sister or cousin. They will also develop the asian stare at this age, which will allow them to strike fear into the hearts of people everywhere. The Asian Stare heavily contributes to the enlarging of an asian’s eyes because it requires asians to expose as much of their irises as possible. It will also prepare them for motherhood, where the asian stare will keep their children from going out with friends *gasp*. With repeated use, the Asian Stare will cause a noticeable increase in iris radius, bringing asians one step closer to having eyes as wide as wet noodles.
These days, there is a relative newcomer in the world of Asian eye fake-outs: the circle lense. Circle lenses were made popular in Korea before the trend spread to other Asian countries and is slowly making its way to the United States. “Circle Lenses” are like colored contact lenses, except the colored portion is larger than a person’s actual iris. The reasoning is that making their irises appear larger makes asian eyes look bigger. The effect is more dramatic than folding their eyelids, and can sometimes be rather cartoon-like (look at all the anime characters). Asians may even freak people out by getting designs on their lenses, much like Michael Jackson did to the world when he turned white.
Does eye enlargement sound ridiculously strange to you, or are you a woman who finds this so appealing that you have to try it right now? Check out the Youtube video below. As asian women approach their 20’s or their high school/college graduations, they opt for plastic surgery so that they don’t have to use glue or tape everyday. Eyelid surgery is probably the most common plastic surgery for Asian women for this reason.
So why do asian women spend so much time and money trying to change their eyes? Somewhere along the way, they were given the message that Caucasian is what’s normal, and that it is preferable to have more White features. Flip through an Asian beauty or fashion magazine and if you look closely, the majority of models have done something to their eyes or noses to make them look more White. This is true whether the magazine is for Asian Americans or for old timers. Compact that with the globalization of Japanese cartoon characters, who all have eyes the size of tennis balls (sometimes even larger). School girls live their lives dreaming that they can become the next Sakura (cardcaptors) or Sailor Moon (Sailor Moon).
White beauty standards put pressure on Asian women even when they’re in their home countries (which is sad and doesn’t make much sense). For you Asian-American women who read beauty mags and never understand the part where they say “apply eyeshadow to the crease” - I suggest you check out the book
Asian Faces where you can learn makeup techniques that show, not hide, your differences. Until then, there is no denying that Asians love to make their eyes look bigger.
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38 responses so far ↓
1 » #41 Eye Enlargement // Mar 21, 2008 at 10:50 pm
[…] everydayasian releases another great post on #41 Eye Enlargement Check it out: […]
2 #41 Eye Enlargement « Stuff Asian People Like - Temporary Home // Mar 22, 2008 at 2:25 pm
[…] 22, 2008 · No Comments Posted March 20th, 2008 by everydayasian ยท 1 Comment Fact: Asian women think that their eyes are ugly. They will go to many lengths to change the […]
3 midwestasian // Mar 22, 2008 at 7:22 pm
this is an insightfulpost. i did not know about these circle contact lenses. looks pretty creepy to me (like they’re high on drugs).
straight noses and large eyes are prized by every culture. name one culture who thinks small eyes are attractive! even B.C art depicts asian women with straight noses and double folds (although actual eye size was kind of small).
asian american girls dye their hair blonde and wear blue contact to look white. if they get eye surgery it is because of pressure from other asians or being teased for having “chinky” eyes by other kids. i guess the latter reason would go in line with conforming to white beauty.
i do agree that anime and whatnot does have an effect. a lot of asian women are obsessed with looking girlish and cute and young. large eyes are another sign of youth (aging eyes’ sagging eyelids make the actual eye look smaller).
anyways women will be vain. no matter what race or ethnicity. they will go to crazy extremes to look “beautiful.”
4 Amy // Mar 24, 2008 at 2:58 am
oh my! So that’s what it is, the circle lense thingos! I saw those on a girl last week, was wondering why her eyes looked so weird & her irises way too black & too contrasting against the white bit. It was scary to look at.
Geez, the things girls do…
5 Kairsoity // Mar 27, 2008 at 9:31 pm
that’s crazy how makeup can make a difference. man girls go through a lot of things to make them “beautiful” according to the world.
6 JEFF // Mar 28, 2008 at 11:39 am
I would have to agree that it doesn’t matter what culture it is, white beauty standards are the ideal.
It’s mainly because of the media. It’s racially dominated and sets the tone for style and beauty. It’s sad. Especailly for those who are particulary attracted to the various ethnicities.
7 Anonymous // Mar 30, 2008 at 2:42 pm
I hate it when I see Asian women with ‘blonde’ hair (looks more like orange). I also hate it when the first thing out of my mom’s mouth, upon seeing someone for the first time, is, “She’s not good-looking.” She says this about women, young girl, and even baby girls. (Not that it’d be better if she said they were attractive, but of course she never says anything about men/boys.)
8 megan // Mar 31, 2008 at 9:24 pm
God, I just spent like fifteen minutes looking at Facebook with my roommate at the various Korean princesses at our school who’ve gotten eye enlargement surgeries. It was really depressing, these girls are gorgeous! They’ve been made to believe that the only concept of beauty that can exist is the western ideal. Also, I wonder how they paid for their surgeries…I can’t imagine a parent actually paying for this >:(
9 John Wright // Apr 2, 2008 at 7:11 am
Oriental girls are the prettiest in the world. Their eyes are beautiful. There is no reason to change them to make them look white; when they try to “white up” their eyes it only makes them look odd.
10 Anonymous // Apr 5, 2008 at 4:10 am
to midwestasian:
traditional japanese culture adores women with small slanty eyes and pale skin.
11 Javed // Apr 9, 2008 at 2:23 am
Your posts revolve around East Asia, which isnt the whole of Asia… Ever worked on that?
12 K // Apr 9, 2008 at 12:16 pm
Traditional Chinese culture states that a beautiful woman should have big eyes, a straight nose, and a small mouth. This was way before they came in contact with any Europeans.
But it is kind of sad that plastic surgery is becoming the “norm” for East Asian girls these days. Pretty much all of my Korean friends have gotten plastic surgery on their nose, eyes, cheeks, etc. not only because they wanted to, but because their parents ENCOURAGED it. I have ONE Korean friend who has not had any plastic surgery, but her parents are constantly trying to push her to get some. They tell her, “You want to fit in, right? Get some plastic surgery, we’ll pay for it!” But she doesn’t want it.
As for myself, I am really interested in getting eye enlargement surgery, because not only do I also think larger eyes are prettier, but it really does help in other areas. Makeup, for one, has always been a challenge to me. I want an eyelid that I can put eyeshadow on! I know it sounds stupid, but it’s really important to me.
It also helps when making connections with people. Larger eyes make you appear more alert, more awake, and more “innocent” (as anime and manga have taught us). All of the anti-Japanese propaganda during World War II was focused on how slanty Japanese eyes were, trying to emphasize that their small eyes translated into a shifty personality that you can’t trust. That ideal still holds today, in that smaller eyes seem to denote a dishonest person. Obviously, I don’t think anyone wants to give off that impression from the get-go.
13 jermaine // Apr 13, 2008 at 2:43 am
whats wrong with asian eyes.
14 Amy // Apr 18, 2008 at 2:22 pm
and what is wrong with being a pretty white woman? these posts make it out that white women are ugly. just reversing aren’t you?
15 JO // Apr 19, 2008 at 9:20 am
You have completely misunderstood why some Asians have eye surgery to go from monolid to double fold. Around 30% of NE Asians and 70+% of SE Asians naturally have double fold lids. I’m one of them. This is what they hope the surgery will emulate. There are also many Caucasian women who use make-up to make their eyes appear larger.
16 Rena // Apr 19, 2008 at 8:37 pm
ASIANS AREN’T TRYING TO BE WHITE BY HAVING BIGGER EYES!!!!!!
In every culture, bigger eyes are associated with beauty. Bigger eyes show more emotion, and even puppies with big emotive eyes are considered cuter. The asian monolid is also often droopy and will cover up eye lashes (make lashes go down instead of curving up). Also, even with already big eyes, white women spends much money and effort with eye-liners and mascara to enhance their eye size, shape, and lashes. I realize Asians may emulate many western ideals, but this is not actually one of those cases.
17 Bella // Apr 24, 2008 at 1:17 pm
This is stupid! Why Asian have to try to be white by having bigger eyes?
Not every asain has small eyes. Most of the Asian I see have big eyes. If they do want bigger eyes, it is just because they want to look pretty. that’s all. Who don’t want to look pretty? I see a lot of White girl like to be tan, too. does that mean they want to be like Asian (Filipino, Hispanic.etc…) ?
18 Justin // Apr 24, 2008 at 1:24 pm
hi all, check out the film never perfect by regina park that deals with this issue. here’s the link to the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzV15eUEXcE
19 everydayasian // Apr 27, 2008 at 6:08 pm
Thanks for all of the c omments.
Javed - I agree that there should be more than just East Asians represented on the blog, but we would need an East Asian writer to do that!
Everyone else - don’t forget that all of these “Stuff Ethnic People Like Blogs” are meant to be sarcastic and funny. Stories are 10% “individual perseonal experiences” and 90% “blown-out-of-proportion-sarcasm to highlight how absurd some our behaviors are, and how absurd it is to be defined by those behaviors”. They are not true scientific fact, so don’t read them as if they are. (If all of this were claiming to be 100% true, we would be perpetuating racism and xenophobia and that’s not cool)
20 A // Apr 30, 2008 at 10:13 pm
The grass is always greener on the other side. And it seems like a norm for people from every culture to do things to ENHANCE their features. However, if you change what you have, you change who you are and then……WHOSE eyes are you trying to enhance now, yours or some random girl whose picture you pointed out to the plastic surgeon and said “I want this one”?? I feel like people have gone overboard with surgeries (all races alike), they should go see a shrink before getting under the knife.
21 Zainab // May 2, 2008 at 5:59 pm
I personally think that asians have beautiful eyes. I love the way it slants. I just dont understand.
22 Chibolyte // May 3, 2008 at 6:06 am
I’m just confused as to why people think that Asian girls wanting big eyes is because they want to look white? Not all white women have large eyes, and not all Asian women have small eyes. I’m an Asian woman and I have naturally large eyes. Many Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Indonesian women have large eyes (in fact, that Japanese woman, your first picture in this blog, is a Japanese singer, Ayumi Hamasaki, and her large eyes are natural, that picture is just terribly airbrushed and outwarding eyelashes and makeup rimmed around the eyes make the eyes appear larger). I don’t know why it just doesn’t occur to people that we just like large eyes and double eyelids, just because we do. And honestly, 50% of Asians have double eyelids. We don’t want double eyelids and large eyes to look white, we like it because ideally that’s what I would prefer over small eyes and monolids.
But I think many people with monolids are hot, and many people with small, slanty eyes are hot.
23 Anonymous // May 4, 2008 at 3:31 pm
it doesn’t necessarily mean they want to be white..they just want prettier eyes.
24 Anonymous // May 6, 2008 at 3:11 pm
big eyes=standard beauty.
THE END.
and sometimes…you never know the importance until its gone.
it’s a free choice, so show some respect
25 SVU // May 11, 2008 at 12:27 am
Its so true about the pressure! I have a monolid, and people have been telling me since I was two years old “dont worry about your eyes, you can get those fixed when you’re older!” -__-”
But I agree with the comments: its not just Asians trying to be Caucasian…its like people wanting to be thin. Everywhere you look, theres people giving tips on how to be thin, how to get clearer skin, or how to make your eyes appear bigger!
26 Anonymous // May 18, 2008 at 11:24 am
I can’t believe Asian women actually go through this trouble and hassle to look more caucasian or whatever, honestly, I not only find it immature I find people that do this like if they aren’t pride to be who they are. Asian women, you already have very beautiful, unique and special eyes, you don’t need them to look like us ( Yes I’m caucasian, Portuguese actually), everyone’s beautiful in their own special way, and if we were all a copy, then how would you define beauty? Not to mention that it looks dangerous, using glue near your eye lids?? come on, I can’t believe someone would post a video of this on the net for a 5 year old asian girl to see and try this at home. Honestly, have some shame.
Bring on the flames
27 jellyfish // May 25, 2008 at 11:30 pm
hmm… As an Asian myself, I think it’s strange that the wider-eyed look seems to be the standard for beauty as much as long legs, straight/point nose and defined cheekbones have always been the standard of Western/American beauty. I have been blessed (?) with a natural crease/fold in my eye so I’ve always found it funny and a little sad when some of my Asian friends go through the hassle of putting those paper things to create a fold in their eyelid or undergo the surgery to make their eyes wider.
A lot of it is the pressure of the media that creates that standard… if you look in any Asian magazine with Asian stars, most if not all of them (including the guys) will have large eyes. I find it equivalent to starving yourself to be as skinny as the models on the runway… it’s a really silly and totally unnecessary
28 Ashley // May 29, 2008 at 6:46 pm
I don’t think that having a double fold in your eyes is being white. Why do people always have to label everything. I dont think asians are trying to be white maybe some of them just like to have that look. I feel that if that person likes that look then go for it and do you regardless of what anyone one says, dont let people get to you as long as your happy thats all that matters its your body do as you please. I think your video was very educational and interesting im half african american and philipino, not asian and i watched the video anyway because i thought it was interesting you actually gave me some tips even though my eyes already have that fold but i like the way you did your make up and you seem very sweet =) take care
29 movies sex // Jun 5, 2008 at 3:05 pm
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30 Kurt // Jun 8, 2008 at 1:04 am
I have slanted eyes but I was also born with double eyelids. My entire family is the same. I love how my eyes are slanted; the only thing I’d wish for is to have the left iris glow red like the Terminator (xD) which should give you an idea of why we asians like to modify ourselves, maybe because such artificial enhancements just look cool? (see: paragraph 3)
I’m honestly sick and tired of and disgruntled asians on the internet that make an issue out of everything. There are many asians out there that naturally don’t have the “monolid”. Irresponsible articles like this will only lead to “westerners” making assumptions about every asian individual that doesn’t fit their stereotyped view of asians.
Also, people need to stop thinking that cosmetic enhancements on asians are in any shape or form wanting to be “white”. I used to have yellow highlights. Tell me how many white people do you see with black hair and blonde streaks? Exactly. When white people dye their hair blood red or blue, which race are they trying to look like? Sisqo has silver hair; does that mean he subconsciously wants to be an old guy?
As for the asians that have pursued or are pursuing surgery, who cares? It’s their personal choice, just like it was Ashlee Simpson’s personal choice to get a nose job. Besides, most asians aren’t going for the “caucasian” eyes, because even after getting double eyelids their eyes are still going to look asian. It’s not so much trying to look white, but trying to look like other asians. Because if I had the “monolid” I know I’d get surgery, but only to look like my family or “me”.
Now I’m not denying that there’s a lot of self-hatred among certain asian individuals, because there is, and to a pathetic degree, but it’s just as pathetic to see asians that lack the foresight not to draw unnecessary negative attention towards their entire race. After reading some of the other articles on this site I must say the “satirical” nature of this site is just irresponsible. Making fun of yourself? This is an open forum and the outsiders aren’t laughing with you, they’re laughing at you.
And just so you know, I’m Vietnamese. I have barely any austranesian admixture if any. I’m not part white either. I’m pure Kinh and 100% ORIENTAL. Oh, and I also have long legs and that is mostly due to eating right and less on genetics in case you decide to make an article about ‘asian height’ too.
31 msc // Jun 8, 2008 at 12:22 pm
Interesting comments. I’m Chinese. My mother has double lids and my father doesn’t. My mother thinks my eyes should look more like hers. I had monolids when I was a kid, and her “influence” led me to exercise my eyelids, so now I have double lids. No joke. My hair is fine and dark brown. My legs are long compared to my torso. Again, not typical Chinese. I tan very easily and most people mistake me for being Filipino (I don’t mind; I just find it humorous that because I’m dark people assume I’m Filipino). My mother thinks Northern Chinese are better looking because they tend to be tall, and have higher nose bridges and straighter noses. Nothing to do with being white. It’s what you choose to view as your ideal.
32 xxxx // Jun 8, 2008 at 2:31 pm
wow .. and ur rite .. i lerned it frum my family haha . and yah i have one eye that dusnt have a monolid thingy and one that does . rofls .. but i lerned also frum my family that sum surgerys frum the procdedure of the monolid can sumtimes turn out ugly esp . wen u age .
33 Janelle // Jun 10, 2008 at 12:05 am
This is crazy. . ii’ve always thOught asians had the prettiest eyes && im not even asian. ii used to wish ii had eyes like tht. . ii still do!
34 Melina // Jun 15, 2008 at 6:17 pm
I’m asian and I had the monolid.
You have no idea how mad this makes me. Makeup is a challenge and my face always looks tired.
But somehow, my mom and my brother were blessed with the double crease.
I don’t want to go to surgical means to enlarge my eyes though.
35 Ellen // Jun 18, 2008 at 11:15 pm
Anyways, I think white people are ugly, and funny thing is most asians only like to date asians, except those asians who are mixed or have had some type of war in their country.
Another really stupid thing is why is that one asian country or culture may love to have this eye surgery, koreans or japanese, and anybody white assumes that these two cultures equates ALL of ASIA? totally ignorant and uneducated.
That aside. there are tons of asians who have this so called crease, its NOT only WHites who have it, Gawd, hispancis, middle easterns, all races have them, including asian races such as vietnamese, philipinos, tahitians blah blah blah
to say that ony white people have a crease in their eye and the asian cultures who are striving for this look is trying to look white is unblievebly ingornat and Im embarassed for them. Thats like saying when white people get their eyes slanted in some canthopexy surgery, they’re trying to be asian or when they get cheekbone implants, they’re tying to look asian, isnt that stupid?
WHite peopel need to stop idealizing themselves, they get tons of crazy surgeries. Thats crazy. So if you really want to talk about un- natural.
white people go get their boobs done (not awhite trait, more hispanic trait) they get their eyes slanted (asian trait) higher cheekbones (asian trait) tanner skin (middle eastern, asian and hispanic trait) bigger lips, (hispanic and black trait) OMG whtie people want to be anyting but white!!
so there you have, does that sound stupid to you? it does doenst it? thats how stupid it sounds to me when eveyrone claims a hispanic girl, asian or black girl getting their hair blond or doing some surgery as trying to be mroe white, wow get real people!!
36 Ashley-Yin // Jun 20, 2008 at 5:31 am
if someone really dosent like something eg nose then they can change it.
men and women are too obsessed with perfection.
Queen Victoria publicly declared makeup improper, vulgar, and acceptable only for use by actors(who were all men at the time).
Adolf Hitler told women that face painting was for clowns and not for the women of the Master Race. Even Hitler was correct somtimes, but ultimately he was still obsessed with creating perfection.
only nature can create perfection. Even this statement isnt perfectly correct.
37 Lee // Jun 23, 2008 at 9:10 pm
Asian women are gorgeous in all their variations. No need to to a thing.
38 Sbard // Jun 27, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Ellen, Middle Easterners and a large number of Hispanics (it’s an ethnicity, not a race) ARE caucasian.
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