This blog post represents my perspective of Brazilian beauty standards and beauty culture in Brazil as a foreigner. If you have something to add or want to share your own point of view, do leave a comment below and join the conversation!
I have long been fascinated by Brazilian beauty standards and beauty culture in Brazil. And I am not just talking about Adriana Lima, Gisele, or the other long-legged Brazilian supermodels who dominate international media. Instead, my interest lies in the habits of “normal” Brazilian women and the role of beauty and beauty standards in Brazilian society at large.
When I started dating my Brazilian husband and became more exposed to Brazilian people and culture, I began noticing that Brazilian women are incredibly well put-together. From consistently manicured nails and flowing locks to arched eyebrows and thoughtful outfits that complement their physiques, Brazilian women are unapologetic about their femininity. Plastic surgery is also much more common — both in practice and as a topic of discussion — even among young women in their early twenties.
It’s clear that many Brazilians put time and effort into their appearance. In my opinion, noticeably more than their American counterparts.
Brazilian Beauty Standards and the Role of Beauty in Brazilian Culture
In Brazil, beauty is highly prized and plays a central role in the culture. It is commonly believed that physical appearance is crucial to success and opportunity, and “beauty opens doors” is a popular saying. Beauty treatments, both surgical and non-surgical, are normalized and widely available, and many people prioritize them in their daily routines. As a result, the beauty industry is booming in Brazil and has been booming for a long time.
This emphasis on beauty starts at a young age. One striking thing I noticed on my latest trip to Brazil is how parents are openly proud when their daughters are beautiful, going out of their way to point it out to new people they meet. Girls learn early on that their beauty gives them an advantage and begin honing it through beauty treatments and fashion. Due to the prevalence of social media, many start showcasing their beauty at younger and younger ages. I have seen girls as young as 6 or 7 expertly striking poses for the camera as if they are far beyond their years.
In my opinion, Brazilians tend to view beauty through the lens of empowerment and aren’t afraid to embrace and work on their own. It is a commonly accepted notion that beauty takes work — weekly hair treatments and manicures, body-sculpting massages, eyebrow microblading, waxing, and increasingly, Botox, filler, and other non-surgical procedures.
Where do they find the time? When something is a priority, you make room for it, and Brazilians very intentionally integrate beauty into their daily routines. My mother-in-law and her friend, for example, have a ritual where they exchange beauty services with one another every week. My mother-in-law, who is a hairdresser with her own salon, will moisturize or dye her friend’s hair, while her friend will paint her nails.
Pain is another price to pay in the pursuit of beauty. I felt this to my core as I endured hundreds of tiny cuts in my eyebrows during my first microblading appointment in Brasilia — a semi-permanent cosmetic tattooing technique used to enhance the appearance of eyebrows.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Many Brazilian women begin waxing at a young age, and many of our female Brazilian friends started waxing before the age of 13. Then, of course, there’s plastic surgery. Brazil has become a global center for plastic surgery, with the second-highest number of procedures performed worldwide. Unsurprisingly, it is also a hub of innovation in the field, known for inventing the Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) and other popular procedures.
Some have said that Brazil’s penchant for altering their bodies has to do with eugenic scientists popularizing plastic surgery in an effort to “fix the errors” of “too much racial mixture in Brazil.” Others say that being beautiful gives you a massive advantage in Brazilian society, opening doors to jobs and opportunities that might otherwise not be available. It has even been argued that beauty is so important in Brazil that access to plastic surgery for all is a human right.
The prevalent mindset regarding beauty that I observed during my trips to Brazil is: “If I can make myself more beautiful and feel more confident, why wouldn’t I?”
Of course, as with all cultures, some fit right in and some don’t. Certain people thrive in the constant quest to make themselves more beautiful and achieve Brazilian beauty standards, and others feel stifled. A lot of Brazilian women I’ve spoken to who live in the US have expressed that they feel much freer to be casual here, whereas in Brazil they felt pressure to dress up and look put together all the time even if they don’t want to.
Interesting Observations About Brazilian Beauty Standards & Culture
Plastic Surgery is Common and Not At All Taboo
Plastic surgery is incredibly common in Brazil, and it is not at all taboo to talk about your procedures with friends and strangers alike. Anecdotally, it seems like most Brazilians I meet have had something done and are eager to tell you exactly what. There is no such thing as the hush-hush culture we see in Hollywood with celebrities keeping their surgeries a secret. Having plastic surgery can even be seen as a way to show off that you have money.
My husband’s aunts routinely share stories about their rounds of liposuction and Brazilian butt lifts. A young dental assistant pulled out her phone during my teeth cleaning to show us a before and after of her Botox injections and buccal fat removal. When you remove the stigma that is often associated with cosmetic procedures in the United States, the baggage and judgment that follows people who choose to pursue them cease to carry as much weight. It becomes a normalized part of everyday life, for better or for worse.
The statistics back up how much plastic surgery comes up in conversation. Brazil is the second-largest consumer of plastic surgery in the world, with 1.2 million procedures completed in 2018.
Plastic surgeries in Brazil aren’t just accessible to the rich. Public hospitals provide free or low-cost procedures to lower-income patients. Over half a million surgeries are subsidized by the government each year. There are even payment plans available where you can pay for surgeries in installments.
As Ivo Pitanguy, Brazil’s “godfather” of plastic surgery, puts it, “the poor have a right to be beautiful too.”
Brazil’s Beauty Economy is Thriving, and Everyone Participates
It should come as no surprise after getting this far down the post that the beauty economy is thriving in Brazil.
Brazil is the fourth-largest market for cosmetic and personal care products in the world, behind only the United States, China, and Japan, and the Brazilian beauty industry is also a significant employer, with over 4 million people employed in the sector in 2019.
As you can see from this number, everyone participates. And outside of the formal beauty economy, many Brazilian women set up informal businesses that they operate out of their homes. It gives many who did not have the opportunity to pursue education a viable and sustainable way to make a living. Walking through lower-income neighborhoods in Brasilia, you can see signs advertising some form of beauty service every few houses.
On my last trip to Brazil, a woman gave me a Brazilian wax in her bedroom. Numerous women run fully functioning nail salons out of their homes and do very well for themselves. My mother-in-law runs a hair salon at home doing cuts, dye jobs, and other treatments for clients who have been with her for years. It’s how she was able to pull herself and my husband out of extreme poverty. Her sisters are all in the same line of work.
Aesthetic Procedures Are Extremely High Quality
Beauty treatments in the US ain’t got nothin’ on Brazilian beauty treatments. Hair, nails, waxing, semi-permanent makeup — in Brazil you pay a lot less for significantly higher quality results.
Take the simple manicure. I’ll never forget coming home after a gel manicure at a salon in San Francisco, showing my husband, and having him wonder aloud why the manicurist left a significant space above the cuticle unpainted (this probably sounds esoteric to those not familiar with manicures, but in Brazil they cut off your entire cuticle and the polish looks like it’s coming right out of your skin — it’s nice 😂).
To get the same type of result in the States is out-of-reach financially for most people, including myself. It’s why my Brazilian girlfriends that live in the US go out of their way to get all their beauty treatments done during visits back to Brazil.
This time around in Brazil, I decided to give it a try. I ended up getting my eyebrows microbladed, a fiberglass manicure, and laser skin resurfacing at a high-end dermatology clinic.
Of course, Brazil’s knack for beauty has made its way to the rest of the world. The infamous Brazilian bikini wax and the Brazilian blowout both originated in Brazil and are now household names in the US.
Brazil also has a significant influence on the plastic surgery industry, contributing several procedures to the field. One of the most well-known is the Brazilian Butt Lift — popularized by Kim Kardashian — which involves transferring fat from other parts of the body to the buttocks to enhance their size and shape. This procedure was pioneered by Brazilian plastic surgeon Dr. Ivo Pitanguy, who is considered a pioneer in the field of cosmetic surgery.
People Go to Extremes to Achieve the “Perfect” Body
Pressure to look good is high in Brazil, and beauty opens a lot of doors. It’s also hot, and people here show off their bodies a lot more than those in colder climates. There is obviously a bigger conversation to be had here, but all this is to say that a good-looking, fit body is an important part of Brazilian beauty standards.
I’ve noticed a couple of body types that are popular in Brazilian media. One is unique to Brazil, with a focus on achieving a tiny waist, curvy behind, and thick, thick, thick thighs (to see what I mean here, search “Brazilian Funk” on YouTube and watch one of the music videos that surface). Another is more Euro-centric. Think tall, slim, Gisele-esqe.
Many Brazilians have embraced gym culture with a passion and aim to get a fit, sculpted look. The desire to look like a bodybuilder is gaining popularity, and the pressure to attain this body type has contributed to Brazil becoming one of the largest consumers of anabolic steroids worldwide. According to a survey conducted by the Brazilian Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism in 2014, about 7% of Brazilian men between the ages of 18 and 25 have used anabolic steroids (this percentage is likely much higher today).
And it’s not just men. Women also use steroids to achieve their desired physical features. A samba dancer we shadowed during Rio Carnival told us at many Carnival musas (you know, the beautiful dancers in full wings and costume marching in the parade) will take steroids to achieve thicker thighs and butts.
By the way, this woman probably doesn’t take steroids, I’m just showing you what a Carnival musa looks like.
People who don’t necessarily want to put in the work but also want to look good turn to plastic surgery instead of the gym. Breast implants, Brazilian butt lifts, liposuction — they achieve Brazilian body standards by going under the knife. Multiple times if necessary.
I’m always curious to learn other perspectives about the fascinating topic of Brazilian beauty standards and beauty culture. Like I said above, if you have any thoughts or something to add, do leave a comment below!
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6 comments
Hi!
This stands out as one of the most interesting articles I’ve read. (I actually commented on IG a bit ago, but came back to your site.) I had heard about the Brazilian beauty culture, but I did not realize it was that intense. I am kind of wondering, is there a limit or a point where they say, “Ok, that’s enough?” I’ve seen these people who almost look plastic because they’ve done so many surgeries, and, so, I am also curious if there are people who just become addicted to it? I think I’m coming from a perspective of taboo, but it’s interesting to see the other side. I’d be curious to know what other cultures have similar cultures.
Hey Jen! I’m sure there are folk that go overboard in Brazil, but the same can be said about any country (regardless of whether plastic surgery is taboo or no). I think it really depends on the individual. Thanks so much for reading!
I appreciate you sharing all this info on beauty culture in Brazil, very interesting & informative. Ultimately it made me very sad & a bit angry, women are so much more than their looks & bodies & shouldn’t have to spend all this time, money, and mental, emotional & physical energy performing beauty. And literally having surgeries to physically alter their bodies to conform to beauty standards. Even everyday procedures have many risks & side effects.
The government intentionally promoted the female body as a symbol of Brazil, as it was forbidden to criticize the government. TV in the 70s and 80s showed violence and female nudity galore. I find it alarming that little Brazilian girls are trained to consider their appearance as by far the most important thing about themselves. Before the military takeover of the government, Brazil was not like this at all and it’s a sad remnant of the government using the distractions of sports, carnival and lust as red flags to distract from the extreme corruption there.
As a Brazilian, I second Keri’s comment. Women see what they see on Instagram and try to be something they are not. Beauty is very relative and the amount of artificial interventions does not make any good for the minds of both women and men. And the media and the industry knows very much how to take advantage of that.
as a barzilian woman this article sounds very ridiculous. Do you really think we should praise this sexist bullshit? do you really think we love to be sexual objects?? The fact that you are alsoa woman and see evrything liek “wonderfull” just cause harm to us. You know nothing aboiut my country,you have no critical thinking,you think we are all a bunch of sexual stereotypes.