WatchCut just released the latest episode of their "100 Years of Beauty" series: China.
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Robin Park, video researcher for WatchCut, said that some of the looks focused internally on China, while others were more influenced by Western countries. She wanted to tell this narrative within this video.
In the 1910s, the split bangs hairstyle was representative of middle-class Chinese women.
The '20s shifted toward having a heavy Western influence, featuring red lipstick and wavy bobs.
The "Shanghai girl" emerged in the '30s, when young women were looking for a more urban lifestyle.
The Western influence was particularly strong in the '40s, thanks to the World War II alliance between the U.S. and China.
The '50s saw the rise of Communism in China and the rejection of Western beauty standards, with healthy, tan women becoming the ideal.
Chinese women were integrated fully into the workforce in the '60s, a time when the look was more about uniformity and gender equality than expression.
In the '70s, China began experimenting with capitalism with Chinese characteristics, opening the door to a softer standard of beauty.
China turned toward free market in the '80s, which meant even more foreign influence. This look was all about the big perm seen in the West.
The short bob and bangs of the '90s came about from China looking to Hong Kong-produced movies, where this look was a big trend.
The 2000s standards came from Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi, whose look was classic: pale face, minimal makeup, dark black hair.
The K-pop industry is hugely responsible for the look of the 2010s, which is all about huge doe eyes and pearlescent, dewy skin.
For even more information about these looks, watch 100 Years of Beauty: China — Research Behind the Looks.
