Looking beyond appearances : the consumption of beauty products and its relation to Singaporean young women's identities

Abstract

This study draws upon the notion of “counter-gaze” to examine how the consumption of beauty products relates to the lived experiences of young women in Singapore through twenty in-depth interviews. It aims to enrich existing feminist studies on women's consumption of beauty products by illuminating the nuances in their consumption processes. This inquiry focuses on the meanings young women attach to their consumption of beauty products, their motivations and sociality of their consumption. Considering Singapore as a site hosting multiplicity of ethnicities and experiences globalization of cultural products, it will also explore beauty ideals that young women hold, and the desired outcomes they seek to achieve from their consumption processes. The findings are organized into three broad levels of analysis, namely the social-psychological level, the community level and the macro level influences contributing to their consumption practices.