Global Habits of Enhancing Personal Appearance Revealed by a Massive Cross‑Cultural Study
A large international study shows that people worldwide allocate roughly one-sixth of their lives to refining how they look. The research, documented in a respected scientific journal, highlights a broad pattern: individuals across diverse cultures invest time and effort into shaping their outward appearance.
Researchers from a prominent economics school partnered with colleagues from other institutions to conduct the most extensive cross‑cultural examination of appearance enhancement to date. The study drew participation from more than 93,000 individuals spanning 93 countries, offering a panoramic view of beauty routines and self‑presentation practices across the globe [Source: Evolution and Human Behavior].
The findings indicate that both men and women typically dedicate about four hours per day to activities aimed at boosting physical attractiveness. These activities encompass makeup, grooming the hair, selecting outfits, maintaining personal hygiene, engaging in exercise, and adhering to dietary plans intended to improve overall appearance. Such routines reflect a common human interest in how others perceive them, as well as the social signals tied to health and vitality.
Age did not significantly shift the daily time spent on appearance. People at different life stages invested similar amounts of effort, though those at the early stages of romantic relationships tended to devote more attention to grooming than individuals who are already married or have been dating for longer periods.
Context also matters. In societies where gender inequality remains pronounced, women reported more time and effort devoted to appearance compared with women in more gender‑balanced environments. This pattern aligns with broader social expectations that place greater emphasis on look and presentation in certain cultural settings.
Social media emerges as a driving influence. Active platform users, particularly those concerned about receiving fewer likes on posted photos, showed heightened attention to appearance. The digital environment amplifies visibility and feedback as motivational factors in how people present themselves online.
From an evolutionary standpoint, some scientists have suggested that grooming behaviors mirror primate patterns linked to mating strategies, where appearance signals health and reproductive potential. The study challenges this view by showing that the behavior is widespread across genders and countries, not limited to specific groups or age ranges. The results prompt a reevaluation of how much weight biology alone should carry in explaining appearance efforts [Source: Evolution and Human Behavior].
Another theory proposes that populations in regions with higher exposure to certain infectious diseases may invest more in self‑care to avoid connotations of illness. While this idea received partial support, findings indicate that individuals with a history of serious health issues also tend to allocate slightly more time to appearance to mitigate visible symptoms, yet this is not a universal rule across all cases.