American is SHOCKED by these mind blowing African Beauty Standards

Added: 2026-05-10

[00:00:00]See, it's the one right here, bro. I don't want to I can't do this one, bro.

[00:00:05]Today, we have eight mind-blowing beauty standards across Africa.

[00:00:11]Link to this video will be in the description. Let's go ahead and check this out, guys.

[00:00:19]This old saying takes on more literal meaning when we consider the diversity in opinion Beauty lies in the beholder.

[00:00:25]>> the world. From extreme surgeries to body modifications, the standard of beauty definitely varies from culture to culture. Here are eight fascinating beauty standards around Africa that are simply exhilarating.

[00:00:41]>> [music] >> Number eight, as dargo.

[00:00:47]>> [music] >> Afar men of Ethiopia use ghee on their afros, known as as dargo hairstyle, which is so adorable you would pay your hairstylist a fortune to have them. The butter adds glimmer to their hair and keeps it soft while maintaining the shape.

[00:01:00]>> Y'all need some of that butter.

[00:01:01]>> acts as a makeup remover and moisturizer for both face and body. Just like most African cultural practices, the butter isn't only used for aesthetics, but to protect them from the scorching sun. And that's just for the men. For the women, competition is very tough. And so, [music] adorning themselves with colorful head accessories is just nothing short of beautiful. Not to mention their specially chiseled set of teeth. Yay or nay? Leave us a comment below.

[00:01:26]>> Ooh.

[00:01:26]That's where the chiseled teeth is from, bro. I'm watching the I just watched this show on Netflix called uh uh prey. I think it's predator prey.

[00:01:35]Something like that, bro. Y'all know the movie where where the guy is chasing the girl around the the forest. I think it takes place in Australia, right? The guy had his teeth shaved. And I remember, bro, there was a there was a tribe in in one of these countries in Africa that did the same thing. I was going to say Ethiopia, but then I was thinking Kenya.

[00:01:52]So, yes, it's in Ethiopia, bro. They shaved their they shaved down their they shaved their teeth.

[00:01:57]>> colorful head accessories is just [music] nothing short of beautiful. Not to mention their specially chiseled set of teeth.

[00:02:04]Yay or nay? Leave us a comment below.

[00:02:07]Number seven, otj.

[00:02:11]Otj. What is this the play Perhaps it's probably the world's most fascinating >> and Otjize, the red beauty paste used by the Himba women, is responsible for their skin's distinct red color, which has earned them the name red people of Africa. For the Himba people, their hair holds a ton of significance, considered a symbol of fertility. Long, thick, and Oh, that sounds weird. Thick strands of hair is viewed as a testimony to a woman's ability to have children. This is why the average Himba woman spends a ton of time making herself beautiful.

[00:02:44]Number six, ear stretching.

[00:02:48]One of the most interesting characteristics of beauty among the Maasai of East Africa is their ear piercings. Maasai people slowly stretch their ears by inserting progressively >> Now, this one right here looks painful.

[00:03:00]I'm not going to hold you. This one of them ones that look painful, bro.

[00:03:03]Definitely when they put it on the mouth, I feel like I'd get frustrated cuz I'm a foodie, y'all, and like I need to be able to eat properly. And I now got this big thing on my on my lip. I can't enjoy I feel like I'm not going to be able to enjoy the food like I want to, you know what I mean?

[00:03:17]>> larger discs. Both men and women wear elaborate pieces of jewelry in their ears. The size of the lobe was meant to indicate wisdom and age. So, the bigger the lobe, the bigger the wisdom, I guess. What we do know today as ear plugs have been used by the Maasai for centuries. Walk into almost any piercing shop around the world and you can [music] find various sizes of ear plugs.

[00:03:38]Either way, their continuation of traditional beautification practices make them a visually stunning and unique African culture.

[00:03:45]>> wild. That's wild.

[00:03:46]>> just me. What do you think? Number five, People do do that in the US though, y'all. It might not get that big, but I know I I went to high school with a bunch of white folks that they call them gauges, gauges. You know what I'm saying? They have different sizes and it's they got bigger and bigger and bigger. So, we did have some people back in I I went to some people in in high school that did this to their ears, bro.

[00:04:04]So, mostly white people though. Mostly white people. They blew Into this world, being fat or skinny is a matter of choice. An older practice in Mauritania, [music] which is gradually fading out, involves sending young girls, as young as five, to fat farms where they are fed with foods and liquids to make them gain so much weight as early as possible in readiness for marriage.

[00:04:30]>> it is true this does come with its own health issues, this is a bit more like the super skinny obsession in most Western cultures, but in reverse. In Mauritius, obesity in women is seen as a symbol of status and most likely to attract a rich and successful husband.

[00:04:46]In these parts of Mauritius, being overweight is a symbol of beauty. Number four, lip plates. I didn't know that, bro. And I I've visited Mauritius, bro.

[00:04:56]I've visited Mauritius and I'm not going to lie to you. I didn't see I didn't see many like big big people. But I feel like most of the people I seen were like tourists. They were people people that was there on vacation. But hey, I didn't know that. Okay. Okay.

[00:05:10]See, it's the one right here, bro. I don't I I can't do this one, bro.

[00:05:16]The Suri tribe and Mursi tribe are two of the ethnic groups collectively known as the Surma people, located in Like, bro, imagine trying to eat you a nice piece of chicken, you know what I'm saying? A nice piece of steak, but I got this big big plate in my mouth, bro.

[00:05:29]Like I'd get frustrated, fam.

[00:05:31]I don't know, bro. The two tribes share a similar culture, one of which is their famous lip plate. There are very few theories on how the lip plate tradition started. It is most commonly believed that it was meant to disfigure the girls and women to make them less attractive to slave traders. Then in time, the lip plates have become a much-loved and wanted symbol of beauty. Today, [music] the tribal tradition Oh, wow, y'all.

[00:05:55]Y'all hear that? So, basically, they use the lip plates to make them less attractive to like slave traders and things like that. They were like, "Oh, no, leave them probably. Their lips too like they're not going to be able to I don't know. But >> and women to make them less attractive to slave traders. Then in time, the lip plates have become a much-loved and wanted symbol of beauty. Today, the tribal tradition of the lip plate is more of a choice thing, and many of the younger generation are choosing to discontinue this [music] practice.

[00:06:27]Number three, notombi.

[00:06:28]>> Yeah.

[00:06:32]Notombi, what they do? The women in the M'bila part of Angola illuminate beauty and status through their hair.

[00:06:38]>> [music] >> The M'bila people are famous for keeping to their traditional African culture as exhibited in their stylish hairstyles, [music] unique way of putting up dresses, and how they specially adorn their body with ornaments. Women hairstyles are very important.

[00:06:54]That's wild.

[00:06:56]That's wild, damn.

[00:06:58]Like that's literally like clay.

[00:07:01]Right?

[00:07:03]I got I got so many questions. Like how long does it last? You feel me? Do they wash it out and redo it?

[00:07:11]Or like once they put it in, is it like permanent until they cut their hair off?

[00:07:16]This chick even got it wrapped around her neck. Y'all got so many questions.

[00:07:20]>> for M'bila culture. Women coat their hair with a red paste called onkula, which is made of crushed red powder mixed with oil. The hairstyle is then decorated with beads and shells. The plates, which look like dreadlocks, are called notombi and have a precise meaning.

[00:07:37]>> [music] >> Women or girls usually have about four or six notombi, but when they have only three, it means someone has crossed to the other side. This is gorgeous, if you ask me, but what do you think?

[00:07:49]>> What does it mean by crossed to the other side?

[00:07:50]>> necklaces.

[00:07:54]>> [music] >> The Tur So far, y'all, I could do any of these beauty standards besides the lip one. I I Hey, I I'd even get down with the ear ones if I had to. Like if I had to if I had specifically if I had to, bro. If I had no choice. The ear ones, bro, but not the lip one, bro. I got to be able to eat, fam. I gots to be able to eat.

[00:08:15]>> speaking people have for a long [music] time stayed outside of the influence of the main foreign trends. The Kunama women wear beads, which could weigh up to 5 kg [music] and never have to take them off except when mourning and of course when sleeping at night. In fact, [music] women who don't wear beads are avoided by men who could have been potential husbands. [music] Beaded jewelry is highly valued and is believed to be a symbol of wealth. A typical Kunama man will do all he can to ensure female members of his family are well adorned in an [music] impressive array of beads.

[00:08:48]Redness. Number one, So, how much is too much though?

[00:08:51]>> Don't worry. I'll explain why these ladies, uh sorry, these men have makeups.

[00:09:00]Oh.

[00:09:02]>> [music] >> What's going on here?

[00:09:12]>> of the Wodaabe people is a colorful centuries-old festival during which men put on makeup, dress up, and perform a series of enigmatic dances to attract a wife or at the very least get one for the night. The Wodaabe are a polyamorous people, meaning that sleeping with other people >> while married is not a bad thing. During the occasion, [music] Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. What did he say? What did he say?

[00:09:34]>> least get one for the night. The Wodaabe are a polyamorous people, meaning that sleeping with other people while married is not a bad thing. During the occasion, men paint their faces with red ochre, draw patterns on their faces, pile on jewelry, and sweep on a slick of black or blue lipstick during preening sessions, which could last for hours.

[00:09:55]They then dance in long lines [music] each evening in front of groups of beautiful women to emphasize how tall they are and the wideness of their teeth and eyes. Where does this say?

[00:10:08]What country is this, y'all?

[00:10:10]Oh.

[00:10:27]Now, this one is definitely different, bro. Which of these beauty standards is the most fascinating to you? Leave us a comment down there. Do share with your friend on Facebook.

[00:10:35]>> The most fascinating to me, bro. The most fascinating. Uh I need some of that I need some of that butter from Ethiopia for my hair.

[00:10:45]That's the one I need.

[00:10:47]That lip plate I think is the most fascinating. I don't I don't I don't want it, but I think it's the most interesting thing because like how do they eat? Is it comfortable? How do they sleep? It doesn't hurt? You feel me?

[00:10:59]Like I can't Mhm. That's the most fascinating one to me cuz I can't see myself doing that.

[00:11:05]And yeah, bro. Like how you kiss your lover?

[00:11:08]You feel me? Do y'all kiss? How do y'all kiss? You know? So many so many things you can't do with that mug that I enjoy doing. But look, comment down below the most fascinating to you.

[00:11:18]If there was some that was left out, which ones do you know that they left out that you find interesting? But hope you guys enjoyed my reaction my commentary to this. If you did, smash that like, guys. Sub to the channel if you're new.

[00:11:29]Thanks for tuning in. I'll see y'all.