Image of a Black woman looking forward and standing in front of pink flowers

Global Report

The Real State of Beauty

Our most comprehensive study to date sheds light on the current state of beauty and its impact on women and girls around the world.

The world’s largest beauty report

Twenty years ago, Dove redefined beauty by launching the Campaign for Real Beauty. It started with a simple, compelling truth: only 2% of women considered themselves beautiful.

By challenging society, media and the beauty industry itself to change how it represents women and face up to the harmful impact unrealistic beauty standards have set, Dove was able to help millions of young people build body confidence and self-esteem.

Building on 20 years of insights and listening to over 33,000 people across 20 countries, Dove has now conducted the world’s largest-ever study by a beauty brand to understand the reality of beauty and the pressures people face.

Help us end race-based hair discrimination

The Real State of Beauty: A Global Report

From the US to Saudi Arabia and Brazil to China, women and girls across the globe opened up about how beauty impacts them today.

View the Report PDF (3.8mb)

2 in 5

women would give up a year of their life to achieve their beauty ideals
2x

as many women are willing to sacrifice their intelligence for beauty compared to 20 years ago
8 in 10

women & girls say they have been exposed to harmful beauty content on social media

“I feel most confident and comfortable in my own skin when I embrace authenticity and self-acceptance. Being true to myself and acknowledging both strengths and areas for improvement contributes to a positive self-image.”

– Girl, aged between 10-13, from India

The Real Beauty Pledge

We are committed to always featuring real women (never models) and portraying them as they are in real life to help young people grow both body confidence and self-esteem.

Learn More

Why The
CROWN Act matters

A Black woman is

80%

more likely to change their natural hair to meet social norms or expectations at work.
Black woman are

1.5x

more likely to be sent home from the workplace because of her hair.
1 in 2

Black children experience hair discrimination as early as five years old.
And the impact can last a lifetime.