As we know from traveling, every destination has differences, from the food, scenery, culture, music, attire, language and more. However, when we look at beauty and the perceptions of beauty, do we all think the same? Esther Honig, a 24-year-old blogger and writer, did a Photoshop experiment to find out. She took a photo of herself and sent it to Photoshop experts and editors in more than 25 different countries. She then asked them to do one thing: “Make me look beautiful.” The results were quite fascinating. I was amazed to see the differences in each picture and the features that were touched up or emphasized by each country’s editor. Some countries that stood out were ones like Morocco, where a hijab was placed on Esther. I think this recognizes the significant role religion can play in a culture, even in regards to beauty. I was curious to see the photo from the United States, and I wasn’t surprised when it looked like one of the most manipulated of all of the photos. It’s unfortunate how much U.S. society struggles with beauty image and the enormous pressure for women to conform and to achieve a certain look. I applaud Esther for taking on an experiment like this one and for raising awareness on the many ways “being beautiful” can be interpreted and expressed. As negative as Photoshop can be, I felt this example proved to be quite positive! Visit the website to see her “Before & After” experiment. — Olivia Falcione, advertising manager