Beauty Standards Around The World: Morocco

What's Beautiful in Morocco?

The traditional beauty of Moroccan women is shaped by the country’s indigenous culture.

The colorful headdresses, scarves, ornate jewelry, tattoos, and dresses all have their roots in Amazigh traditions and conceptions of beauty but differ significantly from region to region. (Check out this Instagram account to see the variety of traditional clothing and jewelry.)

A notable facet of Moroccan women's beauty is unique facial tattoos. Amazigh facial tattoos are symbolic, representing a woman’s social or marital status, and are often placed near the eyes, mouth, and nose.

They can represent a girl’s transition from child to woman and, in some cases, are believed to promote fertility, cure illnesses, or ward off dark spirits. Women can also get tattoos from ear to ear, symbolizing they have been widowed. 

However, some Amazigh women are not bound by the tradition behind facial tattoos and choose to get them for decorative purposes or simply because they find them beautiful.

When it comes to what's considered attractive in a physical appearance, it generally depends on the region.

For example, in the south, curves symbolize a sign of fertility; therefore, curvy women are considered more fertile and thus more desirable. In some areas in southern Morocco and Mauritania, for example, the locals go as far as pressuring young girls to eat more and gain weight to increase their chances of finding better marriage prospects.

On the other hand, the country's northern regions are known to value what is considered European features, such as fair skin, hazel or green eyes, and straight, usually light hair alongside a slim figure.

Long hair is considered feminine and beautiful all across the country, and many women traditionally use henna to color dark hair with shades of red.

Additionally, Moroccan women love makeup and have a distinct style of doing their makeup which consists of accentuating their round cheeks with heavy blush, filling in their eyebrows to make them look thick and long, and adding khôl to accentuate their eyes.

Lastly, decorative henna art on the skin, also known as Mehndi, is a long-standing part of Moroccan culture and beauty standards.

In Morocco, painting your body with henna in intricate designs and patterns is often associated with wedding rituals and other important celebrations, and this tradition can be traced back to the times of the early nomadic Berber communities that roamed the lands and used the painting technique to celebrate battle victories, births, and religious celebrations.

The Most Beautiful Women in Morocco

Moroccan women have been renowned for their natural beauty for centuries. Shiny silk hair, big, beautiful eyes, and delicate skin are all images that pop up in our heads when we think of a Moroccan girl.

Despite the rapid development of the beauty industry in the West, many Moroccan women still opt for utilizing their own personal care methods that date back for centuries.

Cosmetic surgery, including any kind of less intense tweaks like Botox and fillers, are also not very popular in Morocco, and instead, Moroccan women swear by their own beauty rituals that involve combining unique ingredients and DIY treatments for skin and hair care.

But whether it's their proficiency in creating their own personal care products, their strong genes, great diet, or excellent hydration from drinking Maghrebi mint tea, we can't deny that Morocco is home to many stunning women.

Some famous Moroccan beauties include Amina Allam, a model and a passionate volunteer for multiple non-profit organizations, including the Walkabout Foundation, and Zineb Obeid, a well-known Moroccan actress and a mom of two beautiful boys, whose Instagram account is centered around fashion, acting, and motherhood.

A Country Rich in Culture, Tradition, and Unity

The history of Morocco is tied up with that of the Berber people who repelled the ancient Roman colonialists and later survived several Islamic dynasties.

Throughout centuries, several groups have left their mark on the country, the effect of which is evident in the diverse culture. And even though the culture and ethnicity of Morocco are as diverse as its landscape, the country has managed to maintain unity.

Apart from the Berbers, the culture of Morocco has been influenced by the Arabs, Phoenicians, and Sub-Saharan Africans, as well as the Spaniards and French, among still other groups. The culture may differ from one region to another, which is particularly evident in traditions, cuisine, art, clothing, music, and clothing.

The Arabs, for example, introduced Islam and the Arabic language to Morocco in the 7th century. Since Arabic is the language of the Quran, people are urged to learn it, which gave birth to the dialect of Moroccan Arabic – Darija. Besides Darija, some other languages spoken in Morocco today are three Berber languages, Arabic, French, Spanish, and English. Therefore, if you ever find yourself in Morocco, chances are you'll be able to communicate with the locals with relative ease.

That said, if you ever find yourself in Morocco, you’re also likely to be stunned by the incredibly rich and diverse food menu, ranging from dishes like spicy lamb to poultry stews prepared with local ingredients including olives, figs, dates, and various spices. Alongside that, you will also be able to enjoy various types of bread and other grain-based foods, exotic fruits and vegetables, pickled foods, and Spanish pastilla, thanks to the Spanish influence on Morocco.

Lastly, another extremely important cultural aspect to Moroccans is art. Their culture embodies its religious beliefs through artwork by utilizing calligraphy, which is a form of art in itself and is the dominant form in Morocco, along with the stunning architecture. The two forms are almost always intertwined into beautiful buildings and structures across all towns.

Closing Thoughts

From beautiful women that value natural and feminine beauty to stunning architecture to rich and diverse cuisine, Morocco has a lot to offer and should definitely be on everyone's travel list, as what better way to appreciate all the beauty this country has than experiencing it by yourself?

If you enjoyed this article, check the other countries in our series: Italy, Australia, Russia, Kenya, France, Korea, Spain, and Brazil.       

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