How to become truly beautiful [Khmer style]

Being Beautiful.

What constitutes beauty? This question has kept philosophers going for ages. I will admit in terms of appearances I hold tightly to Western ideals of self-expression; whatever makes you happy! (as long as you're clothed in public). The idea of looking "natural" is somewhat prized. Even when Western women are painted up, they still look largely like themselves.

And then there is Cambodia. It's a bit like Marie Antoinette's France, except the wigs are not as tall. One is feminine, docile, has long fake lashes and perfect white skin.

In Cambodia, before one's wedding, a couple gets photos done wearing formal rented garments (even at the wedding, one rents the garments). It's comparable to the "engagement photo" ritual of North America. Both the western white ballgown, Khmer apparel, and prom-eque attire, or a combination of these options occurs in a variety of formal staged traditional poses. The photos are shared with others, and one is enlarged to the size of a movie poster and displayed at the entrance of your wedding. Expats can participate in this ritual for sheer amusement. One walks into a photo place and requests to take these photos. You choose the outfit. Everything else is determined for you. For some reason, it's just brilliant.

1. Makeup. You sit on a backless stool in front of a makeup artist and you are painted, caked in foundation, given fake eyelashes and made to look so unlike yourself that you startle every time you look in the mirror. The makeup takes a good hour. 
2. Hair. It is teased and expanded and crimped for extra volume. You will be given fake hair to allow the illusion of feminine cascading curls. Bouffants and tiaras are especially popular. This takes at least 45 minutes. 
3. Costuming. You are pinned into your outfit (after they build bigger hips on you) and bejeweled with entirely matching bling. I went with a blue outfit. The earrings, the shoes, the necklace, the bracelets, the hair sparklers all matched accordingly. Once you are pinned in, you can't breathe properly but you are sa'at naah. This is the stage where if you had a male partner, he would have his outfit thrown on and within 10 minutes would be ready. 
4. Photography. You are photographed in front of a green screen. The photographer positions you perfectly right down to the fingertips; shoulders back, back arched, head tilted. You feel like a cross between a drag queen and a Jersey Shore wedding attendee. You feel the most unnatural possible. While I enjoyed my massive bouffant (it was so huge!), I questioned the sociological implications of the process.
5. Conclusions. When finished with the photography, your hair and makeup people wipe you down with washcloths and reclaim the jewels and false hair. You feel relief that you can breathe again, and a little nostalgic that the process is completed because it was rather amusing. 

You claim your photos a few days later. Various Khmer backdrops have been photo-shopped in and your skin has been so whitened that you look like a china doll. It's awesome. Because no where else would this happen. You choose at that moment to forgo social analysis and just enjoy the product for what it is. After all, we do weird stuff in North America as well.