6. China – Lotus Feet (Historical)
One of the most unusual and painful beauty practices in history is foot binding, which was popular in China for nearly a thousand years. Small feet, ideally around 3 inches long, were seen as a sign of grace and high status.
Girls’ feet were tightly wrapped in cloth at a young age, causing the bones to break and the foot to fold unnaturally. Though outlawed in the early 20th century, lotus feet remain a powerful symbol of the extremes once tied to beauty and class.