Indonesia's beauty culture in the current age is a complex interplay of historical legacies, global influences, and a burgeoning movement towards idealised inclusivity.
While the preference for lighter skin, rooted in colonial-era social hierarchies and reinforced by mass media, persists, it is increasingly challenged by a growing awareness of colourism and a desire to celebrate the diverse beauty of Indonesia's multi-ethnic population.

Hallyu culture's profound impact on the Indonesian beauty industry, amplified by digitisation and image-centric social media, presents a complex interplay with digital tourism and the evolving perception of traditional Indonesian beauty ideals.
The hyper-visual nature of platforms readily showcases the Korean aesthetic – pale skin, specific makeup, slender figures – which, while resonating with existing colorist biases in Indonesia stemming from colonial history, also becomes a readily exportable and consumable image for digital tourists and a digitally connected global audience.
Digital tourism, where potential visitors consume online content showcasing destinations and their people, can inadvertently contribute to a morphing of traditional Indonesian beauty ideals.
As the tourism industry leverages social media to attract international visitors, there's a tendency to highlight and perhaps even subtly promote beauty standards that align with broader global preferences, often influenced by Hallyu's widespread appeal as with the rise of general popularisation of South Korea and its media monopoly in the entertainment industry.
This, coupled with the lack of geographical distance between the nations, can lead to a subtle pressure for Indonesians, particularly those in tourist-heavy areas or those seeking to engage with a global audience online, to adopt or at least acknowledge these Hallyu-influenced aesthetics.
The digital space also empowers Indonesians to showcase and celebrate their diverse traditional beauty ideals, challenging the homogenising effects of globalised trends, - the most current being Hallyu.
Indonesian beauty influencers and cultural advocates are using these platforms to highlight the richness of their heritage, featuring diverse skin tones, traditional attire, and unique cultural adornments.
This digital counter-narrative aims to reclaim and redefine Indonesian beauty in a way that honors its multifaceted roots, resisting a complete assimilation into Hallyu-dominated aesthetics in a way which marries and appreciates the two as part of current indonesian identities.
Ultimately, the impact of Hallyu and digital tourism on Indonesian beauty culture is a dynamic negotiation.
While Hallyu provides a readily adopted and globally recognised beauty template, particularly amplified by image-based social media, the increasing awareness of Indonesia's diverse heritage and the power of digital platforms for self-representation offer avenues for preserving and evolving traditional ideals within a digitally-forward and globally connected world.
The future of Indonesian beauty culture will likely be shaped by this ongoing dialogue between global trends and the assertion of a rich and diverse national identity in the digital sphere even more.
However, this embrace of global trends exists alongside a growing movement towards body positivity and the reclamation of indigenous beauty standards.
Indonesian influencers and activists are using digital platforms to showcase the beauty of diverse skin tones, traditional attire, and unique cultural adornments, pushing back against Eurocentric and East Asian-centric ideals.
There's a rising appreciation for Indonesia's rich cultural heritage and the diverse phenotypes of its people.
 
Furthermore, the complex issue of the fetishisation of Indonesian women in Western and global perceptions continues to be a factor.
While social media offers a space to challenge these harmful stereotypes and for Indonesian women to define their own beauty, the economic incentives of tourism can sometimes perpetuate exoticised images which has contributed to the booming tourism industry and cycle of indoctrination.