RACISM BASED ON SKIN..

 

CAN BEAUTY INDUSTRY DEAL WITH COLORISM?

Do I look good? Am I too fair? Am I too dusky? Am I too dark?

Yes, this is the exact inception of lacking self-confidence. Tell me something at one point you say we should not be judgmental towards any individual regarding the looks or their nature. Then why are you judging yourself and having self-doubt?

People will come and blabber a lot, especially to women for their skin tone.

Do you even know what decides the skin color? It is not the woman who is responsible on whom you are passing the comment but Melanin which decides the skin tone.

What is Melanin?

“Melanin is their smile,

Melanin is their power,

Melanin is their identity,

Melanin is their strength,

Melanin is their beauty.”

Call it colorism or shadeism; it is all in the head. It is us, the human race has created this class system based on skin color for humans only.

People who are dusky want to become fair where as people who are dusky want to become fair. So, one thing is crystal clear that grass is greener on the other side.

Actual discrimination is being faced by women with darker skin tones. Because of this, they feel inferior. Asians and Africans; who face the colorism; are specially targeted in western countries. Right from personal matters like relationships and marriage alliance to professional matters like job placements and pay, dusky skinned people have been suffering the most. Also, the beauty brands, representing by lighter skin tones have prioritized more Anglo-looking women for their products.

But then came a time in late 1960s when cosmetic industry got revolutionized by the introduction of products which helped the people; especially women to break the glass ceiling and skin related complexities. The right products help in boosting confidence.

Cosmetic products like color correctors, concealers, foundation bases, translucent powders, blush on etc. help people alter their skin tone artificially on temporary as well as permanent basis. They have actually helped in removing colorism and bringing equality.

One such example is of “Glow and Lovely” earlier known as “Fair and Lovely”, owned by Hindustan Unilever Limited is a popular skincare brand in India as well as other countries. The company renamed its product to restrict the color-based discrimination which is being seen within India where we have “Equality” term mentioned in the Preamble of The Constitution.

Campaigns like “Dark is Beautiful”, “India’s Got Color”; beauty brands like L’Oreal, Hindustan Unilever, Kay Beauty; modelling agencies like IMG, Elite model Management, GladRags career academy and a lot more other aspects that built up the fashion and cosmetic industry have been working to remove colorism across the world. Countries like Kenya and Tanzania have banned skin bleaching products.

I’m hoping that “Better days are coming”…because

IT IS ALL ABOUT LOVING YOUR SKIN AND EVERY SHADE OF IT NOW.