Do Indian Women Want Lighter Skin?

[lovelyweapon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by frocher Exactly. When I am in Asia, people are always referring to how lovely and pale my skin is, and maybe I should just do something about all my freckles. In the US people say I could use a bit of sun, and that I look too pale. It's an interesting dichotomy.

I definitely agree with this. I am Hispanic and was born in the Dominican Republic but I live in Miami, Florida. In both locations, which are predominantly populated by Hispanics, the tanned look is mostly preferred. It is viewed as a sign of health, as mentioned earlier, rather than with class. A positive sign of health here is generally considered more attractive than a positive sign of class.

I guess it also explains the whole J-Lo booty being preferred as well

But that's a whole other thread...

 

[Misstink]

I am east asian born and raised in the USA. I have an "all year tan". and I do use a "brighting" line, to keep my skin as light as I can.

Why?

1. Saddly, alot of people in the west think of asians very sterotypically. Straight black hair, no eye lids, and light skin. I have naturally wavy hair that is not black in the sunlight, eye lids and a tan. Because of this I often get taken for another race and have been even told they would have never guessed I am east asian. And to be completly honest, it feels like a big blow to your esteem when you get told you look nothing like what you should "look like". Lightening my skin makes me have more self esteem that I "look like what i actually am"

2.I grew up around american and asian pop culture. As many have said above, most of the celeberties in the east are fair skined. In every country women idolze these women in the spot light. EVEN IN THE WEST, women want their skin another color, want their hair another color, evne their body another shape, because these beautiful famous women were like that. Same with eastern women, excpet having tan skin, those idols have fair skin. so for me, i want that too.

3. I get a shade darker being in my car for 30 minutes. and my skin doesnt tan smooth, it tans blotchy. no matter what color you want to be or what culture. we all want an even complextion. for me to get an even complextion without having to use a full coverage make up, is to keep the tan off my skin, and diminish those tan spots.


anyways, that is my two cents on that subject.

 

[BeautyPsycho]

I find it interesting that the guy in the "Fair and lovely" commercial is tan (and hot btw)...

Oh, the joy of being a lady. We are too fat, too skinny... too light, too dark... our hair is too curly, too straight, our skirt is too tight, too short and too long... we are bitchy if we say what we think, stupid if we don't. We are sluts, we are uptight and act as virgins... we are never good enough.

Well, screw that.

 

[~Zoe~]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MissChievous Cosmetics companies have a knack for preying on women's insecurities. Either your skin is too dark, too pale, too wrinkly, too uneven....when will it ever stop. Of course we as women can strive to make the best of ourselves, but we should just be comfortable in the skin we're in and accept those factors which we cannot change.

I think you said it best MissChievous

It is really heartbreaking that these beauty ads are basically exposing women's insecurities -- and instead of building us up to appreciate what God blessed us with, we have to view it as something thats 'wrong' in us and needs to be 'fixed.'

Although I do think cosmetics' companies are now (slowly) more aware of the many complexions of women, they use it to make us feel like we will never be beautiful unless we use their products. There's this idea that 'perfect beauty' is one single aspect of a women and whether that be our complexion, shape, or height, there's never a focus on accepting & loving the diversity that exists in the world...

This was a really interesting article -- thank you for sharing this

 

[free09]

I'm Pakistani and I want fairer skin....no I don't hate myself....but my body is fair and my face is really dark. Also when my skin is light, my dark hair and eyes 'pop' more..

 

[Holy Rapture]

Umm well, readin all this, am really having a big laugh ... I am an Indian who stays in India

Well, given that I'm very fair (compared to the general population), it really doesn't matter anymore. Plus, no body can or should categorize these things as per the country or region they belong to! A mentality originates from the mind n as we all know, all minds work differently. The main thing is YOU ALWAYS WANT SOMETHING YOU DON'T HAVE!! If you're fair, you wanna get tanned, you're darker, you might fancy being a tad lighter, you're fat, you wanna be slim, you're thin, you wanna look healthier!! I mean, come on, the Fair n Lovely ads

They are ads!! Since when have ads shown the REALITY ?????? They take a notion they think is common n blast it onto the screen!! No body in India or for that matter, any place else in the whole world could care less for complexions!! You want stuff you don't have. People, let's not say things based on the outlook you have of a region ...

But, yea, am glad this came up, at least some body needed to clear the air!

 

[DirtyPlum]

^^ I'd like to think that fellow specktrettes are not going to base their opinions and judgments on India on discussions about complexion hating and Fair and Lovely ads. There arent any direct attacks on people of Indian/South Asian origin, but this notion has developed and is prevalent in South Asia (not just India).

I am south asian and do think its still an issue and fairly common.

 

[Holy Rapture]

It certainly is good that everyone talks about stuff

But, since the topic says "Indian women", my reaction is bound to be the way it is ....

 

[abbey_08]

lol oh my god women always want what we cant have!! im really pale and fake tan to the high heavens (i wont use sunbeds for obvious reasons) so im just assuming that indian women view being fairer the same way as a pale woman would view being tanned.

i mean SOME people do associate having a tan with wealth and the like and tan because they want to look like a celeb or look like they been away to somewhere exotic...so its not that much different for an indian woman wanting to look fairer

i say aslong as the products are safe and wont cause any bad reactions or illness then its fine.

 

[FlashBang]

Quote:

Originally Posted by xolovinyoo i think lighter skin or pale skin is uglier on women, i have a medium tan skin& i wanna get a little darker, lol.

I was quickly skimming through the forums and found this thread. I was sooo relieved to see so many diplomatic and intelligent responses...until of course I saw that.

As a very pale person (nc15) I take great offence

that comment is racist.

Anyway...Im with alot of the girls here, its all about embracing what you already have and making the best of it. The only time skin looks bad is when you havent looked after it, maybe from caning the sunbeds or something.

OMG lol! I just watched that fair and lovely ad! I couldnt help but laugh, that thing is so bad! How can they even air that without feeling racist? 'The one obstacle in my life....my skin' wow....

 

[abbey_08]

yeh but boob job adverts have the same theme of 'the one obstacle in my life...' kinda thing. i dont think its racist. it just plays on insecuritys of women cos we are never happy with anything....we either think we are too pale, too dark, too fat or too thin and comestic companys tap in on these insecurities and market products aimed at people seeing it and thinking 'omg if i take that my life will be better'. i dont think its racist...if a skin lightner is racist then so is a bottle of fake tan in my eyes.

theres a difference between racisim (hating on someone purely because of their race and being predjuce) and not particularly liking pale skin. i think sometimes racism word comes in too quickly when talking about skin colour...not liking something doesnt make a person racist.

 

[tottycat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DirtyPlum LOL, damn I'm NC40 I better dig out the Fair n Lovely! Haha, maybe thats why I'm single too! Lol, its so funny you are spot on! I got told by this guy once, you'll have no prob finding a guy, you have a nice personality, smart, and youre 'fair' - I just looked at him and shook my head. Its so shallow but youre right its ingrained in the culture and minds of south asians, I worry it wont ever change.

This is not a joke!! I just got back from Bangalore, and they think that NC25-30 is the pinnacle of beauty! I'm an NC25 (I'm half Japanese and half European) and I actually have had people stroking the skin on my arm saying my skin colour is so beautiful (these are South Asian women). I've never noticed it myself...it's just the color I am.

LOL! I've been asking my other half if I look like fish paste and do I need the fake tan! Cultural differences, I guess!

 

[stronqerx]

Quote:

Originally Posted by glam8babe thats not a very nice thing to say

my pale ass has to agree. I think everyone just isn't happy with what they have to work with. I used to feel bad about my skin color, and even thought about tanning, but my bf made me feel better and plus i rather look pale then orange rite?

 

[DirtyPlum]

Tottycat - I know!! I laugh at it cos its part of my culture (im south asian) and quite frankly, thats all that I can actually do abt it!

 

[tottycat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DirtyPlum Tottycat - I know!! I laugh at it cos its part of my culture (im south asian) and quite frankly, thats all that I can actually do abt it!

Well the bottom line is that we all can't look like Aishywarya Rai, skin colour or not! We should all embrace what we have. I didn't even realise that it was such a big deal in India, until I went to buy some fake tan after my luggage got delayed in London. Needless to say, I didn't find any self tan at Health and Glow, but I sure did find lots of whitening cream!

 

[jdepp_84]

Well to be honest I would kill to have darker skin. I hate having fair skin and dont understand why anyone would want to have lighter skin. Well okay I do understand the whole social bias behind such a reasoning, but seriously, women with darker skin are gorgeous! I cant believe its 2008 and society is still pushing such stigmas on women that already have enough pressure to be skinny, tall etc.

 

[sedated_xtc]

I'm not sure, but when I was in Hong Kong a couple years ago, the hugest thing going was the skin whitening potions. Sort of like the new fad, it's not always about actual having WHITE skin per se, but to have lighter skin that's evenly toned with no freckles, sun spots or stuff like that imo.

 

[tottycat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sedated_xtc I'm not sure, but when I was in Hong Kong a couple years ago, the hugest thing going was the skin whitening potions. Sort of like the new fad, it's not always about actual having WHITE skin per se, but to have lighter skin that's evenly toned with no freckles, sun spots or stuff like that imo.

You are right about that, but that's not a new trend per se. I am a case in point...since I am 50% Celtic and 50% Japanese, I got the double whammy in the hyperpigmentation department. If I don't wear SPF 50 everyday, not only do I tan as soon as I go out in the sun (not very likely here in London this time of year, but I do tan rapidly), my face explodes with freckles. If you look at my skin close up, you will see a zillion freckles, just like those of a red-head, because half of my family has milk-white skin and blue eyes (and never tans). So, I have the worst of both worlds in the hyperpigmentation department -- these freckles can enlarge into big sun spots if I am not careful. You can see this effect on rural women in East Asia, who have never worn sun protection in their life.

So, I do use whitening formulations by Shiseido, NOT to appear whiter (for heaven's sake, I am NC25, I don't want to be any paler), but to damp down melanin production and prevent age spots. Oh, and don't forget the SPF--I wear a minimum of 15 even if I'm not leaving the house, upto SPF 50 when I am outside in sunny weather, even in the UK.

So, it's not just pale redheads that have tons of freckles! I have just as many, but they are not as noticeable because I am not extremely pale (e.g. NW15).

 

[Mabelle]

This is freakin WEIRD! It;s Written by Heather Timmons... Im Heather Timmons!!!
This is soo weird. I was watching law and order a couple hrs ago and the murder vics name was Timmons. My last name isnt even very common.

frrreeeaaakkkyyy.

 

[Holy Rapture]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mabelle This is freakin WEIRD! It;s Written by Heather Timmons... Im Heather Timmons!!! This is soo weird. I was watching law and order a couple hrs ago and the murder vics name was Timmons. My last name isnt even very common. frrreeeaaakkkyyy.

Sure is ...