Cosmetic Perfection Isn't Black and White
Society today is unapologetically obsessed with physical appearance. Our vision of what is conventionally ‘beautiful’ is skewed and influenced by the digital enhancement that dominates our television screens, billboards and shop windows. This doesn’t stop at pursuing size zero, or longing for that perfectly proportioned nose; the latest strive for perfection is skin whitening, predominately by Asian and Afro-Caribbean individuals, in order to obtain a lighter complexion.
The desire to bleach the skin stems from the Asian cultural perception that to be white is to be beautiful and affluent, most likely as a result of the British colonisation of India in the early 19th century. This perception has carried on into the 21st century, with famous Bollywood actresses favouring distinctly Caucasian blonde hair, blue eyes and fair skin, and black, female icons such as Beyoncé Knowles and Rebecca Ferguson being similarly digitally transformed to look paler.