Beauty trends around the world vary from different culture’s points of view. Many Asian countries, see the paler complexion more beautiful than others. Asian culture sees this as royalty, power and a sense of wealthiness. This trend goes back to the history of many of these countries, where colonization began. The British Empire, France, Spaniards, and the United States made their way to the Asian countries and left a face of power while they were there. All these countries that invaded Asia had a lighter skin complexion compared to the original people of the land. Many of the men and women found these people very attractive and saw them as powerful and wealthy. Not only leaving their mark on the land but also contributing to their culture. Now many women and men in the Asian culture crave the paler look.
But how far do people go to get the standard “beautiful” look?
a few products sold in Mercury store in the Philippines
In many people’s cases, they take this beauty trend to the next level. People risk their lives and put their health at risk to reach this standard beauty trend. An international student from Fanshawe college that recently moved from the Philippines explains the hard truth about this trend in her home country ” I felt that I had to use all these whitening products to be beautiful because of the culture we live in you can get these products everywhere and is heavily marketed” said by Mary Bajo.
Consumers buy whitening products for their skin to maybe get the chance to reach the paler complexion everyone desires. Countries like the Philippines and Korea are making billions of dollars on products that claim to make their skin fairer. Many of these products are heavily advertised and can be bought almost everywhere. This causing much younger citizens to become more self-conscious about their appearance. A mother from the Philippines named Emily Madaros explains ” I feel more beautiful with lighter skin, I use whitening products and avoid the sun with hats and umbrellas when I go outside”. Many people that come from the Asian culture tend to have a mindset where “whiter is better”. Another great factor to this horrible trend in commercials and social media putting down darker skin tones in an effort to make the lighter complexion superior.
This is a commercial from Thai Land that is selling a whitening product putting down darker skin tones and idealizing the whiter complexion. This is one of the many commercials lightening company puts out, to advertise their product. This creates self-confidence issues for the growing culture. A high school student from Korea named Karen Tran explains her experience with this ongoing trend ” my mother always told me to stay out of the sun because if I got darker I wasn’t going to be as beautiful which created self-esteem problems”. If parents and influencers on social media continuously comment about lighter skin complexion, there are no dought consumers will do anything to achieve this look.
But how far do people go to get the standard “beautiful” look?
There are several different products that claim to help achieve the “beautiful lighter” look. Some examples of products would be lotions, creams, soaps, serums, pills are even whitening shots/needles. Many of these products contain bleach, and chemicals that are poisonous to the human skin. Many of these products are illegal in many countries. But with every illegal product, there is trafficking involved. Hundreds of beauty traffickers make their way through borders all the time, due to the other high profiled other illegal trafficking that takes place in most third world countries. Many of the police and border security don’t view it as important than other issues in the country, it is now looked at as a “norn”. you can find any illegal whitening products at little shops and the black market.
a famous ” natural lightening” soap from local Philipino student
Many of these products being imported to these countries are unsafe and can be very harmful to the skin. It can cause rashes, redness burning, numbness, high blood pressure, even as bad as skin poisoning and kidney failure. “Many people would visit the hospital after using cheap whiting products because of the dangerous side effects” was explained by a local dermatologist.
It is recommended by dermatologists not to use any whitening products because of “all the chemicals that make up the products”.
Instead of using terrible chemical products use products with papaya, potato, and other natural ingredients to give you that glow. Instead of achieving to get a skin color that’s not natural to you.
After all, all skin tones are beautiful why use unsafe chemicals to change that natural look.
