Celebrities loving it lighter despite risk
SKIN bleaching is a hotly debated topic and the recent social media post by local television personality Khanyi Mbau has reignited the conversation around this dangerous beauty treatment.
Local stars including Mshoza, Kelly Khumalo and Sorisha Naidoo have all made headlines due to the drastic change in their appearances. This phenomenon does not only apply to local talent. International stars including Nicki Minaj, Kim Kardashian West, Lil’ Kim and Keri Hilson have all been under fire for skin lightening.
The question then, is, why do female celebrities feel the need to lighten their complexions?
The entertainment industry has been setting unrealistic beauty standards for women in both film and music since the beginning of time.
Looking back at the late 50s and early 60s, strict specifications for women with regards to weight, height and overall demeanour was the norm. And these shocking beauty standards have worked their way into modern times.
The same pressures that Hollywood starlets such as Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn faced are still prevalent today. All of them had to keep to a specific image, while their male counterparts were afforded more leeway with regard to their appearance.
The portrayal of European features as the ideal beauty standard in the entertainment industry has been ever present in popular culture. Big brands, tapping into insecurities and the quest for fame and acceptance, have a history of lightening the complexion of ethnic celebrities.
One of the most famous examples was when L’Oreal was accused of altering Beyonce’s skin tone for their 2008 hair campaign. L’Oreal refuted these claims, stating: “We highly value our relationship with Ms Knowles. It is categorically untrue that L’Oreal Paris altered Ms Knowles’ features or skin-tone in the campaign for Feria hair colour.”
However, looking at the campaign picture versus a normal photograph of the superstar, it appears that her skin colour had been altered.
International stars such as Minaj have all but ignored the accusations, but others can’t resist lashing out at their detractors.
Rapper Lil’ Kim denied that she was bleaching her skin as she attacked a fan on social media, saying: “Ok but when... did I bleach my skin u miserable moron!”
However, both she and Minaj have clearly become a few shades lighter since the start of their careers.
Our Mzansi stars, though, have never shied away from acknowledging their skin bleaching habits. Kwaito singer Mshoza has been open about her skin lightening regime, even documenting it on social media.
She says: “It has nothing to do with self-hate. I do not regret the decision – I love myself. Even though I have always been beautiful, I think I am prettier now.” Speaking on why she does it, she says: “When you walk in the club and you’re yellow, people notice you.”
Khanyi Mbau is also very open about how she lightened her skin through an intravenous glutathione and vitamin C drip treatment.
Nonetheless, there a price you pay healthwise to get lighter skin. According to the KwaZuluNatal Department of Health, the use of skin lightening creams can cause skin cancer, skin infections, skin thinning, uneven skin tone with increased pigmentation, stretch marks, ochronosis (irreversible greyish pigmentation) and kidney and neurological problems caused by mercury in the products.