It’s rooted in my experience growing up as a Black woman in a society where fair features are the standard of beauty. We know the beauty industry has sold the narrative that lighter skin is more beautiful. From magazines to television shows and movies, fair features have been portrayed as the ideal standard. In my own community, many immigrant women have used creams and soaps to try to attain these beauty standards. The industry is heavily under-regulated, and because of this, many of the women are unaware of the health issues.

Source: New York Times September 30, 2021 13:41 UTC