Skin Bleaching and Tanning
This thought-provoking essay explores society’s complicated obsession with changing skin tone through an honest discussion of colourism, colonialism and beauty standards. Moving beyond surface-level conversations about skincare and appearance, it examines why darker-skinned people are often pressured to lighten their skin, while lighter-skinned people are encouraged to tan. It unpacks the emotional and historical weight behind skin bleaching, tanning and the global industries that profit from insecurity. It ultimately asks an uncomfortable but necessary question: why is society so obsessed with changing the colour of our skin?
Team:
Writing by: JENIA NWANCHA
To dissect skin bleaching, it is important to talk about colourism. What is colourism? Colourism, simply put is the idea that people with lighter skin tones have more privilege in comparison to their counterparts of darker skin tones.
Is colourism different to racism? Yes sometimes people can face colourism within their own ethnic group.
Theres is a strong correlation between colonialism and colourism.
In parts of Africa and South Asia, skin lightening is rampant. People rely heavily on bleaching creams and sometimes even more extreme methods to lighten their skin tones. The Skin bleaching industry is worth billions.
In the west, in continents like Europe, America and Australia, people seem to prefer a bronzed look.
This became popular after the 20th century , only the wealthy were able to sunbathe, so tanning became a status signifier.
Tanning beds and spray tans have always been popular, but there has been a rise to new ways of achieving this colour, nasal sprays and tanning injections.
But why is no one happy ? Why are darker toned people bleaching ? and lighter toned people tanning ? what is societies obsession with changing their skin tone ?