- The European colonisers may have left our lands but they are yet to leave our minds
- The complicity of Governments in allowing their citizens to use such dangerous skin lightening creams must be flagged
Explore any of London’s predominately ethnic areas, and you’ll see a corner shop selling weave or garam masala. You’ll also find a behind-the-counter shelf dedicated to “Fair and lovely” or “Faiza cream”.
In Aswan, Egypt, pharmacies have skin bleaching creams stacked up to the nines, beaming with sinister pride.
In their hyperbolic love stories, Bollywood have been among the biggest purveyors of colourism, glorifying fair complexions. Similarly, Pakistani actresses such as Sajal Ali have endorsed skin lightening creams with no ramifications. Pakistani morning show hosts such as Nida Yasir accompanied by an ‘expert panel’ teach her audience how to ‘correct the darkness from their skin.’
Take a trip to East Asia, skin lightening treatments all point towards one conclusion: caucasian skin is the only shade of beauty.
However, this is not the only method used by women of ethnic minorities to make their skin appear lighter. Unlike the Geisha’s of Japan, make up artistry is now deployed in the most sophisticated of manners. It’s not uncommon to see (for instance) our Somali sisters at the Nars make up counter in Westfields, purchasing foundation that is 3 shades lighter than their actual skin tone.
However the phenomenon of skin bleaching is not gender specific:
Bollywood Actor Salman Khan became the brand ambassador of ‘Fair and Handsome’ in 2020
In many cultures, the concept of beauty has changed considerably throughout history, and those changes are often linked to colonisation. The idea of a ‘superior race’ was promoted and used to justify the expansion of European territories in Asia, and Africa. An individual with too much melanin in the skin was viewed as inferior, and adherence to Eurocentric beauty standards became imperative. Darker skin tones were considered unattractive in many cultures, and those who had them were often subject to prejudice, discrimination, and social exclusion. Eventually, this led to the proliferation of skin lightening agents to try to make skin lighter and more palatable to the cosmetically preferring European gaze.
The long-term effects of skin bleaching are deeply concerning. Studies have found that using such products can result in permanent skin damage, discoloration, and even cancer https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17040886/ As a part of this investigation, ‘Fair and Lovely’ cream was applied on female mice for a month; changes were noted in the kidney and to a lesser extent, the brain and liver. These results indicate that although Fair and lovely mercury content is less than the permissibility of U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), it limits histopathological changes in the brain, kidney, and liver tissues are evidence of its possible toxicity. Norway has subsequently banned this skin lightening cream.
In addition to health risks, skin bleaching runs the risk of fuelling prejudices against people of darker complexions. Those who prefer whiter skin can unknowingly or intentionally perpetuate harmful racism-based beliefs. This is especially apparent in countries where pervasive racism is encouraged by images in the media, income disparity, and a lack of representation in positions of power.
It is essential to move beyond Eurocentric beauty standards and recognize that the origins of skin bleaching lay in the legacy of colonisation.
As the ummah of Prophet Mohammed (saw) we ought to know better, as Islam is the only religion that eradicates racism from its roots. Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said in his last sermon:
”All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action.”
BUKHARI
We should therefore be accepting of how Allah swt-Al-Khaliq has created us all unique in our creation. We should accept our natural beauty, irrespective of our race, tone and creed.
The magnificent beauty of Allah’s creation can be found in the myriad forms of human beings across the world. A sister of a light skin tone from Sweden may possess a captivating beauty that is uniquely her own. Similarly, a sister with darker skin from Eritrea may exude a profound and mesmerising charm that is distinct to her. Furthermore, Allah says in the Qur’an (49:13):
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَـٰكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍۢ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلْنَـٰكُمْ شُعُوبًۭا وَقَبَآئِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ أَتْقَىٰكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌۭ ١٣
O humanity! Indeed, We created you from a male and a female, and made you into peoples and tribes so that you may ˹get to˺ know one another. Surely the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous among you. Allah is truly All-Knowing, All-Aware.
