Courtesy of Vichy
Dian Kuswandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
| Wed, 12/23/2009 10:10 AM | Life
Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest one of all? Say the mantra, and you’ll have the image of Snow White in your mind – fair-skinned with rose-red lips.
It doesn’t stop there though. A picture perfect for most women, the pale princess is also a symbol of innocence and elegance.
If you can see the connection, then you might understand why our outer appearance, or more specifically, the color of our skin, has always been associated to certain traits and qualities.
Have you ever wondered why the darker-skinned Princess Jasmine and Mulan share the same rebellious character?
Well, some might say: “Those things only exist in Disney’s fairytales, don’t they?” But in fact, these kinds of beauty standards have been around for centuries, as ancient Roman and Greek women did everything they possibly could to whiten their skin. Because pale skin signified feminity, innocence, sophistication and high social rank, these women resorted to chalks and lead paints to turn their desire for seemingly perfect skin into reality – oblivious to the poisonous nature of the compounds used.
Have women today learned from those past lessons? Not really. Although beauty standards have gone in many directions, women relentlessly pursue certain beauty standards – be it western women dreaming of having sun-kissed tan skin, or Asian ones yearning for a whiter complexion. And in the latter case, we, Asians, have to confess: Most of the time, we simply go for products without knowing the whitening agents they use – be it mercury, hydroquinon, alpha-hydroxy acid, kojic acid, arbutin or licorice. We are blinded by advertisements and media idolizing the porcelain-pale beauty.
| Wed, 12/23/2009 10:10 AM | Life
Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest one of all? Say the mantra, and you’ll have the image of Snow White in your mind – fair-skinned with rose-red lips.
It doesn’t stop there though. A picture perfect for most women, the pale princess is also a symbol of innocence and elegance.
If you can see the connection, then you might understand why our outer appearance, or more specifically, the color of our skin, has always been associated to certain traits and qualities.
Have you ever wondered why the darker-skinned Princess Jasmine and Mulan share the same rebellious character?
Well, some might say: “Those things only exist in Disney’s fairytales, don’t they?” But in fact, these kinds of beauty standards have been around for centuries, as ancient Roman and Greek women did everything they possibly could to whiten their skin. Because pale skin signified feminity, innocence, sophistication and high social rank, these women resorted to chalks and lead paints to turn their desire for seemingly perfect skin into reality – oblivious to the poisonous nature of the compounds used.
Have women today learned from those past lessons? Not really. Although beauty standards have gone in many directions, women relentlessly pursue certain beauty standards – be it western women dreaming of having sun-kissed tan skin, or Asian ones yearning for a whiter complexion. And in the latter case, we, Asians, have to confess: Most of the time, we simply go for products without knowing the whitening agents they use – be it mercury, hydroquinon, alpha-hydroxy acid, kojic acid, arbutin or licorice. We are blinded by advertisements and media idolizing the porcelain-pale beauty.
