Asian women have made the cosmetic industry into a multibillion-dollar trade over the last decade alone. Chinese women, being the number one consumer of skincare products in Asia, say that white skin will hide other physically unattractive features they might have. It would seem that the age old belief that pale, flawless skin will give you a bountiful life still exists even in an era wherein humans rely on technology to survive.
But why the fuss over pale skin, when Chinese, Japanese and Korean women have already been endowed with pale complexion compared to South Pacific women? Mainly because of their culture. In the past, a woman’s unblemished complexion is an indication of her family’s wealth. Only poor peasants and slaves, who toiled under the sun, had brown skin. Pale women were sought after because it meant that they were pure and innocent, untouched and unseen by other men. Time has passed but the concept remains, that pale skin is better than brown skin.
Because of the growing trend in skin whitening, the pacific islanders have joined the bandwagon – maybe for fear of being left out. Pale women now dominate the fashion industry, when sun kissed complexion used to be the hype some thirty years ago. The Philippine, Malaysian and Indonesian women are as up to date as their Chinese counterparts when it comes to vanity. Combined, these three countries spend at least a million dollars in cosmetic products and surgeries annually. Just think of all those women lining up for to get double lids, bigger eyes and even longer, straighter legs.
A lot of Asian women will be offended when others say that their need for whiter skin is in actuality their way of imitating Caucasian females; but there might be some truth in this. It’s a little known fact that Americans and Europeans have paved the way for industrialization (both lucrative and catastrophic) in smaller and poorer countries across Asia. Western habits, needs and wants were integrated slowly into the Asian way of life through advertising and mass marketing. With half of Asia conquered and then liberated by the Westerners, there’s really no room for doubt that their lifestyle overpowered these simple and very down to earth Asians.
From skin lightening creams, bleaching soaps, diamond peels and oral medication, to injectable glutathione; cosmetic manufacturers have thought of everything that will make skin whitening easier and effective but all the while more profitable for them. Although some companies claim to use ancient recipes to maintain flawless white skin, most the ingredients were only recently proven by science to be effective. These companies are investing a lot on advertising products that are in reality only recent discoveries. Alpha Hydroxy Acids, Kojic Acid and Glutathione, which were used for other purposes, are of late the most popular components of skin lightening products. In the next few years, we may see other new advances in the skincare technology that will not only be more effective, but also cost efficient.
it is an insult to say theyre trying to be like caucasian women because its a TRADITIONAL EAST ASIAN BEAUTY STANDARD that existed LONG BEFORE white people even set foot in east asia. They are going for a MILKY white complexion that exists commonly amongst east asian women. Those who were not lucky enough to be born with milky skin, try to obtain it with whitening products. Caucasian women are born with a pinkish transparent tone that looks unhealthy, this is NOT what east asian want. at all. LOL, its almost hilarious.
Southeast asia is a whole nother story though, they were colonialized by europeans. Their use of whitening can somewhat be attributed to colonialization and wanting to be like east asians.
Comment by booo — March 21, 2009 @ 5:43 pm