“Say what?!” I thought to myself after I saw this in the skin care isle of our local cosmetic shop. And once again I realise I’m living in upside-down world. Growing up in South Africa I was surrounded by girls cemented to the side of the swimming pool trying their best to create the perfect tropical sun kissed tanned skin. Poor little white skinned me had to face the fact that my skin will always be second best because I’m too white. Little did I know in a land far, far away lived a country full of people dying to have their skin white as snow.
Skin whitening creams. At first I did not understand what the creams where for until I asked one of my local friends about this. She told me that since the dawn of time the eastern people have regarded white skin very highly. It represents a lifestyle that does not need to labour away in the sun to earn its bread and butter. Traditionally rice water – which is the left over water after washing your rice – was used by Japanese women to whiten their complexion. In fact, in some families parents will often favour the children with the whiter skins (shame...). So they bleach their skins with these whitening creams to create the perfect flawless complexion. Well it’s good to know somewhere in the world there’s a place that my pale little skin is appreciated too.
