Can Dark Be Beautiful?

Bunty and I have covered the subject of skin lightening creams before (e.g. here: Nice Tan Lines).  A new campaign has launched in India with the slogan Dark is Beautiful.  Whilst we find this rather patronising, the aim of the campaign is to drum home the message that fair skin is not the only description of beauty and that people should be happy and proud of the colour that they are… in addition, possibly, to educate other Indians to reset their prejudices.

The skin lightening industry in India is worth over a staggering $400 million and the lightening products on offer range from face creams to a fanny wash.  Fairness = beauty = success = happiness = a guaranteed place in heaven??

Bleached Beyonce

I’m no longer a fan of Beyonce as I find her music quite dated and am bored of her wailing but I do acknowledge her success, popularity and with it her influence.  I don’t know if it is her decision or whether she is being pushed into becoming a caucasian white woman by her record company but I find her new album cover quite sad:

If this did not actually have Beyonce’s name on it I would never have thought it was her. 

Grazia Slims Duchess

I read today that Grazia magazine admitted to digitally slimming the Duchess of Cambridge for the cover of their Royal Wedding edition.  The article written in the Guardian touches on a number of celebrities who have fallen prey to the digital retouching as if it isn’t common practice.