Having Dark Elbows And Underarms Doesn’t Make You “Dirty”
Niharika has a passion for all things art, music, and travel and has over 4 years of experience in writing for social media. During her spare time, she likes experimenting in the kitchen, playing vide... read full bio
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As Indians, we are often conditioned to think of darker skin tones as “dirty”. Perhaps it’s because we associate it with people who belong to lower economic backgrounds, but it’s also because we’ve been conditioned to think of dark skin as less than. It’s a reminder of colonial attitudes that were left over by the British after they left our country in 1947. Unfortunately, it is a harsh mindset and something that might take us ages to get over. So let’s look at why so many of us feel like we’re abnormal even though having darker underarms, knees, and elbows is a perfectly normal trait:
Bollywood Perpetuates The Stereotype
Although Bollywood has made many changes and has started including more dark skin toned actresses in films and posters, their skin is often airbrushed to look like it is evenly toned. We are shown women (and men) with flawless, even toned skin that doesn’t have a single blemish or stretch mark on it. So why is it that when we feel insecure about our own “non-flawless” skin, we are questioned? Well, let us tell you that there is absolutely nothing wrong with the color of your skin. Whether you are dark, dusky, blue or even orange in color, your skin is perfect the way it is.
Many of us will rigorously scrub and try to exfoliate our skin thinking that it will make our skin tones lighter but unfortunately that is not how it works. Unless you pursue chemical peels and laser treatment, there is no other way to lighten your skin tone. You can make your skin look more supple and less dry with moisturizer (which will in turn cause it to lighten up a bit and appear less gray). But so many of us will buy skin lightening products that promise to lighten the tone of our skin, but do they really? We tend to rub lemons on our skin and try to brighten the dark skin surrounding them. We use harsh chemicals like bleach that make our skin feel raw and inflamed.
Our Standards Of Normal Are Perpetuated By White Superiority
Why are our standards of beauty dictated by what white people have to say? Why can’t we feel beautiful as we are? It’s so upsetting that we covet features and skin tones that are not traditionally associated with our own ethnic background. This is not to say that those with more “conventionally western” standards of beauty are not as beautiful. But so many of us can relate to straightening our naturally wavy and curly hair so that we look more “conventionally attractive”.
While social media does get its fair share of hate and anger, there are some parts of it that are actually very wholesome. After social media blew up, we were exposed to people from various cultures and ethnic backgrounds who didn’t fit the conventional standards of beauty. We were exposed to people who came from multi-racial ethnicities and various identities. Brown skin also tans completely differently than those with lighter skin. People with lighter skin tones are also more likely to suffer from sun burn and redness as the melanin present in brown skin protects us from damaging UV rays. It’s like having an inbuilt protector for your skin! Although you shouldn’t use this as an excuse to avoid using sunscreen. Sunscreen is essential for everyone regardless of skin type. If you’re going to be spending a lot of time outdoors, it’s important that you invest in some decent sunscreen (1).
Colorism is so entrenched in our skin that we tend to think that our natural skin doesn’t look nice and is dirty. Even your extremities and genital area tend to be darker than other parts of your body and that once again, is perfectly natural. You can’t use cream to change the color of your inner thighs or make your skin change color. In the end, your skin is natural as it is and no matter what concoction you make, you will always find that nothing seems to work. So why not just accept and love the skin you’re in instead? The best way to get back at society is to truly love yourself and everything that you are.
Let us actively stop paying attention to the incredibly false narratives of global beauty that we see in the media and start looking at the beauty present in our own selves. Yes, loving yourself is one of the most difficult tasks in the world and it’s easier to just hate yourself and compare yourself to others, but it can happen. You need to trust the process and learn to love and appreciate your skin for all that it does for you. Afterall, your skin is vital in protecting your inner organs and keeping you from harm’s way. Do let us know all of your thoughts in the comment section below!
