| While the modern world has made great strides | | | | work outside. The color of one's skin quickly |
| towards equality, the unfortunate reality still exists | | | | became an instant reminder of what class you |
| that many people judge others based on the | | | | belonged too. |
| color and shade of their skin. This judgment also | | | | In modern society, consumers still purchase skin |
| exists in communities such as the | | | | bleaching creams and gels to help lighten their |
| African-American community where there has | | | | tone much to the dismay of some, hence the |
| been a growing dive amongst lighter and darker | | | | controversy surrounding the topic. Unfortunately, |
| skin tones. Asian communities also continue to be | | | | many of the products on the market, especially |
| aware of tone as evident by the continual | | | | those sold in third-world countries contain harmful |
| expansion of skin bleaching products marketed | | | | ingredients such as Hydroquinone, which has been |
| directly toward the Asian community. | | | | banned in multiple countries and has been linked to |
| However, in order to understand why consumers | | | | the development of cancer. |
| purchase and use skin bleaching creams, it is | | | | While some consumers purchase full-body skin |
| important to understand the history of skin | | | | lightening creams with the hope of changing the |
| lightening. In ancient Asia, those that worked | | | | overall tone of their skin, most consumers |
| outside in the fields and were considered laborers, | | | | purchase lightening serums to target a specific |
| developed darker tones compared with royalty | | | | area on their body such as moles, sun spots, dark |
| who were able to stay indoors out of the sun. | | | | underarms, hyperpigmented areas, and to |
| This same principle applies to ancient African | | | | brighten the tone of their face. If you choose to |
| cultures as well. The rich and educated were able | | | | use a skin bleaching product, be sure that it does |
| to stay indoors, and the poor were forced to | | | | not contain any harmful ingredients. |