“Aunt Bella, why do you look like Snow White?!” the little boy exclaimed when he saw his auntie’s skin.
Meet Bella Atkins. Female. 28. Single. A high-achieving lawyer in Miami who has helped broker several mergers and acquisitions, but can’t seem to find the right merge in her love life. Lumina, Bella’s younger sister, is 25, married to her college sweetheart, loves to paint, and owns a small business. She’s also mother to a wonderful pair of energetic 5-year-olds.
Now, kids say the darndest things. But knowing this never makes it any less shocking! On one of Bella’s visits to her sister’s family in Tampa, Axle, the boy twin gasps as soon as his aunt steps through the door.
“Aunt Bella, why do you look like Snow White?!”
Hearing his mother’s loud gasp but figuring his father’s pointed shake of his head warranted a response more, he iterates, “It’s true! Ally watches Snow White at least once a week so I know what she-”
His father swiftly scoops him up and out of the room while his mother scurries to welcome her sister in and get her settled in a profuse attempt to diffuse the incident. Bella simply smiles, taking no offense whatsoever—she loves her nephew wholeheartedly and knows he’s only 5. He didn’t mean any harm by it.
But the incident still got Bella thinking.
Between running a solo business and her daily motherly sprinting after Axle and Ally, Lumina’s life was hectic. So in a bid to give something to herself, she’d been making more efforts at self-care through better skincare. And her results were glowing!
Bella had been making her own efforts. But the results of hers were clearly not the same, if Axle’s reaction was anything to go by.
The truth is that both sisters had taken 2 different approaches. One had adopted a skin brightening routine, while the other had taken to skin bleaching.
You, dear reader, could try to decipher which sister was doing what. But we’re certain the answers will be clear as day after we define both techniques and explain what effect each is likely to have.
What is Skin Bleaching?
Skin bleaching follows the same idea as regular bleaching. You bleach your clothes so that they become a spotless white. Skin bleaching (aka skin lightening) is a cosmetic procedure carried out to either:
lighten dark areas of skin (e.g. caused by hyperpigmentation); or
achieve a generally lighter complexion.
How Does Skin Bleaching Work?
Skin bleaching is achieved using two (2) main methods: skin bleaching creams, or laser skin lightening.
Both of these procedures work by targeting the skin’s melanin content. Melanin is a natural pigment responsible for the color of your skin, hair, and eyes. In the skin, you could also call melanin your “natural sunblock” as it helps to guard against sun damage.
Skin bleaching reduces the concentration or production of melanin in the skin, resulting in a lighter or paler appearance.
Why Skin Bleaching Is Hazardous
If you commit to the goal of skin bleaching, you’ll find that it could cost you a lot of money, consume a lot of time, and the results cannot be guaranteed.
But beyond these, what makes skin bleaching exceedingly risky is the potential physical damage. Skin bleaching creams often contain harsh chemicals such as mercury, which can damage your skin’s natural protective barrier. They can also cause increased sensitivity, redness, irritation, and inflammation.
These toxic ingredients can also be absorbed into your bloodstream and cause adverse health effects, including kidney, liver, and nerve damage. They can also heighten your risk of skin cancer.
As you disrupt the natural balance of melanin in your skin, this could easily take a wrong turn and result in blotchiness, hyperpigmentation, or hypopigmentation. Skin bleaching could also lead to complications during pregnancy.
If reading about these skin bleaching risks hasn’t scared you, seeing the side effects in real life certainly will. So why do people still bleach their skin?
Why People Still Bleach Their Skin
Skin bleaching isn’t medical. It is a completely cosmetic process that people choose to undergo for several reasons. For some, they’re simply looking to lighten melasma, blemishes, age spots, or hyperpigmentation.
However, some people wish to alter their skin tone for more complex reasons. Societal beauty standards heavily influenced by media, advertising, and cultural biases have created very pervasive senses of inadequacy and low self-esteem for many. Many people desire to fit into a narrow lens of beauty, and so they lighten their skin as a means of conforming to the “ideal”.
Ever heard of “pretty privilege”? To a large extent, the phenomenon is real. People with lighter complexions are often easily recognized, regarded as superior, and handed better opportunities. In addition, America’s history of colonialism and colorism has played a large role in creating this phenomenon.
Thus, the desire to be deemed attractive, attain increased self-worth and social advancement has driven many like Bella Atkins towards skin bleaching practices.
But in truth, there’s no need to damage your skin just to fit some silly standards that appeal to everyone except you. The only acceptance and recognition that really matters is yours.
Self-love. Self-care. We want to shine in our natural skin radiance, just like Lumina. And what’s the better way to achieve that?
Hint: We define it in the next heading!
How to Get Brighter Skin Using Your Skincare Routine
A brightening skincare routine refers to the intentional use of skincare products and treatments to diminish the appearance of dark spots, uneven skin tone, and dullness, resulting in a more radiant and even complexion.
The best part is that you’re restoring and maintaining your skin’s natural glow and vitality through skin brightening. So it’s all true and it’s all you!
The Best Brightening Skincare Routine
We live in a world where the variations of skincare routines could write a text longer than the bible. But you need just 1. And there’s a different skincare product in the store for every square inch of your face. But you need just 5 or 6.
Hence, here’s our universal, step-by-step skincare routine for brighter, better, and healthier skin!
Step 1: Acceptance
The first step to beautiful, radiant skin is to stand in front of your mirror and accept the skin you were born with. Yes, you read that right.
If you love and accept your skin from the inside, that brightness and self-kindness will shine through externally, regardless of what your skin looks like.
Step 2: Cleanser
“Hey Siri, take off my makeup.”
Don’t we all wish!
Sadly, or not-so-sadly, we have to put in that cleansing work ourselves. Starting with clean skin should be the first step in any skincare routine. It expels all the dirt, excess oil, and makeup from your skin, creating a clean base that will easily absorb the rest of your products.
Step 3: Exfoliant
Now, this doesn’t have to be a daily step. But if you want to attain and maintain brighter skin, a regular reset is essential.
Using a gentle exfoliant once or twice a week removes dead skin cells, allowing newer, healthier skin to surface. This will result in a brighter complexion by revealing the fresh skin underneath.
Step 4: Serum
Serums are made to achieve specific skin goals or address specific skin concerns. So you’ll want a serum that contains excellent brightening ingredients such as vitamin C, niacinamide, alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), kojic acid, licorice root extract, and so on.
Massage your serum into your skin gently to promote circulation and lymphatic drainage.
Step 5: Eye Cream
This is truly an optional step. Nevertheless, the skin around our eyes is more sensitive and prone to dryness and discoloration than the rest of our face. Therefore, targeted brightening efforts in this area may be required.
A good, vitamin-infused eye cream will help to address any fine lines, puffiness, and dark circles around your eyes, ensuring that your orbs have a brighter and more refreshed appearance. They are the windows to the soul, after all.
Step 6: Moisturizer
We’re all better people when we’re moisturized. So don’t forget to hit your skin with some hydrating and nourishing goodness.
A good moisturizer will also help to maintain your skin’s natural barrier and promote a healthy, radiant complexion.
Step 7: SPF
Of course, we can’t exclude the most important protective step. You don’t want to lose all your progress to free radicals and sun damage.
At the rear end of your routine, apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 30 that offers both UVA and UVB protection.
Skincare Routine Roundup…
The last important thing to know as you work towards brighter and more radiant skin is that consistency is key. With a jar of dedication and a sprinkle of patience, we can promise that your glow will soon speak for itself.
But beyond the pursuit of outer glow, always remember to embrace the unique beauty of the real skin you’re in. Let your skincare routine be a celebration of self-care, self-love, and a canvas that reflects the beauty of your individuality. Embrace your skin’s journey, cherish its nuances, and let your inner confidence illuminate the world far brighter than any skincare product ever could!