Whitening creams in Asia? Thai commercials that will make your jaw drop...

[marylander1940]

 

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35261748

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gt5OKzofUI8

[+ FreshFluff]

In this case, I think it's a reflection of the culture--including some pretty ugly parts of it (the depictions of Africans).

 

White skin has long been a valuable commodity in the Thai marriage market. The high school and college girls can't express their individuality through clothes, so looking whiter than everyone else is only way to stand out.

 

Also, the ads tap into more general cultural issues. Historically, the Thai government has been pretty corrupt, at both the national and local level. Both the volleyball and therapist ads play off that: Did that other person get that job/spouse as a result of her merit/natural good looks, or is she hiding some secret advantage?

[+ quoththeraven]

Here's something else people should know. I haven't looked at the link, and obviously Thailand and Korea/east Asia are culturally distinct, but I'd be surprised if this weren't also true regarding Thailand.

 

Light/pale skin is a sign of wealth and leisure. Dark/tanned skin is a mark of people who must toil and labor. Remember, Asia remained primarily agricultural well into the 20th century. So it is in part a reflection of a class divide.

 

Add to that colorism and racism. Stir the pot and voila!

 

But there is more to it than that. Women in Korea (and, I believe, China and Japan) wear visors and carry parasols on sunny days to prevent tanning and keep their skin as light as possible. Many look on the Western obsession with tanning and the belief that tanned skin looks healthier or more attractive with disbelief. When it comes to sun exposure and the risk of wrinkles and cancer associated with it, they are quite right.

 

Japan has a tradition of heavy white makeup, red lips and blackened teeth (as a female beauty ideal) from its Golden Age, the Heian period. Since the Heian period ended around 1100 CE, I'm not sure that can be attributed to anything other than aesthetic and cultural preference.

 

Btw, a lot of Korean beauty products are touted as whiteners, but "toner" would be a more accurate translation. They're meant to brighten and even out skin tone. Korean beauty ideals for men and women emphasize youthful, dewy skin. Because they limit their sun exposure (and possibly because of good genes when it comes to skin and hair), they can achieve it.

[body2body]

QTR, and Fluff have it right. These are strongly ingrained standards of beauty in Asia. I have had a manufacturing facility in Thailand since the 70's and occasionally get shocked by the portrayals of Africans in Asia. For many years one of the most popular brands of toothpaste in Asia was "Darkie" which featured a grinning black man in top hat on the packaging. A few years ago they modified the image to be less offensive, and changed the name to "Darlie" which sounds better to western ears, but is a transliteration of the Chinese expression which means black person. I tried to attach a file but no success- google Darkie Toothpaste and you will see.

Years ago I had friend who was a top make-up consultant for Dior. He grew up in Hawaii and had close relations with Japanese families. When they sent him to Asia to do consultations in department stores their sales figures would soar. His secret was that he would make all the models look a fair (and Caucasian ) as possible.

An interesting twist is that young Japanese women now go to Hawaii, and tan to get as dark as possible. They aim to look like the American Hip-hop artists they admire, and take pleasure in rattling their mothers at home.

[marylander1940]

Here's something else people should know. I haven't looked at the link, and obviously Thailand and Korea/east Asia are culturally distinct, but I'd be surprised if this weren't also true regarding Thailand.

 

Light/pale skin is a sign of wealth and leisure. Dark/tanned skin is a mark of people who must toil and labor. Remember, Asia remained primarily agricultural well into the 20th century. So it is in part a reflection of a class divide.

 

Add to that colorism and racism. Stir the pot and voila!

 

But there is more to it than that. Women in Korea (and, I believe, China and Japan) wear visors and carry parasols on sunny days to prevent tanning and keep their skin as light as possible. Many look on the Western obsession with tanning and the belief that tanned skin looks healthier or more attractive with disbelief. When it comes to sun exposure and the risk of wrinkles and cancer associated with it, they are quite right.

 

Japan has a tradition of heavy white makeup, red lips and blackened teeth (as a female beauty ideal) from its Golden Age, the Heian period. Since the Heian period ended around 1100 CE, I'm not sure that can be attributed to anything other than aesthetic and cultural preference.

 

Btw, a lot of Korean beauty products are touted as whiteners, but "toner" would be a more accurate translation. They're meant to brighten and even out skin tone. Korean beauty ideals for men and women emphasize youthful, dewy skin. Because they limit their sun exposure (and possibly because of good genes when it comes to skin and hair), they can achieve it.

 

[sincitymix]

Here's something else people should know. I haven't looked at the link, and obviously Thailand and Korea/east Asia are culturally distinct, but I'd be surprised if this weren't also true regarding Thailand.

 

Light/pale skin is a sign of wealth and leisure. Dark/tanned skin is a mark of people who must toil and labor. Remember, Asia remained primarily agricultural well into the 20th century. So it is in part a reflection of a class divide.

 

Add to that colorism and racism. Stir the pot and voila!

 

But there is more to it than that. Women in Korea (and, I believe, China and Japan) wear visors and carry parasols on sunny days to prevent tanning and keep their skin as light as possible. Many look on the Western obsession with tanning and the belief that tanned skin looks healthier or more attractive with disbelief. When it comes to sun exposure and the risk of wrinkles and cancer associated with it, they are quite right.

 

Japan has a tradition of heavy white makeup, red lips and blackened teeth (as a female beauty ideal) from its Golden Age, the Heian period. Since the Heian period ended around 1100 CE, I'm not sure that can be attributed to anything other than aesthetic and cultural preference.

 

Btw, a lot of Korean beauty products are touted as whiteners, but "toner" would be a more accurate translation. They're meant to brighten and even out skin tone. Korean beauty ideals for men and women emphasize youthful, dewy skin. Because they limit their sun exposure (and possibly because of good genes when it comes to skin and hair), they can achieve it.

 

don't forget lead based makeup in Europe for that pale frail look.

[+ FreshFluff]

I love it. The audience roars as the volleyball player takes off her jacket and reveals.............pale skin.

 

For the scholarship, they're looking for chicks with firm, radiant skin. It's going to be really hard to find 18 year old girls with skin like that.