SMH.

On Thursday, my moms wasn't feeling well. I ended up taking her to the hospital to get some bloodwork and a CAT scan (she's just fine, by the way). While waiting for our turn, I decided to pull out my reading material to bide my time.

I started reading my newest Ebony magazine with the succulent El DeBarge on the cover. I turned the pages, reading the various articles, when I stumbled across this ad in the magazine. I took a picture with my Mac camera so it's mirrored, but take a look at the product being sold.

Yes, that is indeed SKIN BLEACHING CREAM.

Now, the product says that this cream is simply for lightening dark spots and restoring your normal skin tone. I find that hard to believe when it's called SKIN BLEACHING CREAM.

Now, believe me, I know all about having hyper-pigmentation. I have it on my neck, chest, around my lips, and my elbows (although I noticed yesterday that my elbows are looking better. I think it's the baby oil...). And I have to admit that my junior year of college, I hid from everyone my purchase of an Ambi product promising the same things as the above advertisement because of the insecurity I had about these blemishes.

Needless to say, the couple weeks I used the cream didn't really show any improvement an actually irritated my skin. Plus, it smelled like cow tongue. The plus side, though, is that they didn't tell you straight up that it was SKIN BLEACHING CREAM. They at least tried to camouflage that shit.

For dark skinned people, this is the crux of a major internalized inferiority complex. In places like India and Jamaica, skin bleaching creams are as common as chapstick, and all in the attempt to look white to attract mates or employment. But although I just wanted to lighten up areas of my body that were considerably darker than the rest, people use it to lighten up their whole bodies, even doing it to their infants.

Say it with me: This is some bullshit!!

If anything it's more horrifying than anything. And despite intent, I would question of anyone using cream like this. Make-up is a wonderful thing; just do that if you're insecure. These creams are incredibly dangerous and while it only irritated my skin after a few weeks of usage, these people who've used it for years are risking SKIN CANCER. That's freaking scary.

What's crazy, though, is how a magazine catering to African American women and women of the African diaspora can market a product like that. I guess they think their heart is in the right place, for they'd be "helping" insecure ladies, but bleaching cream, I believe, goes to far. Yeah, my skin's lighter, but I'm going to chemo. The ends truly justify the means!

Whachu talkin' bout Willis?

After my own dipping into the cream, I just didn't want to do it. I realized how crazy it was. I was tired of being insecure about the hyper-pigmentation. I had to get to a point of acceptance, and that's where I am right now. And the peace and solace that comes through acceptance is a wonderful thing. Besides, I'm still fly as hell.

I don't know. That ad just rubbed me the wrong way (pun not intended).

What do you think? Comment below!