Not Buying It: Model Ajuma Nasenyana Fighting Skin Lightening Among Kenyan Women

June 27th, 2012 - By Brande Victorian

Source:outandaboutafrica.blogspot.com

Just when it seems like black women around the globe are succumbing to the light skin, long silky straight hair don’t care phenom, a woman like Ajuma Nasenyana comes along. Known for her dark skin, short hair, and high cheekbones, Ajuma is the norm when it comes to beauty among black women in her country, which is she can’t stand the fact that every where she looks there are billboards, magazine ads, pamphlets, and TV spots encouraging Kenyan women to lighten their skin via bleaching and straighten their hair.

“It seems that the world is conspiring in preaching that there is something wrong with Kenyan ladies’ kinky hair and dark skin,” Ajuma told the Daily Nation.

Speaking on a Swedish cosmetics firm that recently entered the Kenyan market, she added: “Their leaflets are all about skin-lightening, and they seem to be doing good business in Kenya. It just shocks me. It’s not okay for a Caucasian to tell us to lighten our skin.”

At 28 years old, Ajuma has graced many runways throughout Milan, Paris, London, and New York, modeling for top names like Vivianne Westwood and Alexander McQueen as a member of the prestigious Ford Models company. Ironically though, her beauty is more heralded abroad than it is in her own hometown.

“I have never attempted to change my skin,” she said. “I am natural. People in Europe and America love my dark skin. But here in Kenya, in my home country, some consider it not attractive.”

Since it’s going to take more than just trying to verbally convince Kenyan women not to buy into the light is right propaganda they’re being sold in droves from companies like Carol Light, Ajuma wants to give natives an alternative, especially since brands like Movate, Jaribu, Peau Clair, Betalemon and Mekako, which have long been banned in Kenya because of their hydroquinone, steroid and mercury components, are still being used illegally. She told the Daily Nation she wants to start an all-natural line of cosmetics for women with dark skin so that ladies will be encouraged to enhance their beauty in it’s true shade rather than lightening it to feel attractive. At the end of the day, she knows the forces that want black women to believe their skin isn’t good enough, whether they’re an everyday woman or a model, are stronger than the ones rallying against those ideals—at least for now.

“When you flip through fashion magazines like Vogue and only see white models, then you get the feeling on what is happening to black models,” she said. “It is not fair.”

What do you think about the onslaught of skin bleaching companies moving into the Kenyan market.

Brande Victorian is the news and operations editor for madamenoire.com. Follow her on twitter @Be_Vic.

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  • queenietoo

    That sista is beautiful just the way she is, black people need to stop feeding into what people say we should look like. We are some of the most beautiful women on this planet, you just have to know that and stop feeding into the whole notion that you aren’t pretty enough, we some badd azz women know that, now watch me as I strut to the next subject strutting, strutting and gone did you see that? here I’ll do it again because you know nobody can strut like a sista o.k. and strutting, strutting and I’m out lol ladies love yourself first and all others will fall in line or get left behind only to watch the soul strut as we walk away you feel me?

  • CocoB

    Its wonderful that this model is speaking up. We are beautiful with our dark skins. White people are jealous of what we have and they try to make feel Ugly. But some of us as do hate our own skin colour and that is due to other race telling us our skin is not beautiful and we need to get it lighter. I have seen women who bleach their skin until it turns a yellow colour which looks awful to look at with dark patches. Am sure some of you know what i am talking about. Now that’s Ugly. We should not give to into this dangerous products. BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL.

    • B

      I agree with you. However do not ignore the fact that we also disgrace each other due to skin color. White Eurppeans may have started the trend however it is up to us to fix it. Judging by the looks of things more of us seem to be against breaking the mold than fixing it.

    • B

      Also contrary to what media shows not everyone from other ethnic groups consider our dark-skin bad or ugly. A lot of times it’s us keeping self-hate alive.

  • B

    I am happy that Ajuma is taking a stand. There is NOTHING wrong with having dark skin. It’s a very rich color. I have to remind myself time and time again that most parts of Africa waste colonized by Europeans who destroyed the natural order of things and then left, leaving Africans to carry the torches of indoctrination. It’s very sad though that on a continent where the majority of people are brown or dark-skinned that they are made to feel inferior or superior (if their skin is lighter).

  • guest

    Black women of all shades have this great gift given to us by God, our beautiful skin!!!!! The model featured in this article is stunning!!! Just another day in the land of beautiful black women!!!

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  • awet

    She is gorgeous!

    • susie

      Yes, she is gorgeous! Why would anyone want to have dry-up paste-y skin?

  • Gimmeabreak78

    It’s not just in Kenya. It’s everywhere black and brown people live. For example, I stopped purchasing Vaseline products because they ran ads in India suggesting that if one used their products, one’s skin would be lightented. One ad in particular had a before an after theme. The dark-skinned Indian man looked crestfallen and depressed with his dark skin, but after her used the Vaseline lotion, his skin was several shades lighter and he was sporting and ear to ear grin. Its despicable. Sadly, it’s also everywhere.

    • angel

      Really? Wow! I learned something new today.

  • eve

    I take pride in being a brown skin African American woman. I take pride in the fact the world does everything they can to take me down and war against me…when in reality it means nothing. Coming up I never paid attention to the absent of colored girl s in magazines, movies, tv etc etc…with so many things I have control of and the power to do why should it pain me because some white magazine, or white director won’t cast me in a movie or a mag ? Why do I feel I need to be represented by anyone but myself ?

    Out of all people black skin takes the most heat, and I have to wonder why ? Is there something you know that I don’t. Does my skin hold magical powers or something ? That’s what I believe because it’s no way people give that many damns about some brown skin. They have warred against bw since the beginning of time and something tells me it’s has nothing to do with them not liking my skin tone but for much deeper reasons. I love being most hated. It’s confirmation of how special I am and I would never change it ! Let them keep downing brow skin because honey I be damn if you expect me to believe my skin tone bottom barrel, but yet you care so much, and do every thing you can to try and keep me down. I was built for this and like the model above no one is going to break under pressure. So take your same lil white & bleached 20 pound models and make it do what it do. You don’t like my skin ( so you say)….AND ????

    yet every where I go white folk literally rubbing up on me. ” I love your skin, I have to tan, you look so young…..”

    • http://twitter.com/sabadaga SANDRA

      wow, your comment is just excellent. there is nothing else to add.

    • Smacks_hoes

      Go girl! I cosign everything you said. Black women are the most popular women on the planet because people cannot keep us out of their mouth. Does our skin color bother you that much? Or are you just mad that you have to sit in the sun and bake for hours when I have this Carmel gorgeous glowing skin naturally. People can say were the most unattractive race until their blue in the face but the truth is people spent millions of dollars to have my features. God didn’t make any mistakes when he made me. I’m brown and beautiful.

    • MLS2698

      Ha! I know they are always trying to touch you. Accidentally bumping your arm with an “oops! I’m sorry” type of look. Happens all the time.

    • queenietoo

      Co-signing

    • Wisdom

      I’ve been in African-owned beauty supply stores and was shocked to see the amount of skin lightening products they carried. Never seen so many in all my life. There is an identity crisis threatening women on The Continent. Ajuma is a hero to speak to it head on. Afrian sistas better think twice before they buy these stupid products and slather them all over. Ask yourselves, “who benefits”? Certainly not you and your bank account!!!

      These companies are shilling self-hatred to fatten up their bottom line. Full stop.