How can I, as a dark skinned black female, make myself look exotic and beautiful?

[Anonymous]

Basically, I understand that there is an international standard of beauty which is all about promoting white looks. I don't look very white at all and I wouldn't change it for anyone's approval. I really love my skin color and my hair type. It's kind of my mission to prove to others that you don't have have white looks or be a whitened up ethnic person in order to be beautiful and sexy. I also just want to be that dark skinned black chick that makes some ignorant, small minded people think 'Wow, she's really pretty. I'm an idiot for thinking that dark skinned black girls like her couldn't look that good.'

So, any suggestions on how to make this happen?

I've kind of already started by working out; getting toned, making my already small waist look very tiny yet making my big butt look very bubbly. Because I know that black women can have body types that are difficult for other women to get: small waist/slim with curves. I'm also growing out my hair and I only wear it naturally. Apart of this process is showing how natural African features can be hot. I take vitamins that make my skin glow and use skin milk. What else can I do? Your overall opinion on this topic?

[ludorock]

I feel like as a white woman anything I say here could be spat back in my face as derogatory or racist or offensive but please understand that I don't mean it that way. I'm not soloing black women out, or treating them as a different species or something I'm just trying to compliment you and I'm not sure how to do that with out thinking that I sound like an awful person so try to bear with me.

I don't know why there is this standard of white as beautiful because it's complete bullsh*t and it's destroying cultures al around the globe but I love seeing the natural beauty in any race. Black people have cultures that are so unique so rich, so vibrant that squashing them with this dominating whiteness is heartbreaking. I find black women who accept their bodies, their skin, their hair and celebrate who they are and don't try to meet stupid white standards stunning. I am blow away by the power in the look, by the strength in that choice. I've always admired other races for their drive, their perseverance, their courage in the face of all the awful things and discrimination they face in America, despite what we advertise. It is truly amazing.

I'd say start with your hair, there was a movement I discovered recently for black women to keep their hair natural, let it grow, I find (and I'm sorry if I'm not using a more correct term here) afros on black women to be so beautiful, and sexy. It's such a cultural hairstyle that's unique to blacks and it's really beautiful. As for your body? Look up your culture, look up where you're from and learn what the women there are like, what the women there consider beautiful and follow that. Tiny waists large hips and large chests are a very American (and maybe European?) thing. I'm not sure if it's the same in non-white cultures but I know that the only way you can find out is to research. Be confident in your body and who you are but also add in a bit of your culture.

Depending where you're family (or you) is from see if you can learn the native dialect or language, embrace who you are.

I respect you so much for empowering yourself like this. I wish I could be half as strong as you are, right now. You really are amazing, and beautiful and powerful and don't you ever forget that.

(Also I'm sorry I offended you so on my main account that you blocked me)

[Asker]

Awwwh! Your sensitivity to possibly being offensive is so kind and adorable! I loled at "I find (and I'm sorry if I'm not using a more correct term here) afros..." hiarious! hehehe!

Thanks so much for the kind, pleasant words. I appreciate it :) it's nice to hear someone uplifting and empowering dark skinned black women because...well I don't want to sound like I feel sorry for myself because I don't...but a lot of different people bash us and degrade us, ESPECIALLY black men and it gets

[Asker]

really frustrating. Then you've got Indian men and women who act like dark skin is the worse thing ever and while some of them are darker than A.A.'s, most of them are lighter...how is that supposed to make us feel? Or when you constantly have people giving the 'The most beautiful black women in the world' title to women who are biracial or multiracial and hardly look black. So thank you so much, it means a lot to hear some positive remarks reinforced :)

[vishna]

You sound like you're beautiful already as long as you have confidence and follow your regiment I don't think you can fail in anything.

I think the white is right when it comes to beauty..I think that's changing rapidly. Black is being promoted quite a lot as well as other ethic types.

If you want to show people wrong well that's your prerogative and you have all the right to do so I just hope that by the end of this all you see that you don't have to prove people wrong at all just find the right place in yourself, forget any nay sayers, and live your life.

[lace1228]

can you post a picture of yourself or someone who has simalar features so I can maybe give you an idea on what I would maybe do?

[Asker]

skin like this link (gets darker in the summer)

a body similar to this except not as asstastic link but we both have the general small waist, big booty average breasts, toned tummy

hair like this link I'm working on growing it out really long

[lace1228]

I think you should embrace color, color is your best friend. I think you would stand out with blues and purples. Make up should be kept light and basic however a nice red lipstick can go a long way and with a really good black mascara. If something more dramatic with your eyes try a nice purple. If your hair is very curly try and give it a cut that will be about shoulder length but make sure you get it done by someone who deals with your hair type. The curls should be natural and soft.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't say that the international standard is white people. I will say that it's easier to market for them because you can see things like make up and clothing colors working better with their color.

As a marketer myself I find you can sell people on anything if you find the right angle to pitch it. Dark skin women can be super exotic looking to but you have to us contrasting colors to bring attention to her natural beauty. Not every color works depending on the shade and some clothing don't flatter the dramatic contours (think of it like how some women can't wear bangs or very short hairstyles while others look perfect with them).

You're a sculpture of a different style so you can't use the same techniques to display that style.

[Asker]

No, it's not about clothing colors working better with their color. Otherwise there wouldn't be Brazilian, Latina, East Indian, African American/African, and other ethnic women with darker skin tones modeling. Why would model angencies want them if they think that things like make up and clothing colors work best with white skin? Apparently Covergirl, one of the most notorious, high ranking make-up companies in the world, disagrees with you seeing as they have a diverse group of models who model

[Asker]

for them.

Interesting info!

[Opinion Owner]

having a diverse group of models doesn't mean they don't coordinate who gets what outfit to wear. A super pale white girl may not be as flattering in a white bikini as a black girl would, and a black girl might not show off the details of a black bikini. Color theory is a very important part of any visual medium and helps you know what clashes and what compliments.

[Asker]

Your own comment just rebuked your own argument lol

[Opinion Owner]

how so? in my reply I stated that all marketing requires understanding the subject and the image you're selling. you replied saying that a major magazine disagrees just because they have a wide range of models. and my reply was about using those models effectively by using their differences in beneficial ways. I don't see how that's contradictory.

[Asker]

Your original argument was that clothing colors work better with white features, then you stated that "a white girl may not be as flattering in a ____ as a black girl would."

[Opinion Owner]

Read it again. Maybe it's not the most concise but I was saying things like make up colors are easier to see against light color skin, I maybe should have clarified that not all colors even work well on white women but I was concentrating on the original point about make up more inthe first paragraph. Also the white bikini is a neutral color, It's easy to mix but I did qualify my statement by referring to avery pale white model. A black model wearing the same white bikini would be more striking.

[Asker]

That's not a credible statement. If major make-up retailers only focused on how colors are easier to see against light skin color, then they'd be out of business. They would be shooting themselves in the foot because a huge portion of a target market; minority women who do not have light skin; would not buy their products. That's why you see modeling agencies who promote diversity. It expands their business. If it was all about trying to see what colors are easiest to match...

[Asker]

their business would be hurting because there would be a huge range of ethnic women that wouldn't be giving them their money.

There is an international standard of white beauty despite what you've seen as a marketer. If there wasn't, why do you think there is extreme skin bleaching in Asian countries so far that they put bleach in soaps in lotions? Why do you think so many Indians have color issues and, like the African American community, praise and uplift whitened up Indians while they

[Asker]

often belittle darker complected Indians and make them out to be less attractive? Why do you think a lot of Arabs tend to be obsessed with white women and have this thing about not dating outside of their ethnic group, yet whites are the exception? Why do so many Hispanics deny African ancestry; it's because they've been brainwashed to believe that whiteness is better. Why do you think so many Asian girls dye their hair a ridiculously fake looking blond and get blue eye contacts?

[Opinion Owner]

If there was such a standard then why would anyone even bother to hire models of color? You know something I feel this conversation has gotten way off the mark. And it seems you have an agenda that conflicts with that so I'm going to end my involvement here and let my words stand on their own, Good day.

[Asker]

There is still a standard. There's nothing you can say that truly seals in that there is no Euro-centric standard of beauty. It's not that I have an agenda, it's common knowledge. Ethnic groups from all over the world are effected by that standard and for you to deny it so hard makes me think that you may be a white person who is living in a world of denial or you're just plain unknowledgable about this topic