How the beauty industry still profits from colonialism – video

The beauty industry's colonial legacy continues to have a profound impact on people of color around the world, perpetuating systemic inequality and exploiting indigenous cultures.

From the origins of popular skincare products to the marketing strategies used by major brands, it is clear that colonialism has played a significant role in shaping the beauty industry. The use of plant extracts from colonized countries, such as Africa and Asia, has been widely adopted in Western beauty products, often without proper understanding or compensation for the indigenous communities that originally harnessed these resources.

For instance, the extraction of shea butter from West African women, who have traditionally used it to nourish their skin and hair, has become a lucrative business for international companies. Similarly, the use of green tea extract in anti-aging products is believed to have originated from traditional Chinese medicine, yet the benefits of this ancient practice are often attributed to Western scientists.

The beauty industry's exploitation of indigenous cultures extends beyond the sourcing of natural ingredients. The promotion of Western beauty standards as the global norm has led to a lack of representation and inclusion of people of color in mainstream media and advertising campaigns. This perpetuates the notion that lighter skin and Eurocentric features are more desirable, contributing to the erasure of diverse beauty standards.

Furthermore, the growing demand for natural and organic products has created a new market for beauty companies to capitalize on, often using pseudo-scientific language to describe the benefits of these products. However, this trend also perpetuates the myth that Western-style beauty is superior to traditional beauty practices from other cultures.

The video highlights several examples of how the beauty industry continues to profit from colonialism, including the marketing of African and Asian-inspired products without proper cultural context or compensation. It also explores the ways in which systemic inequality is perpetuated through the industry's lack of diversity and inclusion.

Ultimately, the beauty industry must confront its complex history of colonialism and work towards greater inclusivity and cultural sensitivity. This requires a fundamental shift in how companies approach sourcing, marketing, and representing diverse cultures, as well as a commitment to fair trade practices and indigenous rights.

I'm telling you, it's like they're trying to control everything . They take our culture, use it for their own gain, and then act all innocent about it . I mean, have you seen those beauty products? They're just like a big ol' mask of deception . The shea butter thing is straight outta Africa, but who gets the credit? And don't even get me started on the green tea extract . It's like they're trying to pass off ancient wisdom as their own genius . The problem is, it's not just about the products themselves, it's about the whole system that perpetuates this colonialism . We need to wake up and see what's really going on . Can't trust anyone in the beauty industry right now .

idk about people sayin we should be thankful for all the natural skincare products comin outta africa & asia its like they think we ain't been takin care of our own skin 4ever shea butter been around 4 ages, dont need some wwestern company 2 tell us how good it is

I'm totally with this vibe... the beauty industry's colonial legacy is seriously giving me LIFE... but not the good kind . Like, how can we just keep exploiting indigenous cultures and resources without even acknowledging it? It's all about the Benjamins, baby . And don't even get me started on the lack of diversity in mainstream media and ads... it's like, hello! People of color are more than just a pretty face .

I'm all for natural and organic products, but let's not forget that traditional beauty practices from other cultures have been around for centuries too . And have you seen the prices of some of these "natural" products? It's like they're taking advantage of our desire to be healthy and just slapping a fancy label on it .

We need more inclusivity and cultural sensitivity in the beauty industry, ASAP . Companies need to do their research and work with indigenous communities, not just profit off their resources . And let's not forget about fair trade practices... that's where it's at!

The beauty industry's got some serious 'splainin' to do when it comes to its colonial past . I mean, think about it - they're profiting off traditional remedies from other cultures without giving nothing back . Like, shea butter in the West? That's a whole different story . And don't even get me started on green tea extract ... just another example of cultural appropriation .

It's like they think our ancestors were just sitting around twiddling their thumbs waiting for someone to come along and 'discover' our beauty secrets . Newsflash: we've been taking care of our skin and hair for centuries, no need for some fancy Western product .

The thing is, it's not just about the ingredients - it's about representation too . I want to see people of color on the covers of magazines and billboards, not just tokenized images that don't even accurately represent us .

We need some real change in this industry, like actual fair trade practices and indigenous rights . No more playing the 'exotic' card for profits . Time to get our beauty back on track!

I'm low-key shocked by the state of our beauty industry rn . Like, I get it, colonialism is a whole thing that we can't escape, but come on, how many times do we have to learn from our mistakes? The way they're exploiting indigenous cultures and profiting off their traditional practices is just wild . And don't even get me started on the lack of diversity in media and ads - it's like, hello, people of color exist outside of the Eurocentric beauty standards! I'm all for natural and organic products, but let's be real, it's just a marketing gimmick to make us feel better about our plastic-filled lives . The industry needs to step up its game and become more inclusive, or risk getting left behind in the beauty revolution

omg u gotta see this article about the beauty industry lol they're literally profiting off colonized countries without even acknowledging it like they use shea butter from west africa but dont pay the women who make it and its not just that, they're also erasing all these beautiful cultures by only showing eurocentric features in ads its time for them to step up their game and be more inclusive

it's not just about the products tho, its about the fact that ppl of color r being made 2 believe tht they need western beauty standards 2 be desirable. its like, have u seen all these ad campaigns featuring pale skinned models with 'exotic' dark skin? its so cringeworthy & perpetuates the idea that non-european faces r not beautiful enough. we should b talkin bout diversity & inclusion in a real way, not just slapping some tokenistic black or brown face 2 a product.

omg this is so deep like what's up with the beauty industry taking our ancestral knowledge and twisting it into these super profitable products i mean i know we all love a good face mask or hair treatment but come on let's not forget where those ingredients came from

and another thing what's with the lack of diversity in ads and media campaigns? can't they see that people from different cultures are just as beautiful and worthy of representation my friend who's asian has been telling me for ages how hard it is to find products that cater to her skin type

i'm also super annoyed that these companies use all this pseudo-scientific language to make their natural/organic products sound legit when really they're just cashing in on the trend like what's the difference between shea butter and a fancy-schmancy face cream

I think it's so wild that the beauty industry is still profiting from colonialism without even realizing it. Like, we're talking centuries of exploitation here. It's not just about sourcing products from other countries, it's about respecting the cultures and histories behind those products.

I mean, have you seen all these African-inspired skincare lines popping up everywhere? They're basically just taking our ancestors' traditional remedies and selling them as "exotic" or "authentic" without any compensation to the communities that originally used them. It's like they think they can just take our culture and profit from it.

And don't even get me started on the lack of diversity in media and advertising campaigns . Like, where are all the people of color in these beauty ads? When are we going to start seeing ourselves reflected in these brands?

It's time for the beauty industry to do some real soul-searching and figure out how they can be more inclusive and respectful of diverse cultures. We need more than just tokenistic gestures, we need systemic change.

I feel like we're getting closer to having a more inclusive beauty industry . I know it's not going to be easy, but I believe that by shining a light on the issues, we can create change . It's crazy how some people are still profiting from traditional practices without giving back to the communities that originated them . We need more stories being told about diverse beauty standards and the impact of colonialism on indigenous cultures . I'd love to see more brands embracing their diversity and celebrating individuality instead of trying to conform to Western norms . Maybe we can start with small steps like including more people of color in advertising campaigns or sourcing ingredients from local communities . The beauty industry is so powerful, let's use it for good!