Real Nigerian Housewives Of UK: Prevent Skin Bleaching Affecting Children

Hi Ladies,

I'm back again.


If you watched the video above you have an idea of what this article about. This post is perhaps going to be a little more interactive than posts of past. Today I would like to talk to you about an issue that affects all Nigerian women in Nigeria and here in the diaspora (as well as many other ethnicities).

I would like to talk to you about skin bleaching/lightening/toning! This is not a "how to" article although I may write something on it after more research. This is not a debate on if bleaching is right or wrong (this is debatable) nor is it a research article on the dangers of overuse/misuse. I can write about all of this at later date. This article is a discussion on the mindset behind bleaching/lightening and your opinions on how this affects families as a mother and/or wife.

THE QUEST FOR BEAUTY
With my focus on business and home economics you may be surprised to see me of all people write about something as trivial sounding as lightening or anything relating to beauty for that matter. But, I ask you, why wouldn't I? Why wouldn't a married woman, entrepreneur, housewife, professional, etc care about beauty and take note of the trends in lightening as a supposed beauty tool. After all we are all women, many of us have partners and those without would like to have partners who first of all see your appearance before they know your personality or character. Even in work and business how you look, from skin, hair to clothes and shoes makes a difference in your success as people perceptions of you are inextricably linked to your appearance also. So beauty is important to the majority (if not all) of us. Even those who do not care what men see them as physically become intimidated when met with a beautiful woman.

So what is our perception of beauty? If you look at the video, bleaching apparently accounts for the skin colour/texture of approximately 80% of Nigerian women and it even claims it is the most common place in the world for skin bleaching. Is this the Nigerian perception of beauty? Is this a statistic to be proud of?

Furthermore if you visit forums like skincaretalk you will see an array of advice from across the world assisting people make the steps necessary to lighten skin tone. Nigeria, America and UK being the most common contributors to the discussion.

I believe skin bleaching is less rampant amongst Nigerian women in the UK, than in USA and it is less in USA than in Nigera from what I have read (feel free to correct me if you think I am wrong). But is this due to a difference in opinion of beauty and societal norms or more an issue of availability and affordability? Me thinks the latter is true and not the former personally. As I have come across many cases where men still objectify light skin and mixed race girls as being more beautiful and more desirable.

THE MINDSET BEHIND BLEACHING
Looking at peoples reasons in various countries for bleaching/lightening there appears to be a difference in why they are used. Take two Mahogany complexioned ladies for instance, we'll call them Lady A and Lady B. Both are using the same peels, soaps and creams advocated as lightening and toning agents (the term bleaching on products no longer being marketable because of the taboo) as well as sunblock.

Lady A claims to be lightening to remove 'permatan' that is a permanent tan caused by staying in the sun without protection and the wanting to revert back to her 'true colour' whilst creating an even tone instead of the patches of dark marks caused by lack of skin care and acne marks too.

Lady B makes no bones about fairness in skin colour being a superior skin colour to be desired. She states she wants to turn from Gabrielle Union colour to Leona Lewis in 6 months.

What do you think of Lady A and Lady B? Any difference?

Okay read on...
After 6 months they both turn out to be the same colour. A riddle for you who bleached and who toned? Or were they both toning/lightening or just both bleaching? What do you think of Lady A and Lady B now? Did your opinion of Lady A change? In reality many women who use skin peels and soaps (and perhaps some creams) do just want to even skin tone or remove a permatan and only lighten a shade or two or the most their natural skin shade would have been and stop there and maintain. But some only state that is there aim and do something else. Are these ladies not as bad as those who openly ridicule dark skin?

Okay read on...
What if I told you both ladies were married to dark skinned men and had two mahogany complexioned kids each (a boy and a girl each). The boy being 11 and the girl being 14.

Is Lady B's mindset more dangerous than Lady A's to the children? Will lady A's children still view fairness as superior?

This is a hypothetical story of two women, who could be real.

Hydroquinone is common in dermatology offices in America even though it was banned in Europe for its cancer risks. Two regions very similar in outlook took to very different stances on the same ingredient. Is it possible that the problem is not the product but rather people's minds and perceptions of what beauty is?

QUESTIONS FOR YOU
Would you use any of these products if you had a dark butterfly like patch on your face caused by pregnancy hormones for instance (melasma), or bad sunburn or outbreak of acne/chicken pox?

If the products are not bad - although some are lets be real the packaging apparanetly can say one thing and contents are something else. But If you can find the pure unadulterated products can they be used responsibly and educationally without deceiving one-selves?

What is your opinion? Do you know of any safe products to use? How do you stop yourself getting caught up in the wrong mindset. How do you evaluate your motivations? How do you prevent any damage in love of what God gifted you with in your children and prevent them from taking things to the extreme or developing skin colour complexes?

Your opinions are much appreciated. I will do more articles specifically looking at chemicals used and possible effects and maybe I will even do a video/pictorial on how to use a non-damaging cost effective regime that does not cause you to lighten past your true tone. After all, I have just as much uneven texture as the rest of the world, just that unlike 80% of Nigerian women (apparently - cos I'm not sure it is this high), I choose to use foundation to conceal instead of toning lotions to correct!

That is until now...

Remember to subscribe to my blog for updates of this Nigerian woman in London, UK.

Hugs and Kisses

Ella

Thinking of Starting a Cooperative

It is likely many of you if not all of you have heard of the term "cooperative". But I bet most of you have never really researched into what a cooperative does and yet you have preconceived ideas on what happens in a cooperative. This article is the first article aimed at empowering you with the knowledge to not only understand what a cooperative is, but to participate and benefit from one.

taken from www.uk.coop

A cooperative is a businesses owned and run by its members, for its members. Members often have something in common like heritage, interests, work, geographic location and more.

Member all have equal voting rights and when profits are made this is shared amongst members or reinvested according to the decision of members. Often cooperatives may work together to improve the lives of all members in a given community. Jamaican and Nigerian cooperatives have often been known to put aside each month a given amount to a central fund and each month the group gives this to one of the members (or something to this effect) but in actual fact operating models and income streams and income release can be defined in any way and decided by the group (sometimes this changes as business models are often flexible).

Co-operatives are businesses, not charities, so the aim is to profit financially, socially or otherwise (i.e. obtaining scarce products/services). By working together, members do better in their individual monetary investments. savings and businesses than they would have separately.

Cooperatives can invest locally and internationally promoting growth in areas overlooked by various organisations.

So here is my proposal. I am thinking of starting a cooperative:
- It would have a legal structure.
- It would have a steering group that ensures the interests of all members are followed (lets say the steering group/committee sits for 3 years before re-election, for very first term would sit for 5 years to raise funds and profile).
- It would invest in areas/business members have knowledge of or experience or a need for i.e.

• Any idea that comes up through cooperative brainstorming
• Entertainment- Books/Movies/TV Shows
• Business Start Up Seminars/Training/ Ancillary Services (i.e. Websites, Accounting, Marketing, Legal etc)
• Recruitment Firms and Career/Employment Advice
• Childcare/Daycare Services and Babycare Products
• Food and Drink (Catering, Restaurants, Consumer products, Trade/Distribution)
• Education (Schools/Tuition Classes)
• Family/Relationships
• Fashion, Hair and Beauty
• Homes and Gardens (Real estate development and related services i.e. plumbing, electricians etc)
• Living Overseas (Relocation to Nigeria company specialising in cargo, accommodation, schools, healthcare, settling in etc)
• Politics (in UK and Nigeria)
• Social Events (Event Centre, Celebrations, Festivals, Parties, Wedding Planners)
• Travel/Holidays (Vehicle Shipment to Nigeria, Investing in Tourism in Nigeria, Travel Agency etc)

- It would create profit financially, it would offer employment opportunities, it would offer experience and exposure and have a community building outlook.
- It would be for Nigerian families in the UK (at first or permanently)
- There would be monthly payments of £50, a member can withdraw money by leaving subject to notice period in the constitution. So if for example there were 20 members, £12k would be generated in the first year from contributions. Members can invest more than a minimum with a view to sharing more of the profit based on their financial investment, members can also share more in profit through trading their time i.e. acting as accountant or building brick walls for a development totaling 10 hours.

If you are interested in setting up this cooperative with me and have suggestions or strong opinions, please contact me at ellaoku@gmail.com

Thanks

Regards


Mrs Ella Inedia
(Information for this article gathered from http://www.uk.coop)