The Subtle Cruelty and Racism of Women’s Beauty Product Adverts

<p>This pissed me off for several reasons, the most basic being that as a man, I have never felt the need to be handsome. I have never felt any pressure to look a certain way. I have always looked and dressed as I have wanted to, as I have been comfortable with. Why should women feel that pressure? Why must women bear that additional burden? Why must women always feel pressured to look slim and scrubbed and attractive?</p> <h2>Racist Cosmetics Adverts</h2> <p>In 2017 the renowned Dove stirred controversy after&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/08/dove-apologises-for-ad-showing-black-woman-turning-into-white-one" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">releasing</a>&nbsp;an advert that depicted a Black woman turning Caucasian after using their lotion. Also that year, another mainstream company, Nivea, apologized after&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/04/business/media/nivea-ad-online-uproar-racism.html" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">producing</a>&nbsp;an advert with the phrases:</p> <p><a href="https://medium.com/invisible-illness/the-subtle-cruelty-and-racism-of-womens-beauty-product-adverts-8decbc42573d"><strong>Website</strong></a></p>