Why Tanning & SPF Is Complicated For South Asian Women

One day, I walked back into my house after a fun-filled afternoon, ready to relay tales of my (largely fabricated) sporting triumphs. Instead, my aunt led the conversation. She was in total shock — actually, disgust — at my darker skin tone, and scolded my mum for allowing me to play in the sun all summer. “You look dark just like that Bipasha,” she said with disapproval. She was referring to Bipasha Basu, a prominent Bollywood actress, who was heavily criticized throughout her career thanks to her darker skin. Basu was relentlessly picked apart for not being “fair and lovely” — a beauty standard thrust on South Asian women. As such, even her acting talent was called into question. The message from then on was clear: dark skin was not pretty.