There are benefits to looking European in Colombia and across the world.
It seems to be the case that advertisements shown throughout the world are Eurocentric and emphasize western characteristics. Caucasian models are the number one models to be hired by popular, global brands like Estee Lauder and L’Oreal. Local models in the region in Korea, Hong Kong and Japan barely made it to global brands’ ads, compared to Caucasian models who appear in forty-four percent of Korean and fifty-four percent of Japanese ads.
These ads are emphasizing that the ideal skin is bright, transparent, white, full, and fine. Amongst Asian models across India, Indonesia, the Philippines, China, Korea and Japan, dark skin is looked upon less favourably. Not only is a light skin colour more desired by these models, but also correspondence to a European, Eurasian "look" is applied to judgements made on their physical frame, hair, and facial features. This can be seen clearly in:
From Asia's next top model . . .
Pia Wurtzbach, formerly known in the Philippine entertainment and modeling industry as Pia Romero, is the Filipina-German beauty pageant titleholder, model and actress who was crowned Miss Universe 2015, the third Miss Universe crown for the Philippines. She has served as a UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador for Asia & the Pacific since 2016. The image above appeared after it was also revealed that she would appear on the fifth cycle of Asia's Next Top Model as a guest judge on several episodes. Wurtzbach served as a judge during the final coronation night of Miss Universe 2017, and continues to work with the Miss Universe Organization as an HIV/AIDS awareness advocate after her reign.
. . . to Miss International
. . . to Miss Universe!
Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters, a South African model was crowned Miss Universe 2017.
The 1st Runner-up was Laura González Ospina, a Colombian actress and model.
The 2nd Runner-up was Davina Bennett, a Jamaican model and student at the University of the West Indies.
allure
Shortly after walking onto the stage with her short Afro, Twitter was abuzz with myriad complimentary comments including, "All of that natural hair, melanated black girl magic!! 😍 ," and "MISS JAMAICA’S AFRO IS GIVING ME ALL TYPES OF LIFE!!!"
Update: She was contracted as the face of Shea Moisture in 2018, representing the company's Black Castor Oil product line.
Shea Moisture I Break The Walls (Director's Cut) from Nick Enriquez on Vimeo.
Shea Moisture has seen some controversy regarding its recent advertising campaigns, alienating the core Afro-American customer base in the USA. In April 2016, the company launched the "#BreaktheWalls" campaign, which promoted more ethnic inclusion and empowerment.
One aisle is for "beauty" products, another for "ethnic" products! Is this racist neo-colonial "Americanisation" being exported around the globe?
Fade to black . . .
. . . & being black!
