In a world where success, beauty and fame have been attributed to light skin, a few renowned Nigerian actresses who haven’t bleached have proven otherwise.
Wikipedia says,
Skin whitening, also known as skin lightening and skin bleaching, refer to the practice of using chemical substances in an attempt to lighten the skin or provide an even skin color by reducing the melanin concentration
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 77% of women in Nigeria use skin lightening products, the world’s highest percentage. Below is a list of renowned Nigerian actresses who haven’t bleached.
1. Genevieve Nnaji
This 40-year old director of the first Nigerian Netflix original is a Actor, Producer, Director, Screenwriter, Entrepreneur, Former Model. The movie, LIONHEART, was also the first Nigerian movie to win Oscar awards. Genny, as her fans call her, with her beautiful dark skin, nailed it too in the modeling industry as she became the face of many commercial brands. Among which Lux and MUD just to name a few. She remains an inspiration to millions of people in the world especially women of color and career women.
2. Ini Edo
The Nigerian actress, Ini Edo, is popularly known as brown sugar by her Instagram family. She has over 7 million followers on the app. She’s been in the movie industry for close to 20 years. Aside from her excellent acting skills, her dark skin complexion has always been admired by many. Despite her career ascent, it is soothing to know that she remains ever glowing in her beautiful skin. Hence, she earned her spot on my list of top 10 Nigerian actresses who haven’t bleached
3. Uche Jumbo
Uche Jumbo is an Actress, Film Producer, director and Writer. Amongst the films she’s produced, Damage addresses the issue of domestic violence. She’s a wife, mother and career woman. And she didn’t let complexion be a hinderance to achieving her dreams.
4. Stephanie okereke
When it comes to Nollywood, Stephanie Okereke is a legend. She’s an actress, director and model. She has received so many awards for best actress. She was also the runner up for the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeriabeauty pageant of 2002. This proves that you can be dark skinned and still make it in modeling industry. Therefore, she deserves her spot on my list of top 5 Nigerian actresses who haven’t bleached.
5. Kate Henshaw
Kate Henshaw is also one of the veterans of Nollywood. She is an actress, politician, fitness coach and mother. Doesn’t she look beautiful for a 48th- year old woman?
The purpose of this article is for us blacks to see that contrary to what society says, we are beautiful. And we can be successful too! Fortunately, some African countries have started banning skin bleaching products. However, Banning skin bleaching products won’t work as long as fair skin is linked with beauty and success. Just like most things, skin bleaching has it’s pros and cons.
Which other Nigerian actress should be on this list? Comment below if you want to see a part 2.
Nowadays, Afro has become a very popular trend. Most women are doing the big chop and going natural. Some years back that was not the case. I for one, would have never imagined going natural someday. Just the thought of the pain… nah! I didn’t think it was worth it. But as I embarked on the journey to self discovery, I began to love my skin more alongside my hair. I started taking care of my hair using the best hair tips I got from some of the peculiar hair influencers on this post.
There’s still some stigma as concerns afro but thanks to World Afro day, which is celebrated on 15th September every year, many ladies like me are being encouraged to rock our afro because it is who we are. So I reached out to some peculiar hair influencers who have been consistent to hear how they do it. I hope as you read you get inspired to finally do the big chop if you’ve been planning to. But if you have afro, get a pen and paper and be ready to jot things down.
Speaking of crownsssss! two and a half year natural and counting… Check out her blog at The Hairtress for more hair inspo.
#1: Why did you decide to go natural?
Besttsii: Using relaxers burnt my scalp every time. Then this one time I had a really bad relaxer experience and that was the last scalp burn I could take. I decided to stop using relaxers and perms. At first, my aim was to give my hair some time to recover from my previous relaxer since it burned my hair so bad and gave me bald spots in some places but later I fell in love with my natural hair and I didn’t want to go back to relaxing.
#2: what motivates you despite the hair challenge?
Besttsii: Honestly, I really love that natural hair can do different things, it’s very versatile. it can look really short today, but form a huge afro the next day. I can style it curly, straight or wavy and still revert to an afro . I didnt have that freedom with relaxed hair and my hair wasn’t this voluminous so i’d rather be natural. Going natural for me was like a journey to self discovery, it’s amazing how much learning you receive in the process.
#3: what hair tip works best for you?
Besttsii: Always do protective styles and stretch your hair before styling. It’s a game-changer for me because it keeps my ends from tangling up and breaking off, so am able to retain as much length as possible. With how rough many Cameroonian hair stylists can be, It’s better to take precautions before any hair appointments. I always opt for heatless ways to stretch my hair so a simple banding method ( locally known as “long long”) or braid-out before any saloon visit goes a long way. Your stylist will no longer frown when she sees you coming and you won’t have to bother much about your ends breaking off during the braiding/styling process.
#4: What advice do you have for other naturals?
Besttsii: Be patient and love your hair texture. Your hair won’t get long overnight, but it’s growing. Natural hair takes a lot of care and maintenance, there’ll be a lot of setbacks too but being patient long enough to see results is the only way to reach your hair goal.
The mampey with locs (4 year natural)
Mampey
You’d be amazed at what her locs can do. She knows how to play with them. One day it might look like the locs are down( probably if she’s wearing a wig or having braids on) but the next day , BOOM! there they are, healthier than ever before.
#1: Why did you decide to keep locs?
Mampey : I found them beautiful. I’m a believer in the beauty of the African woman and locs are a means of keeping my hair natural, and at the same time ‘not regular’. Locs are quite unique.
#2: What motivates you despite the hair struggles ?
TMWL: My loc journey is one of self discovery. I have a personal attachment to each and every loc on my head. They’ve thought me a lot about myself. So I treat them like my babies. That alone, is more than enough motivation.
#3: Which hair tips works best for you?
TMWL: water!!!! Our kinky afro hair tends to get quite dry. Water seals in moisture and prevents breakage.
#4: What advice do you have for other naturals?
TMWL: Find what works for you and stick to it. Also, be dynamic with your hair. It’s beautiful. Play with it, show if off!
Pricekylon
Price
You need to see the way people look at her in public with so much awe. It’s been almost 2 years, no mesh, no ‘gref’, no wig… just locs!
#1: Why did you decide to keep locs?
Price:It expresses my personality. It makes me express myself freely and live an adjustable budget unlike other hairstyles. It makes me feel unique… lol.
#2: What motivates you despite the hair struggles ?
Price: Looking at my anciens like Bob Marley, I believe if he could get to that level successfully, then I’m no different. I also look at loc pages on IG and Youtube.
#3: Which hair tips works best for you?
Price: I wash my hair once a week with a good shampoo and vinegar, keeping it moist.
#4: What advice do you have for other naturals?
Price: Let your motivation be real. Be intentional!
Hope this inspired you one way or the other. When I decided to keep afro, someone told me I won’t be able and will give up. If you know someone who believes afro doesn’t grow or that it doesn’t last, please do well to share this post with them. I believe with determination you can do anything.
I would love to hear from you too, what are your best hair tips? We’re in the week of World Afro Day, inspire someone with your story by leaving a comment below.
Among us dark girls, it’s no doubt that at some point in time you’ve been maltreated because of your skin complexion. It probably made you feel bad and of course you thought it wasn’t fair. I’ve been there too. What pleases me much is the growing community of black women who are beginning to love and accept their complexion. It has even reached the extent that even fair girls are now all about melanin. So if you’re dark and aren’t enjoying your complexion, better do so oh else the fair girls will show you how. I decided to come up with a compilation of quotes that will make you feel proud of your black beauty. Each time I read them, my confidence is boosted up and I’m reminded of my roots and glory.
“Dipped in chocolate, bronzed in elegance, enameled with grace, toasted with beauty. My Lord, she’s a black woman.” –Yosef A.A. B.
“I’m convinced that we black women possess a special indestructible strength that allows us to not only get down, but to get up, get through, and to get over.” – Janet Jackson
“It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept and celebrate those differences.” – Audre Lorde
“Deal with yourself as an individual worthy of respect and make everyone else deal with you the same way.” – Nikki Giovanni
India Arie “I am not my hair, I am not this skin, I am the soul that lives within.”
” I am not tragically colored. There is no great sorrow dammed up in my soul, nor lurking behind my eyes… Even in the helter-skelter skirmish that is my life, i have seen that the world is to the strong regardless of a little pigmentation more or less. No, I don’t weep at the world- I am too busy sharpening my oyster knife.” – Zora Neale Hurston
( one thing I’ve learnt from this quote is that there’s more to life than your skin color. life will hit you hard regardless of whether you are black or white and only the strong will survive.)
The black skin is not a badge of shame but rather a glorious symbol of national greatness.” – Marcus Garvey
“My skin absorbs the sun rays and my hair defies gravity. You can’t tell me I’m not magical.” – unknown
“Just because you are different, doesn’t mean that you have to be rejected.” – Eartha Kitt
“I hope that my presence on your screens and in magazines may lead you, young girl on a similar journey that you would feel the validation of your external beauty but also get into the deeper business of being beautiful inside. That there’s no shade in that beauty.” – Lupita Nyong’o
“I hope my story will inspire you to not only love yourself from the inside-out, but to take a chance on yourself and chase your dreams!”- Kheris Rogers
“God doesn’t judge dark skin, He judges dark hearts.” – unknown
” Melanin is an incomparable beauty. From the lightest to the darkest skin tone, black women are exquisite beauty in every shade. Yes, black females have that special something that just can’t be ignored. We are melanin queens, beautifully created! respect the complexion.” -SL
Lupita Nyong’o says
“My complexion had always been an obstacle to overcome and all of a sudden, Oprah told me it wasn’t. It was perplexing and I wanted to reject it because I had begun to enjoy the seduction of inadequacy. But a flower couldn’t help but bloom inside of me.
When I saw Alek Wek, I inadvertently saw a reflection of myself that I could not deny. Now I had a spring in my step because I felt more seen, more appreciated by the far away gatekeepers of beauty, but around me the preference of light skin prevailed.
To the beholders that I thought mattered, I was still not beautiful. And my mother again would say to me, ‘you can’t eat beauty, it doesn’t feed you.’ And these words plagued and bothered me.
I didn’t really understand them until finally I realized that beauty was not a thing that I could acquire or consume, it was something that I just had to be.” – Lupita Nyong’o
Finally, a quote by me… “wishing you were more or less light skin is like wishing you were someone else” – Bei Black Beauty
(please comment below one of your own beauty quotes).
conclusion
You can compliment and celebrate others without necessarily wishing to be them because you are special, you are unique and you are enough!
So which of these quotes best resonate within you?
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