Black And White

I’m guessing everyone has read about Aishwarya Rai’s ad for Kalyan Jewellers and the huge controversy it stirred up. If you haven’t , let me link an article about it here.

http://www.financialexpress.com/article/companies/kalyan-jewellers-discontinue-racist-aishwarya-rai-ad/66183/

Basically, the ad was criticized for being racist. But I find it kind of funny that people woken up to find racism only in this ad. After all, you don’t have to look beyond the aisles of your local grocery store to see examples of racism.  Who hasn’t seen pots of Fair and Lovely (or perhaps Fair and Handsome) lining the shelves, constant advertising on television for products that will “make your skin whiter/lighter in just 7 days!” These advertisements suggest that somehow you are not completely acceptable if you don’t have white skin.

I was horrified the other day to see a jar of Fair and Lovely in a friend’s drawer. This friend, by the way, comes from a highly educated background.

“Why on earth do you have Fair and Lovely with you?” I asked perplexedly.

She looked slightly embarrassed. “Um, nothing, I just have it, I don’t really use it”, she replied. I left the matter at that.

But then another time I heard her tell someone about her ‘kala kala face’ and how she hated it. These are the very people who try to be modern.

I've seen plenty of people of this kind – one the one hand going around showing off their fancy gadgets and complaining about how pathetic India is, but at the same time, their thinking has failed to evolve at all. The truth is, this obsession with fair skin has almost become a part of our DNA. Everyone cares. The smartly dressed people you pass by at the mall that walk and talk as though they own the world. The pseudo-hippies, reading obscure Russian authors and talking about peace and karma. The sweet looking aunty who offers you mithai every time you go to her house.

It’s just sad. Very sad. I really, honestly wish it wasn't this way. But it has seeped into all levels of our life. Watch any ad on TV. You’ll see the poor/evil/illiterate/any other ‘negative’ quality possessing individual is dark skinned and the heroine/hero/smart/rich/educated/any ‘positive’ quality possessing individual is light skinned.

I’m definitely not perfect, but I’d like to think that I don’t think this way. Let me just wind up by saying, if you’re one of those people who feels that you need to have fair skin, DON’T. You absolutely don’t. Ignore the people who tell you it matters. It’s your friggin’ skin. You were born this way. If people have a problem with it, they’re the ones who need a reality check. Don’t be afraid to tell off people who give you BS. Life is too short to bother about 

haters.

XXXXXX

Photo Credit: "http://www.flickr.com/photos/18161271@N00/5247652315"

                      "http://www.flickr.com/photos/90428457@N00/8016842670"

Starting Out With A Bang

Well, hello there. Let me warn you. I'm not starting out this blog talking about flowers or rainbows. 

So it’s summer again. Lovely hot days, being desperately thirsty and of course sweating like a pig. Well, here’s a very real person talking about a very real problem.  The stink.

And don’t pretend it doesn't happen. Okay, maybe there are a few people out there who have never had a problem with BO but I’m not one of them.  So what do you? Deodorant, right? That’s the simple solution.

Well, you’re right. But here’s a few other things I find useful. 

1)     Don’t wear tight fitting tight fitting clothes: Try and find loose and comfortable clothing. Yes, this is the time to pull out those dheela cotton clothes  you've put at the back of the cupboard because they don’t look trendy. Well guess what, it’s up to you to decide what’s cool and what’s not, so don’t bother with fads. It’s more important to be comfy.

2)     Don’t wear dark colours: Anyone who has studied Science will know that dark colours absorb more heat. And more heat = more sweat. And more sweat= more stink. Hey, who says I can’t do maths?

3)     Have baths: Yes, I know, everyone has a bath. But face it, there’s nearly always a problem with the water supply in the summer. If that is the case, literally just use enough water to wash off the sweat. No need for the soap in such a case. But you’ll find that this in itself makes a huge difference.

4)     Try and eat food with less masala: Apparently, eating garlic and onions can make your sweat stinkier, so  you may want to steer clear of the paneer do pyaza.

5)     Talcum powder: Okay, this one is slightly aunty-ish but I swear it works. It keeps your skin dry and I really find it making a big difference. Try it once.

Okay, that’s it for general tips. Now let’s talk about deodorants. So you have deodorants and then you have antiperspirants.

Here are some things I try to keep in mind before buying any deodorant.

1)      It should not contain Aluminium Chlorohydrate. Now, if you don’t know what this is, it is a chemical used very commonly as an antiperspirant. Now here’s the catch. It is supposed to cause cancer. You may read that there’s no research to back this. But I already have a history of cancer in my family and I’d rather not take the risk.

2)      It should preferably not have a strong smell. I find that the sports deos normally have a strong scent with them. The smell is not bad, it’s just that it can be a little overpowering. Also, in sports deos, the smell just masks the smell of sweat so if you’re very active, it may not be of great help.

3)      It should not be whitening. I know not everyone is going to agree with me on this one. But I just prefer not to use something that is whitening just because it’s an unnecessary addition of chemicals, but this is a personal preference.

So what deodorant would I recommend? Honestly, I don’t know. I’m on the search for the perfect one myself. I can tell you my dream deodorant, though (that is very weird, though, who has a dream deodorant??)

So there’s this company called Lavanila which makes deodorants that are free of most harmful chemicals, and it’s supposed to work pretty well. Sadly, they don’t sell in India. They sell in Sephora in the USA and even there they’re pretty expensive, $14 a stick (it’s a stick deo). And Sephora doesn’t ship to India. And I really can’t afford to spend 900 rupees on a deodorant.

But here's the link anyway, if you're interested.

http://www.sephora.com/the-healthy-deodorant-P237120

So I’ll keep looking among the Niveas and Doves and whatever else is there on the Indian market. If I find anything life changing I’ll be sure to update you. In the meantime, it gives me an excuse to try new brands.

Okay, this is probably too long anyway. Sorry! Anyway, please comment below, let me know what your tips / favourite deodorants are. Or you can just say hi.

Bye-bye :)

XXXXXX

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/84369496@N00/2594479138