colorism
The Best of the Best
These Were the Most Read Stories on Allure in 2021
We'd like to think you know a little more about manicures, melanin, and Martha Stewart now than you did at the beginning of the year.
By Allure Editors
BEAUTY & BURDEN
How Colorism Shapes Black Girlhood
Three writers share how looking Black has colored their lives with heartache and hope.
By Michaela Angela Davis, Zeba Blay, and Ateh JewelPhotography by Delphine Diallo
COVER STORY
On Color — and Colorism — In Thailand
Makeup artist Nick Barose celebrates his home country's diverse and underrepresented skin tones.
By Nick BarosePhotography by Wasan Puengprasert
COVER STORY
Tiwa Savage, the Queen of Afrobeats, Fights the Patriarchy
Tiwa Savage blends a mix of English and Yoruba, her native tongue, to stick up a major middle finger to the patriarchy.
By Danielle Kwateng
THE ROYALS
Meghan Markle's Experiences Prove the One-Drop Rule Is Still a Barrier for Black Folks
In an interview with Oprah, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry confirmed that some members of the Royal Family had "concerns" over the color of their child's skin.
By Shamira Ibrahim
Making Changes
Orcé Cosmetics Wants to Change How Asian Women Are Represented in Beauty
Yu-Chen Shih chatted with Allure to share the ethos of her foundation line and Orcé's new charity initiative.
By Devon Abelman
BLACK LIVES MATTER
Is This Finally the End of Skin Whitening?
The BLM movement set off a worldwide conversation about racism and colorism, and many beauty brands that have long marketed "whitening" products are quickly changing course.
By Darian Symoné Harvin
THE FUTURE OF BEAUTY
The Future of Diversity in Video Games
From improved customization in The Sims 4 to Rockit's teeny-weeny Afro in Stacks on Stacks (on Stacks), the tides are finally changing.
By Nicola Dall'Asen
The Beauty Industry
Unilever to Rename Its “Fair & Lovely” Brand of Skin-Lightening Products
Popular in Asian markets, Fair & Lovely has faced growing pressure to discontinue its products.
By Marci Robin
color cause
Women Are Requesting This IV Treatment For a Controversial Reason
Here's the one controversial treatment no one's talking about yet.
By Meirav Devash
No More Trolls
Racist Trolls Are Targeting Khloé Kardashian’s 5-Month-Old Daughter on Instagram
Kardashian has since disabled Instagram comments.
By Andrea Park
muslim women's day
Rejecting Beauty Standards That Reject My Brownness
How coming to terms with my dark skin redefined beauty for me.
By Tasnim Ahmed
Body
Meghan Markle Reveals What It's Like to Be a Biracial Woman in Hollywood
"To this day, my pet peeve is when my skin tone is changed and my freckles are airbrushed..."
By Marissa G. Muller
Identity
Why Queen Sugar Actress Dawn-Lyen Gardner Felt "Freakish" Growing Up
The actress gets real about exoticism.
By Sharlyn Pierre
Lifestyle
Why This Photo of Five Black Women Is Receiving So Much Backlash on Instagram
"Didn't have to centralize the lightest skin one...how typical."
By Devon Abelman