Celebrity's Skin Whitening Craze
Tempestt Bledsoe
Actress Tempestt Bledsoe is best known for her childhood role as the dark and lovely Vanessa Huxtable on the long-running NBC sitcom “The Cosby Show.� But when she was spotted on the red carpet looking like Casper the ghost, the Web went into shock and skin bleaching rumors ran amok.
Rapper Trina
Rapper Trina’s skin bleaching before and after. The rapper Trina rose to notoriety when she was featured on Trick Daddy’s hit song “Nann Nigga.” But one thing we do know is: when a black woman dons blond hair, green contacts, and bleaches three shades lighter, there is no doubt she has a color complex.
Tamar Braxton
Tamar Braxton is an American singersongwriter, actress, dancer, and reality television personality. While sitting in a recent interview, she attributed her new color to having the Michael Jackson disease. The singer said, “Anybody with skin issues knows that that’s a very sensitive subject. And that’s why I’ve never shared that I have Vitiligo, because I do. I’ve always had it, since I was a young girl. It’s not as bad as others because everybody has it differently, but I’ve certainly had mine diagnosed. That’s why I tan. People say, ‘You bleach your skin!’ But I tan just so I can have a better tone on my skin, boo!” Vitiligo or bleachiligo? You be the judge!
Vybz Kartel
Vybz Kartel is a Jamaican dancehall artist, songwriter and businessman who actually celebrates his new, lighter look. “This is my new image,” Kartel said in an interview. “You can expect the unexpected. I feel comfortable with black people lightening their skin. They want a different look. It’s tantamount to white people getting a sun tan.”
Trina McGee
Actress Trina McGee is well known for her role on the ABC-TV sitcom “Boy Meets World,” the coming-of-age sitcom where her character, Angela Moore, represented for the chocolate sisters. She’s obviously gone through a major transformation and if the actress is brought back for the “Boy Meets World” spinoff recently green-lighted by Disney, she definitely won’t stand out from the predominantly white cast. Trina denies she’s done anything to alter her blackness, and took to Twitter to calm down shocked fans after her makeover was revealed at the “Boy Meets World” reunion. “Black does not crack. The new look is still 100% ME,” she tweeted. “No work done, just taking care of my mind, body & soul.”
Mshoza’ Mnisi
South Africa is marketed to the world as a rainbow nation, where everyone is proud of their race and heritage. But for some black South Africans, there is such a thing as being too black. Local musician Nomasonto ‘Mshoza’ Mnisi, now several shades lighter, says her new skin makes her feel more beautiful and confident. “I’ve been black and darkskinned for many years, I wanted to see the other side. I wanted to see what it would be like to be white and I’m happy,” Mshoza says.
Latoya Jackson
The love of music, singing, philanthropy and genetics are only some of the things Latoya Jackson had in common with her little brother, Michael. They also shared an addiction to plastic surgery and skin bleaching.
Yvonne Nelson
Yvonne Nelson is a Ghanaian actress, model, film producer and entrepreneur. A former Miss Ghana contestant, Yvonne shot to fame after a big screen role in “Princess Tyra� and Playboy. Yvonne has denied that she has bleached her skin.
Sammy Sosa
Sammy Sosa is a retired professional baseball player who played with four Major League Baseball teams over a 19-year career. During an interview, Sosa reportedly smiled when talking about what the cream does for his face. He said, “It’s a bleaching cream that I apply before going to bed and whitens my skin some. It’s a cream that I have, that I use to soften my skin. I live my life happily.”
Lil Kim
Lil Kim’s fellow Junior Mafia member Biggy Smalls rapped “Heart throb never, Black and ugly as ever” in his hit song “One More Chance”–and it seems Lil Kim felt no different about herself. Her black nose, lips and skin color all had to go for her complete her white/Asian makeover.
Iman Mohamed Abdulmajid
Iman Mohamed Abdulmajid is a Somali fashion model, actress and entrepreneur. From our vantage point, the side-by-side of supermodel Iman from 38 years ago and her current image suggest that something unusual has occurred to the pigmentation of her skin.
Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson – The King of Pop said that he was diagnosed with vitiligo universalis. However, in 2010, almost a year after his death, detectives found large quantities of general anesthetic and dozens of tubes of skin whitening creams in Michael Jackson’s home.
Diana Ross
Diana Ross is an iconic American singer, recording artist and actress. She is one of the first public figures to be accused of bleaching her skin. Over the years, her skin went from a nice chocolaty hue to more mellow yellow.
Lark Voorhies
Lark Voorhies, teen star who played Lisa Turtle in the hit 90′s show “Saved By The Bell,” shocked the world when she appeared on a TV interview acting like she was suffering from bipolar disorder and a skin condition. The actress vehemently denied rumors she was bipolar, but has not explained the real reason she bleaches her skin.
Halle Berry
Actress and former fashion model Halle Berry has been accused of using lightening cream to whiten her skin.