Are You Shocked and Amazed at one of the October covers of Elle Magazine?    The web and phone lines are all a buzz about one cover in particular.  Actress Gabby  (Gabourey) Sidibe is gracing the covers and it’s got Black Women speaking their mind once again.

(This image of Gabby is” Not” the Elle Magazine Cover)

The first onslaught of emails and phone calls I got were about her skin being lightened for the cover.  OK, as Black Women we spend an awful lot of time looking for products to lighten and brighten our complexion on a daily basis.  Has Gabby had such treatments but modified to the 25th power?  Or, was it the lighting?

Then to add insult to injury, You started telling me about the angle in which Gabby was photographed.  She’s a big girl that embraces her size and makes no apologies for it.  The camera gives you at least ten pounds and unless you’re thin as a rail, you’re not going to look like most of the models on the magazine covers.

I know,  first you felt betrayed by Essence Magazine when a non-African American woman, Ellianna Placas,  was brought in as Fashion Director and now Gabby lightened on the cover of Elle.  What the …. is going on!!

Halley Berry is lighter, Beyonce is lighter and so is Jennifer Hudson.  It’s part of the Celebrity Lifestyle.  They live in a world that most of us are not privy to.  So if they choose to have a microdermabrasion treatment or a chemical peel, it’s not going to be one that can be purchased over the counter at your local pharmacy.

So when you see these women and you begin to hold them up as your standard of beauty, understand that they are nipped, tucked, peeled and kneaded in order to exhibit this standard of beauty.

Did Elle lighten Gabby’s Skin for it’s cover?  It “appears” as though it was.  It certainly has Black Women talking about it but how about spending that time and energy on how beautiful you are.

What’s wrong with the Beautiful Black skin that you’re in?  Nothing!  You can have flawless skin if you’re  patient,  have a good skin care regimen, get rest and remove stress from your life.

Try it and let me know how much better you feel about yourself.

Dedicated to Your Beauty,

Juliette Samuel,

Esthetician/Publisher

http://www.nyrajuskincare.com