Kelly Rowland Had The Best Response To Rumors That She Bleaches Her Skin
"The darker the berry, the sweeter the juice" has long since been the motto (thank you Pac), however since the dawn of time, it seems darker-skinned black women have had it harder amongst our community. Despite the warmth of their skin and the way it absorbs and reflects light like a built-in Trophy Wife, it has long been an insecurity amongst a lot of us taught to self-hate, to feel less than, unpretty, and ultimately inferior to lighter and whiter skin.
In recent years, the wave of self-love has had a beautiful effect in the way we accept ourselves and glorify our beauty, acknowledging our beauty and our skin like the liquid gold that it is. Still, there are some of us that have missed the memo, especially in parts of the world where an exposure to black people other than Zendaya and Rihanna as symbols of black beauty might be few and far between. For those reasons, skin bleaching still unfortunately remains a thing.
Recently, rumors of Kelly Rowland bleaching her skin caught wind. And although it's a rare thing that she acknowledges the haters, the famously dark-skinned beauty wanted it to be resoundingly clear that she loves her skin and reppin for Team Chocolate will be her forever mood. She hopped on IG stories with the quickness and said:
"I just landed in LA and I saw that a lot of people are like, 'Oh my God she bleaches her skin.' Now, I never answer questions like this because I think it's so stupid or even say anything about comments like this, but I am not the one to bleach my skin. Nor do I want to bleach my skin. Nor do I have to bleach my skin. I don't even think that that—it's not for me."
The 37-year-old went on to explain that her perceived "lighter skin" could be due to a number of factors in a video or photo, like lighting, and reiterated that skin bleaching is a definite "no" for her.
"I am still chocolate, forever chocolate, proud to be chocolate. Shout-out to all my chocolate girls."
With a complexion as gorgeous as Kelly's, how could you not be loud and proud about your shameless love for self? In a world where you're taught to hate the skin you're in, seeing such unequivocal self-love is not only a good thing, it's also needed.
Featured image by Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Rihanna Talks Shedding Expectations And Finding Balance As A Mother
Since becoming a mother in 2022, Rihanna has defined parenthood by her terms and hopes to pass that sense of autonomy on to her children.
For Vogue China’s April cover story, Rihanna shared her perspective on raising her two sons with A$AP Rocky, and how she hopes to preserve her children’s uniqueness, devoid of societal expectations.
"The most beautiful thing...is that [children] come into the world with their own individuality and sincerity, without any logic or conformity,” she told the publication. “Which usually makes you feel that you must fit into a certain group."
The “Work” artist, known for her trendsetting style and captivating persona, expressed her desire to support children in fully embracing their individuality and encouraging them to be whoever they want to be. "It's really beautiful to see and I want to continue to help them navigate that and make sure that they know they can be whoever they want to be,” she says.
She continues, “They should embrace it completely, because it's beautiful, and it's unique. I love them just that way."
From shattering music charts to shaking up the beauty industry, Rihanna has forged a path that has since created the “dream” life we see today. One that she says has made her parents proud of.
“I’m living my dream,” she continued. “My parents were very proud of that because they just wanted me to be happy and successful. So, I think the key thing is to find some kind of balance. Yes, balance is important. Do this and you get the best of both worlds. You can write your own life the way you want, and it will be beautiful. Sometimes, you just need to let go of everyone’s expectations and start living your own story.”
Rihanna, who shares sons, RZA, 23 months, and Riot, 8 months, with rapper A$AP Rocky, recently shared her vision for expanding her family in the future in Interview Magazine.
When stylist Mel Ottenberg asked about the number of additional children she hoped to have, Rihanna replied, "As many as God wants me to have.”
"I don't know what God wants, but I would go for more than two. I would try for my girl,” she adds. “But of course, if it's another boy, it's another boy."
Featured image by Neil MockfordWireImage