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Cited by 57Racial and Ethnic Identity ResearchRace, History, and American SocietyCritical Race Theory in Education

Colorism and the racial politics of beauty

Hunter, Margaret·2021·The Routledge Companion to Beauty Politics
DOI 10.4324/9780429283734-11
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Abstract

Colorism in the beauty industry has gotten increased attention in recent years as more social media outlets and celebrities have made statements or generated controversy. This chapter investigates the history of colorism, its relationship to racism and colonialism and its evolving role in setting beauty “standards” across different societies. I use the concept of racial capital to explain how and why people try to access lighter skin or Anglo features in a marketplace of competing bodies. I also describe the “halo effect” that light skin can have on assessments of other traits such as intelligence and kindness. Together, racial capital and the halo effect help explain how colorism shapes racial hierarchies in the current beauty regime.

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Crossref · 10.4324/9780429283734-11

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  • Colourism can affect experiences in the relationship market, particularly for women.

    “Colourism also can affect experiences in the relationship market, particularly for women (Hill, 2002; Hunter, 2021).”

    From Skin shade and relationships: how colourism pits Black and mixed Black-White women against each other (2024) · cites this paper as Hunter, 2021

  • By positioning women with White or light skin as beautiful and desirable, women with dark skin are implicitly positioned as lacking in both beauty and desirability by the media and society more broadly.

    “By positioning women with White or light skin as beautiful and desirable, women with dark skin are implicitly positioned as lacking in both beauty and desirability by the media and society more broadly (Collins, 2000; Hunter, 2021).”

    From Skin shade and relationships: how colourism pits Black and mixed Black-White women against each other (2024) · cites this paper as Hunter, 2021

  • Colourism informs dominant media-sustained appearance ideals for women, which serve to privilege whiteness and light skin as attractive and desirable.

    “Operating alongside racism, colourism informs dominant media-sustained appearance ideals for women, which serve to privilege whiteness and light skin as attractive and desirable (Silvestrini, 2020; Hunter, 2021).”

    From Skin shade and relationships: how colourism pits Black and mixed Black-White women against each other (2024) · cites this paper as Hunter, 2021

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Authors
Hunter, M.
Corresponding author
Hunter, Margaret
ORCID
Hunter, Margaret
Venue
The Routledge Companion to Beauty Politics
Publisher
Routledge
Published
2021-06-18
Pages
85-93
DOI
10.4324/9780429283734-11
OpenAlex
W3176999087
Cited by
57
References
0
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 22 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 27
FWCI
54.47
Type
book chapter
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
Routledge eBooks (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Racial and Ethnic Identity Research
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Race, History, and American Society
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Critical Race Theory in Education
Keywords
colorism, beauty standards, racial capital, halo effect, racism, colonialism, racial hierarchy, beauty industry, social media, celebrity

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