Amira Adawe is on a mission to ensure those who are black and brown love the skin they’re in. This week, the state recognized Adawe’s work and awarded her nonprofit, The BeautyWell Project, a $55,000 ...

· Colorism – system of inequality that views lighter skin as more beautiful and advantageous – motivates skin lightening · Users aren’t aware of adulterated ingredients in over-the-counter products ...

Skin whitening is the use of cosmetic products or services to reduce the amount of melanin, or pigment, in the skin to make it appear lighter. It’s a big industry and predominantly targets women of ...

This story is part of 'White lies', a series by CNN's As Equals investigating skin whitening practices worldwide to expose the underlying drivers of colorism, the industry that profits from it and the ...