Back in the 90s and early 2000s, lightening products dominated the market. Ads with before-and-after photos of women using beauty soaps and creams purported to make you “six shades lighter” or make you “white” were all the rage. It took a collective effort—from both the beauty industry (ourselves included) and consumers of beauty products—for a tectonic shift to happen.  

“When I first started, everyone wanted to appear more white. It was the number one request in my clinic: whitening, whitening, whitening. And in the last three years, everyone says, ‘I don’t want to be white.’ A lot of people are embracing their dark colour and being very proud of it. It’s so empowering,” Dr. Vicki Belo said in an interview with Vogue Hong Kong. Our beauty goals back then were worlds away from the inclusivity we’ve embraced now. Now, the prevailing idea is to embrace your skin color, focusing instead on universal skin quality issues that affect every single one of us. Here are three reasons skin quality is more important than skin complexion.

1. Regardless of skin color, clear skin is a must.

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It doesn’t matter if your skin looks like porcelain—if it’s covered in whiteheads, pus-filled bumps, and other imperfections, your skin health isn’t at its best. Wherever your complexion may stand on the color spectrum, everyone ought to strive for clear and healthy skin, because healthy skin glows. And that’s what we all deserve.

2. It’s a way to embrace your unique heritage.

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Filipinos are kayumanggi—and despite our many connections to Chinese and Spanish blood, we were brown folk during our earliest years. Accepting your skin color for what it is shows that you embrace and honor the rich culture that unfurled over many generations to create…you. By making sure your skin is plump, hydrated, and healthy, your skin color is going to shine!

3. Good skin habits are something we will need for the rest of our lives.

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When it comes to lightening your skin, you can only ever do it up to a certain point. You’ll never get any ‘whiter’ than the whitest extent your skin will allow (unless your goal is to look as translucent as Edward Cullen). However, skin health is a practice you need to keep up forever! It’s not a habit you can pick up and put down, because as you age, your skin will need more and more TLC. So by focusing on skin quality, you’re preparing yourself for a longer-term commitment that, ultimately, will serve you better in the long run.

We hope you’ve learned to love the skin color you’re in—because we certainly do.