Huda Beauty’s Vagina-Lightening Blog Post Sparks Controversy

It goes without saying that beauty mogul Huda Kattan, founder of the eponymous makeup line, has broken barriers as one of the few Muslim women to find huge success as a blogger and business owner. And while her fame has no doubt been a major step forward for diversity in the beauty industry, an April 2018 blog post from her site sends a confusing message. The title: "Why Your Vagina Gets Dark And How To Lighten It."

"We’re busting myths as to why lightning your lady parts with natural ingredients may not be working, and how you can actually improve it (if that’s what you want!)," reads a sentence from the introductory paragraph. But the truth is, there's literally nothing to "improve." The post then goes into demystifying "DIY vagina lightening hacks," using ingredients like lemon juice, yogurt, coconut oil, and egg whites. While the "hacks" explore ways to lighten your vagina, they seem to be referring to the vulva instead. (Note: It's usually a good idea to consult your OB/GYN and dermatologist before putting topical ingredients on your vagina or vulva.)

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The five tips to "lighten the color down there" are not without other issues. The first item on the list recommends that readers "reach [their] ideal weight," adding that "excess weight can lead to friction, which can cause darkening." Fat-shaming undertones aside, it also oversimplifies a cause of genital hyperpigmentation to a number on a scale.

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Commenters didn't hesitate to call the blogger out on the post, leaving responses like "Gigantic FAIL - Shame on you Huda," and "So a 'lighter' everything is preferred to 'dark' .... ?? Even in 2018." One of the top-voted comments directly called out the hugely problematic undertones, writing, "Love you but this is totally unnecessary and problematic. Now women have to lighten their genitals? This is reminiscent of colorism and racism. Women shouldn't be expected to lighten any part of their skin. I wish you wouldn't post stuff like this. Skin whitening is really bad."

In response to the backlash, the Huda Beauty team issued an update at the top of the post, which reads as follows: "Hey guys, we wanted to address some concern over this topic. We appreciate and respect everyone’s opinions on this subject and want to express that we do not feel lightening your vulva (vagina/ lady parts/ VJJ,) is necessary. Our goal is to give details for those who may wish to, by sharing expert advice from a leading dermatologist. We’ve seen a lot of harmful DIYs on the internet, so we hope this post provides the best information on the topic and offers safe ways for people to do this, should they wish to."

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