MMany celebrities have been accused of bleaching their skin to achieve a lighter complexion, but few have been at the forefront of the controversy as long as Rihanna. In two infamous pictures shot two years apart (2012 and 2013) she appears to have two completely different skin tones.

The truth is nobody really knows whether Rihanna used skin bleaching products to get a lighter complexion or whether the photos were retouched by a photographer to match certain lighting conditions. And, if she did, it should definitely be her own business.

Some people claim that this sets a bad example for young girls with darker complexions, but in the end, it’s her body, and if she did lighten her skin, it’s her right. After all, she’s the one that has to live in it.

What Is Skin Bleaching?

Many people outside of the cosmetics industry aren’t familiar with skin bleaching. Skin bleaching, in short, is a process that uses topical treatments like creams and gels to help lighten the color of the skin.

In many cases, skin whitening products are intended to help people with age or sun spots and skin conditions like hyperpigmentation and melasma restore their normal skin tone.

How Do Skin Bleaching Products Work?

There are scores of different skin whitening products out there. Some work by changing how much melanin the skin produces naturally, which will result in overall lighter skin when the user sheds dead skin cells.

Other skin bleaching creams are literally what they sound like – creams designed to sap the skin of its natural color. Typically, these products contain chemicals like hydroquinone that aren’t so great for the skin, and can even cause serious damage and skin problems over time.

Are There Safe Skin Whitening Products?

A lot of the controversy surrounding celebrities like Rihanna exists because people believe that all skin whitening products are unsafe. Fortunately, that really isn’t true.

Skin whitening products made with natural ingredients only are safe and they can be used effectively without long-term side effects.

Companies like Skintrium manufacture a wide variety of different skin whitening products made from natural ingredients, designed with healthy, great looking skin in mind.