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Skin is amazing. It takes life’s bumps and bruises and always bounces back. It shows the world how we feel and lets us feel the world. Yet skin means different things to different people. To African American women, skin is a source of identity and pride, reveals a new Vaseline Skinvoice Survey. The word African American women use most often to describe their skin is “beautiful” (59%), followed by “strong” (30%). Thirty percent say their skin is a source of their heritage and one-fourth say it’s a source of pride. Almost half of African American women say their skin tells a story of who they are and identifies them.

What does your skin mean to you? That’s the question being asked in Vaseline’s Skinvoice Campaign, featuring award-winning actress and star of NBC’s “Law & Order” S. Epatha Merkerson and music artist Kelly Rowland (formerly of Destiny’s Child), which invites people to share their thoughts and join a dialogue at skinvoice.com. At the site, people can also enter to win a chance to meet Merkerson and Rowland at the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans July 5th through the 7th.

“There are times when people look at you and before you utter a sound they know what you’re thinking. You get goose bumps when you’re excited, you’re clammy when you’re nervous, and you’re warm when you blush; your skin has a way of reflecting your inner thoughts.”- S. Epatha Merkerson

“Plenty of water, the careful amount of sun and great moisturizers are important. My skin houses my temple so it is important to me to give my skin the care it deserves.” - Kelly Rowland

Pride in Skin
Eighty-nine percent of respondents in the Vaseline Skinvoice survey say taking care of their skin is “very important.” In fact, African American women rank “skin” as “most important to them” (49%) above their hair, figure, make- up and clothes.

More than three quarters of the women surveyed (77%) report they are happy with the color of their skin and never wished they could change it. In fact, when asked what they love most about their skin, the number one response given was “its color.” Now that’s black pride.

Visit the website to read S. Epatha Merkerson’s and Kelly Rowland’s full stories and thoughts from other women across the country. And if you’re proud of your skin, stretch marks, keloids, moles and all, share your own thoughts on skinvoice.com.

Love the skin you’re in.