Health & WellbeingTwo PartIntermediateLow Frequency

IELTS Essay: In many parts of the world today there is a profitable market for products wh...

Prompt

In many parts of the world today there is a profitable market for products which lighten or whiten people's skin. What are the reasons for using such products? What effects do they have in terms of health and society?

#skin_lightening_products#colorism#beauty_standards#health_risks#cultural_context

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Band 7 → 9 — Band 7 addresses Western beauty standards and health risks; Band 9 explores pre-colonial colorism, examines why demand persists despite risks (economic opportunity, marriage prospects, employment discrimination), and distinguishes between individual choice and systemic pressure.

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Key concepts in this essay

colorism_historical_roots
socioeconomic_discrimination
beauty_industry_marketing
dermatological_safety
cultural_agency_vs_exploitation

Pitfalls the model essay avoids

Oversimplifying causes as just 'Western beauty standards' without addressing colorism within non-Western cultures, caste systems, or colonial legacies that predate modern globalization
Discussing health effects (mercury, hydroquinone risks) without explaining why people use them despite risks (economic barriers to alternatives, cultural pressure, discrimination)
Missing the two-part structure: reasons for use and effects—conflating explanation with judgment about whether effects are 'good' or 'bad' without evidence

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