Cosmetics
Hair texture and color can have racial undertones, and straightening or coloring has been seen by the Black is Beautiful movement as an attempt at racial assimilation.
Skin whitening, often with harsh and potentially dangerous bleaches, is common in some parts of the world particularly in China, and some parts in Asia, Africa and Jamaica. In the U.S.A. and Europe tanning is very popular although tanning has shown many times to be very dangerous and harsh to the skin. Also in white/European communities tanning is not seen as trying to change one's race. Whites have instead tried to adopt other races mannerisms (Vanilla Ice, the Beastie Boys, Eminem, Mark Walhberg, Tom Cruise playing a Samurai) In today's society skin lightening/whitening and hair coloring/straightening are seen as trying to become white/European. In many cultures such as in Asia's many cultures lighter skin was seen as someone of wealth and who did not have to work in the fields and was also a sign of beauty. Skin lightening had taken place in Asia and various places before the slavery in the U.S.A. and the Americas.
However, this movement has become rather fashionable today, and now some more criteria have appeared.
Read more about this topic: Racial Transformation