Hashtag #FlexinMyComplexion Boasts Of The Beauty Of Dark Skin

As reported by Essence, a new hashtag called #FlexInMyComplexion is gaining steam online. It apparently all began when the Twitter page @PoCBeauty launched the #FlexInMyComplexion hashtag in order to celebrate all women of color and the variety of skin tones found therein. Those who aren’t women of color shouldn’t get offended by the #FlexinMyComplexion hashtag, but understand that it’s a way for women with darker hues to combat the notion that only lighter skin tones are beautiful.

For example, the below video from BBC illuminates the fact that a Google search for “beautiful skin” results in photos of Caucasian women mainly.

The BBC trending video was first published on August 19 and has already gained nearly 4,000 views. The description of the YouTube explains the #FlexinMyComplexion hashtag trend.

“Search the phrase ‘beautiful skin’ online? You get mostly white, beautiful women. That’s one reason why a group of Twitter users started the hashtag #FlexinMyComplexion to celebrate darker skin tones. But this is the internet… so of course there was a backlash.”

Indeed, on Instagram, more than 2,800 photos appear on the #flexinmycomplexion hashtag. As such, some of those women have used the #flexinmycomplexion label in a variety of ways to show off their brown-skinned beauty. And sometimes, it is used in unexpected ways, such as the photo of the “Gulabi Gang,” described as a gang of women in India who track down and beat abusive husbands with brooms.

https://instagram.com/p/650jp7Ihfc/

Others use the hashtag to display cosmetic beauty.

https://instagram.com/p/68E8YJPUMQ

Still, other gorgeous women post photos of themselves #flexinmycomplexion at the beach, such as Javeonna Gordon wishing others a “happy (feed your melanin weather) Friday” in a stunning photo of the woman sitting in the waves at the shoreline.

https://instagram.com/p/672VErpUNF/

Joanniie Monroe, meanwhile, wrote that the hashtag represented loving one’s self and those that appreciate the real beauty of another via love. She accompanied her no-filter selfie with the #flexinmycomplexion hashtag.

https://instagram.com/p/64uKJaKpwk

“It’s all about falling in love with yourself and sharing that love with someone who appreciates you, rather than looking for love to compensate for a self love deficit.”

It’s not just women taking advantage of the trend for makeup tutorials and self-love and the like. Men such as “mainemanjflow” are using the hashtag as well, not only to celebrate the skin tone beauty but the glory of being outdoors and capturing slices of life.

https://instagram.com/p/68-YWsqptX/

“Point, focus, don’t zoom, add the sun, and capture.”

[Image via Instagram]