Amidst bleaching controversy, Blac Chyna launches her skin lightening cream in Lagos

American model, Blac Chyna, has partnered with Whitenicious to launch her own $250 cream which claims to restore the skin’s natural glow. Lets shed some light on all that went down at the launch of the product in Lagos.

By now, it is no longer news that Angela Renee White, popularly known as Blac Chyna, American model and mother of two, arrived in Nigeria for the launch of a special product in collaboration with Whitenicious.

Whitenicious was launched in 2014 and created by Nigerian Cameroonian singer Reprudencia Sonkey, popularly known as Dencia, who herself appears to be significantly lighter than she was a few years ago. The products range from dark knuckles and knees cream to dark spot removers, from a knuckles eraser pen to papaya soap and brightening scrubs.

However, the recent buzz came from the 'Whitenicious X Blac Chyna Diamond Illuminating & Lightening Cream' which claims to restore the skin’s "natural glow," reduce "the visibility and intensity of age spots by lightening their appearance" and improve "the appearance of dull, discoloured skin by visibly stamping out unevenness to leave the complexion illuminated."

The Swarovski crystal-studded jar of cream goes for $250 only.

The product launch

The days before the launch were packed with backlash from celebrities and social media, dissuading the launch. There were comments from Jackie Aina, Lupita Nyong'o, Burna Boy, and lots more.

The Cameroonian singer responded to the comments by saying:"I didn’t see this energy when fair and white launched their products In Nigeria, the then NAFDAC boss even attended, blogs who posted it wanna talk shit now. Whew, Chile the hypocrisy, wait nvm fair and white is white owned."

On Sunday, November 25, the new Whitenicious X Blac Chyna product was launched at the flagship store in Ikeja, Lagos, with supporters and press present, including popular LGBTQA and pop culture figure, , who also has her own line of skin lightening products.

Also present were the creators, Dencia and Blac Chyna, who arrived at the venue with a parade of security detail, three hours late.

When asked if she was worried about the impression that bleaching products have on impressionable young women, Dencia responded: "I'm not worried about nobody because the products are safe. They're steroid free, hydroquinone free, mercury free. It's the best and safest products in the market. [They are] made in America, FDA approved, NAFDAC approved... so I'm not worried."

Though she ignored the bigger issue of colourism, the main topic of the initial backlash, it is obvious that she is confident in the potency of her products.

As we've said earlier, though, this Blac Chyna-bleaching debacle is only a symptom of a much more profound disease.

See more pictures of the event below.