Once in JSS (junior high equivalent) I was waiting for a very good friend (now married with children!) to walk to the bus stop when my very light-skinned classmate stepped in front of me. She looked at me for a few seconds and said, “Jane, use the same cream you use on your body also on your face.” I assured her that I did. I used Vaseline from hair to toe. This incident remained with me because I thought it a very strange advice to give. I however did not think to ask why. But sometime back in college I came to notice what she meant. 
My face is darker than the rest of my body. Growing up I avoided mirrors at first because I was neither conscious nor interested in my looks, then because my grandmother had a way of always being present whenever I found myself appraising my reflection and she would tease and call me vain. For years, every time I looked in the mirror, I felt Nana’s eyes watching and laughing and I hurried. I noticed the difference in my skin complexion because of the winters in NYC. I got noticeably lighter during the colder days and when summer came and I began to wear less, my face was in such a way that I finally noticed what my classmate saw many years ago. I was surprised and for a minute tried using a toner and when it yielded no results I briefly considered bleaching but got scared so I gave up.
The more I looked at my darker face the more I grew to like it. The more I liked it the more I felt happy with it. I see now why it is so. All these years I have covered most of my body but my face with clothing and I never knew to protect my face. I only now know that I ought to. My face, therefore, has gone through all the seasons of my life, bare. For instance, I did a market recently and had to sit in the sun for hours and, of course, the only parts of me that were visibly exposed were my face and neck. ^_^
silk scarf: Mother’s hand-me-down
floral top (one of my favorite things ever): Mother’s hand-me-down [also here]
floral dress: rampage
crochet flower belt (on sale!) – Mawusi
stripe skirt: old navy
crochet purse: Mawusi
bead bracelet: Boybeads
yarn & fabric bracelet: Mawusi
high top sneakers: converse
