Life in the Land of Candle Princesses
A graphic novel project on educating Malaysian teens about skin whitening culture.
The Candle Princess (Puteri Lilin) is a Malay nickname targeted at girls who avoid the sun like the plague, in fears of becoming darker. Implying that just like a candle, they’d melt from the heat. These Candle Princesses occupy a large part of Asia where skin whitening culture is glorified to unhealthy and extreme levels.
This series of graphic novels aim to educate Malaysian teenagers about the harmful nature of skin whitening through interviews with prominent media figures. It sheds light on the toxicity behind Malaysia’s culture of glorifying fair skin while bringing attention to a much-needed discussion about the matter.