Beautiful, Black and British – here is my top ten. Strictly my opinion, of course. And limited by the fact that I live in the US.
1. Gugu Mbatha-Raw (1983- ), actress, South African and English descent. I saw her in “Belle” (2013). She looked like she was from heaven.
2. Naomi Campbell (1970- ), supermodel, Jamaican descent, her great grandmother was Hakka (Chinese). She is the only fashion model to make the list. Most models look and act robotic. She does not.
3. Sade (1959- ), singer, Yoruba (Nigerian) and English descent. She is my favourite singer of all time. She looks like a princess from a storybook.
4. Charmaine Sinclair (1971- ), porn model, Jamaican and Portuguese-Indian descent. I remember her from the 1990s. How could I forget: she is the most beautiful porn model I have ever seen.
5. Freema Agyeman (1979- ), actress, Ghanaian and Iranian descent. I loved her on British television in “Doctor Who” and “Law & Order: UK” in the late 2000s. She is now on US television in “New Amsterdam” in the late 2010s and is even more beautiful – at age 40! I am not sure if it is the hair, the Hollywood make-up, a subtle Americanization of her looks, or what.
6. Temi DollFace (1992?- ), singer, born in Nigeria, grew up in Britain, and says she is “Yoruba, Igbo, West Indian and a hint of Scottish”. I like her song “Pata Pata” (2013).
7. Lianne La Havas (1989- ), singer, Jamaican and Greek descent. John McWhorter says that because of the Mammy stereotype I am a sucker for “low-key, dreamy black women”. She is one of those (so is Sade). I am not generally into La Havas’s music, but it does help her to come across that way. I posted her beautiful cover of “Starry Starry Night” (2017).
8. Annie Ruddock (1963- ) was the lead singer of the ska band Amazulu back in the 1980s. See her in “Excitable” (1985).
9. Estelle (1980- ), singer, Senegalese and Grenadian descent. I loved her from the first moment I saw her in 2007.
10. Sophie Okonedo (1968- ), singer, Nigerian and Jewish descent. I adored her in “Skin” (2008).
Honourable mentions: Jorja Smith, Princess, Des’ree, Christine Adams, Leomie Anderson.
Also-rans:
- Marsha Thomason – she should probably be on this list, but I forget what she looked like in the 2000s when I named her one of the most beautiful Black women in the world.
- Iman, Alek Wek and Thandie Newton – White people seem to think they are beautiful. I am less entranced.
- Meghan Markle and Sabrina Dhowre – they seem better looking than they are because of who they are married to (Prince Harry and Idris Elba, respectively). So does Michelle Obama, I notice. I tried to separate that out, but maybe I erred on the side of caution.
Technical terms:
- Black – anyone who is at least part African (One Drop Rule).
- British – means anyone born in Britain or who calls it home.
- Beautiful – means according to my own personal, Americanized taste, which in turn is affected by stuff like charm, glamour, photogenicity and Hollywood make-up artistry. It favours actors and singers over models since more of their personality comes through.
– Abagond, 2019.
Sources: All images are from Google Images in 2019.
See also:
- From the late 2000s:
- The Mammy stereotype
- One Drop Rule
- Idris Elba
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I can’t believe Thandie Newton didn’t make this list. She is gorgeous!!
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You know, in Brazil none of them would be called black, they would be like Cirus the Great of Persia, mullatoes (pt: mulatas)
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good one.
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Interesting post.
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Lol😂
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Most of them are mix race and does the one drop rule even exist now.
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Gugu is very lovely and a great talent. Glad she got first mention in your post, as I don’t think she is getting the recognition she deserves despite the great work she is piling up in a number of films in theater and on Netflix. A class act all the way. See her in Free State of Jones.
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I remember Sophie Okonedo in a Jim Carrey from 1995.
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“according to my own personal, Americanized taste”
Very funny and at odds with your spelling. How does it feel to be home for the holidays? Will your blog get dandruffs this year?
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@ gro jo
I miss the snow! But it seems WordPress charges extra for that now.
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“2. Naomi Campbell (1970- ), supermodel, Jamaican descent, her great grandmother was Hakka (Chinese). ”
That makes her an octoroon. 1/8 Hakka to 7/8 Black, making her majority black.
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Why are the so-called, “most beautiful Black British women” all blended women with the exception of two out of ten?
Why do the majority of Black men believe “beauty” only resides in pale skin and straight hair (or as close to that “ideal vision” of beauty as possible)?
More importantly, why do Black men cling to that vision of “beauty” when they know the pain it causes Black women who look like them. Most Black men are sophisticated enough to understand the contradictions contained in that Europeanized view of beauty, yet they hang onto those ideals like shipwrecked men clinging to planks in the ocean.
What do Black men see when they look at themselves in the mirror and see rich dark skin tones, kinky/coily/curly hair and classic African features? Do they see something reflected back to them that is ugly and hateful?
I don’t.
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I’m starting to realize bigboy40 is a federal j Edgar Hoover dildo rider trolling this blog….. Fuck him…
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Is there any difference in a Gay dildo riding hen pecked leftwinger.
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@ Afrofem
When I was making the list I noticed how mixed many of them seemed. That is why I listed their descent where known, unto the fourth generation.
Black men, like everyone else in the West and beyond, certainly do have Eurocentric ideas of beauty (and much else):
I am not disagreeing about that. Part of it is internalized racism.
But also keep in mind that Britain is way less Black than the US and so these women are even more dependent on Whites for their success. And without that success I would not know about them. The main exception is Estelle, who made her name in the US with the help of John Legend. It is probably no accident she also seems to be the least mixed. She herself said that it was way easier for her to succeed in the US than in Britain.
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My potential candidates when making this list:
adelayo adedayo
alek wek
amelle berrabah
angel coulby
annie ruddock
antonia thomas
carmen ejogo
caroline chikezie
charmaine sinclair
christine adams
corinne bailey rae
cynthia erivo
dee-ann kentish-rogers
des’ree
downtown julie brown
estelle
freema agyeman
gugu mbatha-raw
iman
jorja smith
jourdam dunn
leomie anderson
leona lewis
leonora crichlow
lianne la havas
malaika firth
marsha thomason
meghan markle
mel and kim
mel b
monroe bergdorf
naomi campbell
naomie harris
princess
ruth negga
sabrina dhowre
sade
sheila ferguson
shirley bassey
sophie okonedo
temi dollface
thandie newton
zadie smith
zawe ashton
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@ Untoldstory
I think he is a troll. His views are too stereotypically right-wing, like he has put no personal thought into them.
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White women vs Black women who wins.
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Who’s the most feminine, White women or Black women.
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@Afrofem, you asked some very clear minded questions!
Personally, I believe that beauty resides in the eyes of the beholder, not the participant.
Putting it another way is to say that beauty is culturally based, and shouldn’t subjected to the contemporary global view that somehow beauty has to subscribe to at least a tint of Florentine/Europeanized features which in the vast majority of instances is merely skin deep. That’s overwhelmingly shallow! One’s personality and or character should account for something.
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@ Abagond
“…Britain is way less Black than the US and so these women are even more dependent on Whites for their success. And without that success I would not know about them.”
Good points.
My question was not a personal attack. Everyone is entitled to their notions of what constitutes beauty.
We all deal with these aftereffects of the European global invasion as best we can. It is like shoveling your way out of an avalanche.
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@ blakksage
“One’s personality and or character should account for something.”
I agree, those should be factors. I understand that men of all ethnicities are way more affected by a prospective partner’s appearance than women are. I have seen some women overcome that tendency in men by adopting an attitude of extreme confidence.
I’ve known some women who enhanced their sexual, cooking or financial skills, then zeroed in on men who appreciated those attributes more than physical beauty. They found a workaround.
I also think a lot about how little Black girls are pretty invisible in the media. Sometimes the persons casting Black girls for movies, television shows, commercials and print will cast a bi-racial girl with the rest of the family shown as chocolate colored.
It really messes with the minds of little Black girls and little Black boys and perhaps that is the point. The Powers That Be rarely miss an opportunity to inject a fresh dose of “division poison” into Black people’s minds.
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Light skinns #1,Redbones #2 and Dark skinns #3.
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@ bb40b
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@solitaire
That is the issue. Skin color is hjust one component. There are other factors into genetic makeup but then there’s also variances within populations. It’s been proven various physical semetries is what attraction is all about. And beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
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“More importantly, why do Black men cling to that vision of “beauty” when they know the pain it causes Black women who look like them.”
I don’t recall Black men putting on wigs to pretend that their hair isn’t the way it is, do you? As far as using skin lightening products, the overwhelming number of users are Black women. Anyway, all Black people don’t look alike.
Some Black women are hot:
(https://www.pinterest.com/pin/495536765234454984/)
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWpGlrrznH0&feature=emb_logo)
Some aren’t: (http://comedy.blog.austin360.com/2016/04/25/5-reasons-why-leslie-jones-may-be-the-fiercest-comic-out-there/)
(https://stylecaster.com/beauty/uzo-aduba-emmys-2015/)
(https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/mursi-woman-with-lip-plate-high-res-stock-photography/88093450)
The last link is for my ‘friend’ @ blakksage.
The pretty ones are no less authentically Black than the not so good-looking ones.
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gro jo: “The last link is for my ‘friend’ @ blakksage.”
LOL, … lip plates again??
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Why are you even wasting your time talking a black girls who are loud mouthed and mannish especially the dark skinned ones.
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“LOL, … lip plates again??” Glad to see you take it in the spirit it was intended.
I kid.
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@ bigbig40boy
“Why are you even wasting your time talking a black girls who are loud mouthed and mannish especially the dark skinned ones.”
Why are you even wasting your time with your lame attempts to troll this forum?
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” …wigs to pretend that their hair isn’t the way it is … using skin lightening products, the overwhelming number of users are Black women.”
Both examples of Black women enduring pain or discomfort to attract Black men who are addicted to European beauty standards. Thanks for buttressing my point, gro jo.
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Munroe Bergdorf?
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“Both examples of Black women enduring pain or discomfort to attract Black men who are addicted to European beauty standards. Thanks for buttressing my point, gro jo.”
You’re welcome “Afrofrem”. The standard of beauty I advocate is the one met by Ms. Anastagia Pierre and Ms. Mondiana Pierre. Nothing “European” about their looks, unless you adhere to the view, all to common among Black women that beauty is a white attribute.
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@ gro jo
“…unless you adhere to the view, all to common among Black women that beauty is a white attribute.”
I do not. Sadly, some Black women and too many Black men do hold that belief.
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The 10 women depicted in this post would never be confused for white women. How about samples of Blacks who are deemed beautiful by Blacks only because they have pale skin and straight hair?
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Since we’ve started talking about beauty, in general, I just learned today that Miss South Africa won Miss Universe. Her name is Zozibini Tunzi:
Personally, I think pageants are pretty random but I know that the representation will mean a lot to many people. Seeing a beauty queen that looks somewhat like you can’t hurt especially when it has been rare. There have been a few “non-traditional” entrants in recent times that have gone pretty far but didn’t win.
Kaci Fennell was a Miss Jamaica, back in 2014, who was light skinned but had short hair which was considered unusual for the pageant. She finished 5th. Then Davina Bennett in 2017, also a Miss Jamaica, wore an afro during the competition and finished as the 2nd runner up. Miss South Africa finally sealed the deal and took the crown with brown skin and short natural hair.
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Ms. Tunzi is a stunning beauty. Yet, as beautiful as the new Miss Universe is, most Black men in the US would elbow her aside in their rush to chat up less attractive women who happen to have lighter skin, longer, straighter hair and more European features.
It is a phenomenon I have witnessed since elementary school. Addicts have to have their fixes.
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Note: Ruth Negga, who made my list of possible candidates,has an Irish mother, not a British one.
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@ Afrofem
https://edition.cnn.com/2019/05/04/entertainment/miss-usa-miss-teen-usa-miss-america-trnd/index.html
Things change! Hopefully, the future will be better than the past.
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@ munubantu
Thank you for sharing that article. Five Black beauty queens in one year. Three sporting African texured hair. Three with chocolate toned skin. Very unusual.
Zozibini Tunzi (Miss Universe) observed:
An effect equally important for Black boys and girls. Perhaps there is hope.
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These are foreign mixed black women, American black women have attitudes and loudness. The ones with European features look way better than black Africans.
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Most black women aren’t feminine and act like men, you can’t really tell the difference between a black woman and a black transexual unless they drop their underwear. They have attitudes and aren’t feminine especially the dark skin ones, i know because a dark skinned women use to my case worker and she was sneaky and had an attitude.
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You can have all the black women you want, not me!
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I’m sure Black women are dripping in their drawers anticipating a POS such as yourself.
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That would be a funky mess if they did that but they can keep them on.
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Biggie, you do protest way too much. ‘fess up, what was the name of the dark-skinned goddess who ripped your heart to shred?
You could have avoided your fate by taking a shower and brushing your teeth once in a blue moon. Go find yourself a white slob like you.
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Lol, have you seen the list of beautiful black women they have European features and black people shouldn’t say anything about hygiene especially the dark skin ones.
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“… i know because a dark skinned women use to my case worker…”
Hmm. That explains a lot.
40boy is suffering from unrequited love for the “dark skinned women” who would not give him the time of day. Perhaps one of those women told 40boy that they are attracted to men who are smarter than a bag of hammers.
Maybe that is why 40boy comes to this site each day——for an education so he will be worthy of those lovely dark skinned women who have so far blown him off.
Keep on learning, 40boy. Keep on learning. Your chocolate queen is just over the horizon.
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NOPE, i’m light skinned and most light skinned people don’t like dark skinned women.
It’s light skinns vs black people. The women in Africa are ugly too me
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@ bigbig40boy
Rather like the funky mess in your drawers when you refuse to wear male incontinence pads. I’m sure all the ladies at the senior center will be fighting over you and your cologne d’urine. Such a prize!
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Nah, it’s the dark skinned dudes that like sagging and showing their nasty black asses to the world. I guess that why cops kill dark skinned blacks more than us light skinned homies.
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Reference:
Solitaire on Tue Dec 3rd 2019 at 02:10:35
@ bb40b
Those are incontinence pads, you featherbrain….
<
<
<
bigbig40boy on Tue Dec 3rd 2019 at 02:19:51
I know what they are too lame ass liberal, maxi pads for boys like you. I wouldn’t wear them if my life depended on them. Next incontinence panties for men. You leftwingers are something else.
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“NOPE, i’m light skinned and most light skinned people don’t like dark skinned women.”
With more education and a better job, your chocolate queen might settle for a self-described “light skinned” bb40boy like you. Maybe. She can’t have everything, right?
Just keep on learning, 40boy. You will soon be up to your velvet skinned, chocolate queen’s high standards. Then you can chat up the rich chocolate toned woman of your dreams with confidence.
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Nope, you can keep the darkies and enjoy yourself.
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“NOPE, i’m light skinned and most light skinned people don’t like dark skinned women.
It’s light skinns vs black people. The women in Africa are ugly too me”
Aha, why didn’t you say you suffer from vitiligo in the first place? It is hard going through life looking like a zebra, but you don’t need to lash out at people who are luckier than you, or despair, get help. Cosmetics won’t cure you but it will help you regain some of your old dark skinned confidence. Lol.
“Lol, have you seen the list of beautiful black women they have European features…”
Yeah!? Describe their ‘European’ features.
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https://www.health.com/condition/vitiligo/things-not-to-say-vitiligo
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@bigboy:
Quit while you’re still ahead. If you actually believe the bulls&&t you’re writing then you need therapy followed by a large dose of Ex-lax.
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@ bb40boy
Oh yeah.
You are crying out for help in landing the chocolate queen of your dreams. Of course, it will take some effort on your part. The caliber of woman you seek demands certain things from men she takes an interest in, like more education. You should complete that GED you put off so long ago.
Then take up a trade. I hear there is lots of opportunity for good paying jobs in building maintenance. Some women love a man in uniform.
Next you could work on the physical side of things. Lift those pecs, tone those abs and tighten those glutes; flabby buns are no fun. At least not to the chocolate queen of your dreams.
Keep on learning, 40boy. Keep on learning. A bit of work and you can embrace your very own love who resembles ‘a warm summer’s night’.
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Lyndsey Scott: Black beauty and brains, a nice combination.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=26&v=yUHIC9GXpKo&feature=emb_logo)
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An impressive share! I’ve just forwarded this onto a co-worker whohas been conducting a little research on this. And he actually ordered me lunchdue to the fact that I discovered it for him… lol.
So allow me to reword this…. Thanks for the meal!! But yeah, thanks for spending some time to talk about this matter here on your site.
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Charmaine Sinclair is the perfect female
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