Sorisha Naidoo on skin bleaching: 'I was becoming too white'

Sorisha Naidoo, who was once an advocate for skin-lightening products, has for the first time opened up about the insecurities that led her to dabble in skin bleaching. 

The businesswoman and former actress rose to stardom after she scooped the Miss India SA title in 2002. 

While it was one of the highlights of Sorisha's life, it also opened up many wounds inside her. 

Sorisha told Drum magazine how some people in the Indian community frowned upon a  "dark-skinned" woman winning the crown. 

“I have never shared this, but those comments really hurt me and damaged my self-esteem. I knew I was worthy to be crowned because I’m intelligent. And after so much that our country had gone through in terms of racial discrimination, I was shocked people didn’t think a dark girl deserved to win."

Sorisha added that the self-doubt and insecurities led her to skin bleaching. Sorisha, who is married to KwaZulu-Natal business tycoon Vivian Reddy, recounted how she fell prey to what people thought about her.  

"I had to stop caring about what other people thought of me and I focused on the people who really cared about me. I was becoming too white – my skin was almost paper-thin and I became very paranoid about my looks." 

At her 40th birthday bash in October last year, Sorisha told TshisaLIVE that she felt as if she was 20. 

She said that adopting a healthy lifestyle had helped her look and feel young. 

"I feel 20. I feel like it's just starting. I drink lots of jasmine and white tea. I'm a vegetarian and I don't drink or smoke. Mentally, you have to think you are young. You have to love everyone and you cannot gossip or hate on people."