Sinder, who is the Kingdom’s first black fashion and beauty vlogger, took the internet by storm in the recent weeks when she released a video on her YouTube channel titled in Arabic ‘Yes she's black.. but she's beautiful.’ The video caught a quarter of a million views in just two weeks.
According to Sinder, the title refers to a usual offensive remark made by Arabs who believe they are complimenting a 'black but beautiful' girl without realising the racist undertones involved.
"We are told that our features are ugly but it's okay because yes, you are black - but you're also pretty and bubbly and you have good energy," she told The New Arab.
The Saudi vlogger’s videos received a flood of compliments although some comments revealed a hint of racism.
"Growing up, I always felt that my dark skin is beautiful and that I was pretty,” she said. “But that changed when I went out into society. I started to hear so many hateful, racist comments that made me hate myself for a while. I even considered skin bleaching."
Speaking of her blogging inspiration, she said "The main reason why I started blogging is because in the Middle East - Saudi Arabia to be specific – is because there aren't any social or public representatives of the 'black girl'."
"I couldn't relate to any of the public figures and style influencers I followed, and I looked for someone with my complexion so that I can benefit from their experiences but I couldn't find any. So I decided to be that person for a lot of other black Arabs."
