Ethnic skins are only mature?

[Ohna]

Harper made a thread about Race in SL and it reminded me of something that I have been noticing for a while now myself, along with some of my friends. The variety of non-white skins are increasing, which is awesome but at the same time, a lot of them have a similarity.

I noticed for some non-white skins, before Dutch Touch started and some others, it seems like it's hard to get a skin that is not mature/older looking. It's like being younger and being a different race does not exist in Second Life at all. An example is Pink Fuel. They are known for their sweet faced youthful skins. Before Kumi (correct me if I am wrong, please), there was no youthful  Asian skins. Before Dutch Touch released Jaliah, youthful Black skins were not really present, in my opinion.  Essentially, if you want to be a different race, you have to choose to look older. Some of us are younger and don't want to look older than we are or some of us are older but would like to look younger in SL.

Am I the only one to notice this? Thoughts are welcome too.

 

Edited to add: There has been a few, like vive9 and Curio, that have been different and more youthful but most of the time, different ethnic skins are usually somewhat mature.

[Ariel Vuissent]

My thought is part of it might be a shape issue? Did you try some of the other darker skins with different shapes? I know I have two skins by the same creator in the same (light) tone, and one makes me look somewhat older than the other, in my opinion. Same shape, same skintone, same creator, but a different overall effect.

[Hikari Beliveau]

I'm not sure how long Kumi has been around, but I have an Asian skin from 2009 that looks very much youthful, as well as Asian. 

However, I'm noticing rather that skins have changed a lot since I originally started Second Life in 2006. The increased quailty may be the reason for more youthful, racial skins.

[Melita Magic]

It would be great if everything existed.

Most places seem to offer skins and shapes and hair for young Caucasian females because it seems like that's what most avatars want to look like. I can't really blame creators for wanting to sell as much as possible. But, I do wish there would be more diversity in SL. I also wish there were more old people, fat people, and teens avatars too. Those are things you rarely see.

Not to mention plain people!  Those may be rarest of all.

 

[Ohna]

Shapes are a interesting point. I have done this, and every single time, the shape that the creator offers for it makes me look older than I would like to.

A friend of mine has also noticed the same.

[Ohna]

May I ask what skin? Another issue is that a lot of Asian skins only come in pale, if they do look youthful. Some Asians are pale but not all Asians are. I give Curio Jasmine props for being different in that light. I think a beta of Kumi was released in March for a special event, but the actual full skin line might not be finished.

[Ohna]

I agree with you! Hopefully, in the future of SL, there might be more of all of that.

[Janaina Delvalle]

It's not really a shape issue.

When I went to go buy a skin for my H:YS (Hogwarts: Your Story) character, who is a teenager. I could not find an Asian skin that was both youthful and dark skinned Asian. Not all Asians are light skinned. And if they're dark skinned, it doesn't mean they're Indian. So, I went with my darker toned Asian skin (Aiko from Belleza), but they come out as being adult/mature. It's like looking at a girl who learned make up too early. Even the base skin w/out makeup looks "too old"

[Hikari Beliveau]

I could've sworn it was Pleiades (https://sites.google.com/site/another/resources) since I named it as "Asian Pleiades" in my folder. Hah! I feel that the shape is what really makes a difference -- I have other Asian skins from TokyoGirl and RedGrave. Unless I have the facial features a certain way, they possibly look like Caucasian women who are pale and/or yellow.

[Lyra Blackthorne]

Check DrLife I think it is called, for young Asian, and Mother Goose.