And mar the beauty gifted to me by Allah? No. Never.

[ He says it with the even tones of someone who knows that he is beautiful and isn't shy about saying it. ]

Not pasty. [ He slides a look at the screen, a pinched expression on his face. ] The European obsession with pale skin is rooted in religion and concepts of purity.

Perhaps I am remembering things with a tinge of nostalgia, but the effect was often more towards achieving the impossible sheen and glow of porcelain.

Not stand-ins for corpses.