Colorism and Cortisol: The Relationship Between Skin Tone and Stress

Location

LSUHSC-NO

Publication Date

April 2026

Start Date

9-4-2026 10:00 AM

End Date

9-4-2026 2:00 PM

Description

Abstract: Although race is socially constructed (Russell, 2021), racialized treatment has measurable biological effects. Colorism, differential privilege based on skin tone (Burke & Embrich, 2008; Hunter, 2007), may function as a social stressor and become biologically embedded. Cortisol biologically reflects acute and chronic stress exposure (McEwen, 1998) and has also been linked to racialized stress (Adam et al., 2015; Zeiders et al., 2018). This makes cortisol a viable measure of stress related consequences of colorism.

Using data from the Early Growth and Development Study (EGOS), we examined associations between rigorously rated skin tone and cortisol across development. Facial and close-up swatch based ratings were derived from standardized photographs. Waking and diurnal slopes salivary cortisol was assessed at ages 4.5, 6, and 7, and hair cortisol at ages 11, 13, and 15.

Correlations indicated that darker facial skin tone was associated with lower morning cortisol at age 4.5, r(330) = -.12, p < .05, and age 6, r(251) = -.17, p < .05 with small effect sizes. For cumulative stress as measured by hair, darker facial skin tone was positively associated with hair cortisol at age 11, r(79) = .29-.32, p < .05, reflecting a moderate effect size.

Importantly, swatch based skin tone ratings showed weaker associations with morning cortisol and were either nonsignificant or smaller in magnitude than facial ratings across ages.

When entered into regression models including sex and race, facial skin tone was no longer a significant predictor while being a person of color significantly predicted differences in cortisol levels.

Across outcomes, facial ratings were more strongly associated with cortisol than close up skin swatch based ratings. This suggests that broader facial phenotype, rather than isolated skin swatch tone, may more strongly capture socially perceived racialized features relevant to stress physiology.

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Apr 9th, 10:00 AM Apr 9th, 2:00 PM

Colorism and Cortisol: The Relationship Between Skin Tone and Stress

LSUHSC-NO

Abstract: Although race is socially constructed (Russell, 2021), racialized treatment has measurable biological effects. Colorism, differential privilege based on skin tone (Burke & Embrich, 2008; Hunter, 2007), may function as a social stressor and become biologically embedded. Cortisol biologically reflects acute and chronic stress exposure (McEwen, 1998) and has also been linked to racialized stress (Adam et al., 2015; Zeiders et al., 2018). This makes cortisol a viable measure of stress related consequences of colorism.

Using data from the Early Growth and Development Study (EGOS), we examined associations between rigorously rated skin tone and cortisol across development. Facial and close-up swatch based ratings were derived from standardized photographs. Waking and diurnal slopes salivary cortisol was assessed at ages 4.5, 6, and 7, and hair cortisol at ages 11, 13, and 15.

Correlations indicated that darker facial skin tone was associated with lower morning cortisol at age 4.5, r(330) = -.12, p < .05, and age 6, r(251) = -.17, p < .05 with small effect sizes. For cumulative stress as measured by hair, darker facial skin tone was positively associated with hair cortisol at age 11, r(79) = .29-.32, p < .05, reflecting a moderate effect size.

Importantly, swatch based skin tone ratings showed weaker associations with morning cortisol and were either nonsignificant or smaller in magnitude than facial ratings across ages.

When entered into regression models including sex and race, facial skin tone was no longer a significant predictor while being a person of color significantly predicted differences in cortisol levels.

Across outcomes, facial ratings were more strongly associated with cortisol than close up skin swatch based ratings. This suggests that broader facial phenotype, rather than isolated skin swatch tone, may more strongly capture socially perceived racialized features relevant to stress physiology.