How fare is the business of Fairness Creams?


"Mummy, please get me a fairness cream." This is one of common phrases used in every Indian middle class households. No young lady wants to be left behind in this age of competition, even if it means altering the nature's gift of dark skin.


There is a very strong social fabric in India. This does not mean that racism does not exist in our country. As per my personal observation Indians are the super racist people across three major continents namely, America, Asia and Europe. It is assumed that fair skinned people tend to have higher social standing, and more opportunities to succeed than those of a darker persuasion. This is well encashed by the fairness creams industry's commercials dramatize showing the dark skinned beauty left behind in the race of life. Then there is a fairness meter strip, which shows how fair you are and after usage of product, how fair you can become. As if that fairness could lead you to paradise.

There is a no doubt over it that India has been a big market for fairness products in urban as well as rural level. Indian fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) majors are now eyeing global markets after establishing their fairness brands in domestic markets. Cashing in fairness craze Indians the FMCG majors are geared up to export their fairness brands to many other countries.

Cultural aspects behind the success of fairness cream industry -

Every Indian girl / guy dreams for a fair partner. Fair skinned wife, a handsome husband and pot full of gold along with a luxury car etc. have been a great Indian dream. It is difficult to go beyond looks while, going for arranged date resulting marriage or a traditional arrange marriage. The wife/hubby has to be fair skinned and presentable to showoff to friends and relatives.

Although dark skinned hubby can be compensated if having an extremely well economic status, where as fair skinned wife is a trophy that has been won with good luck and great match making services or good social connections. But, such dreams become merciless to the dark skinned Indian beauties being rejected just because of their color.

All parents face their worst fear, if they have a dark skinned daughter. The relatives torment them to marry off their daughter as soon as possible. It is a common practice that - highly educated and well placed girls face difficulty in finding matching grooms, whereas a fair skinned girl with simple education have more demand in marriage market.

Every way all these fairness creams speak the same story. And we continue to hear mothers cursing their daughters ever wishing, had their daughters been fair, their life would have been fair.

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Sudesh Kumar

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