If you thought all’s not fair with fairness cream, think again. Many Indians do feel it’s fair to delve deep into their pockets to have a pale skin, recession or otherwise.
“We had over 20 per cent growth of our business in India even during the economic slowdown,” country head of a Swedish multinational cosmetic company, Oriflame, Fredrik Widell said.
The figures for the northeast were even more encouraging. “The growth rate of our company in the northeast was 80 per cent during this period,” he added.
The head of the cosmetic company said its fairness cream products are a big hit in South India. In the northeast, there is demand for skin products and perfumes.
In the multi-billion cosmetic industry in India, half of all the profit comes from sale of fairness creams.
India’s obsession with fair skin becomes clear by going through matrimonial advertisements where the words “fair and beautiful” are widespread.
Even TV advertisements equate fairness to confidence, style and the difference between success and failure in this age of fairness meters.
Except Aishwarya Rai who refused to do a commercial for a fairness cream other Bollywood stars cares the least.
Experts say Indian’s obsession for getting a lighter tone can actually have harmful effects. Betnovate a steroid cream recommended for skin aliment is one of the most misused drugs in India to get a lighter skin.
However, prolonged use of this steroid cream can cause skin cancer in the same way as basking for hours on the beaches to have a tanned skin.
“Indians wants fairness cream whereas Europeans want bronzing cream for that tanned look…the grass is always green on the other side,” Widell chuckled.
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