This document discusses Indian fascination with fair skin and the prevalence of fairness cream use in India. It notes that dark-skinned people often feel prejudice, and that the fairness industry is worth $180 million annually and growing. It also discusses the health issues with steroid-based fairness creams and misleading advertising claims from celebrities. The reasons for preference for fair skin are explored, such as influences from the caste system and British colonialism. Some celebrities who oppose fairness cream promotion are mentioned. Recommendations include banning misleading fairness cream ads and changing mindsets about skin color not determining someone's worth.

1. Prepared by:
Anamika Sinha
Ankita Jodhani
Mimansha Bahadur
Shreya Karamcheti
Ashish Sharma
Jayesh Sancheti

2. Indian fascination
for fair coloured skin
• Dark skinned people in India feel a
prejudice towards them.
• Socio culture factors have influenced to go
for this fascination.
• Kim Barrington’s opinion is provided
credence by the size of the Indian whitening
industry worth $180 million and is growing
at a rate of 10 to 15 percent annually.
• Men’s fairness products constitutes of $40
million and is growing at a rate of 25%
annually.

3. Craze of fairness
creams in India
• Firms in India are indulged in
advertising and selling steroid-based
fairness creams.
• 60% patients with skin problems were
using self prescribed steroid based
fairness creams.
• Fairness products endorsed by top
actors contain harmful chemicals.
• Indians have varied shades of dusky
complexion all across the country.

4. • This ad shows the desperation of a
women to get fair in a comic way that
she could even apply paint on her
face to get fair.
• Likewise there are several false
promises made by actors/ celebrities
that we can get fairer with a week or
a month by application of a particular
fairness cream.
• Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PP_
Dgb-Ehfk

5. Why do Indians have
preference for fair
skin?
• Hindu Gods and Goddess with dusky skin
tone are illustrated likewise.
• Socio cultural aspect of ancient cast
system.
• Britishers cemented fairness as the symbol
of power, superiority and success in Indian
society.
• Film industries played a major role in
conditioning people’s mind-set towards fair
skin.
• Film stars endorse the miracle effect of
fairness creams.

6. Some exceptions
• Actress Kangana Ranaut
refused Rs. 2 Crore offer
of selling fairness
creams.
• Actress Nandita Das
supports “Dark is
beautiful” campaign and
even refuses skin
lightening make up
during her shoots.
• Actor-Model Dipannita
Sharma is another vocal
critique of color
prejudice.
• Actor Abhay Deol
slammed fairness cream
advertisements.

7. How other countries
are dealing with this
phenomenon?
• In Ghana, it ultimately had to put a ban on
the import and sale of hydroquinone-based
fairness products as they could lead to
many skin related ailments.
• Ivory Coast and South Africa had banned
several fairness products for having side
effects.
• But is banning, the only solution ?
• Medical issues can sill be taken care of but
what about the psychological issues which
make people with darker complexion to
experience social prejudice and low self
confidence.

8. Recommendations
• Ads for fairness creams and other fairness products
should be banned to depict people with dark skin as
inferior to those who are fair.
• Fairness and skin-lightening products are also popular in
Japan, China and Thailand, although they do not deride
dark skin in their advertising, likewise even in India the
mind-set of people should change that they are inferior in
any aspect if they are not fair.
• One should believe in his/her inner self and not judge their
capabilities on the outer appearance and thus happily
accept the skin color they are in so that they stop using
harmful skin products in the desire to get fairer.

9. THANK-YOU!!! 9