Why such a Huge Market for Fairness Creams? - Page 7

Originally posted by: return_to_hades

What bothers me is the unfair emphasis that can be placed on body image like a fairer or darker skin. In one of my previous posts I had mentioned how superficiality like complexion, height, weight (along with job and education) plays a big role in match making. Many families do give in to these and quite stringently so. Those who don't meet the desirable norms are often made to feel less of themselves and feel as if they are not worthy. There are many people who did not get an opportunity to grow up self confident and know what they are truly worth, because right from the get go they have been made to feel like they lack something.

I recently came across a client whose son suffered from an inferiority complex as he was dark skinned. He felt insecure among the fair skinned ones. Such a complex is a just perpetuated myths or maybe one's own belief which really may not have standing in today's meritocracy world.

Originally posted by: Believe

I dont like to blame any companies or ad's, use karne wala kuch bi use karega....reason kai ko pochlera hey, ye sub different verities of EGO hey bapu....Ego workout hogya tho na, to fill that ego, log kuch bi kartha hey re....😃

personaly I use shaving cream only in my face..

Its inept, yet a matter of fact that I don not use a shaving cream on my beard.

Why does a majority of fairness cream users fall prey to Garnier ? The reason lies behind the motive of the ad which shows John Abraham turn fairer and sexier in seven days. The consumers are hence deceived to buy Garnier to look sexy like John Abraham.

Do fairness creams really work? I see people applying fairness creams all their life, but I see no improvement in their skin colour. :S

Originally posted by: Angel-likeDevil

And speaking of preference of fair-skinned, it really differs person-to-person. I don't think fair-skinned are favoured as much.. I see most women and men liking the wheatish - dusky girls.

There are dark skinned woman on matrimonial sites who record themselves as fair skinned to attract grooms. The growing antipathy for dark skin should be dispelled. People should get over the obsession to attain physical beauty !

Originally posted by: tanav

There are dark skinned woman on matrimonial sites who record themselves as fair skinned to attract grooms. The growing antipathy for dark skin should be dispelled. People should get over the obsession to attain physical beauty !

Originally posted by: return_to_hades

I think if you have grown up to have a positive self image and not fall prey to such marketing then, nothing can demean you. Personally, I'm not bothered if someone desires a different skin tone or any other superficial image changes. It is after all a human choice.

Agreed.

What bothers me is the unfair emphasis that can be placed on body image like a fairer or darker skin. In one of my previous posts I had mentioned how superficiality like complexion, height, weight (along with job and education) plays a big role in match making. Many families do give in to these and quite stringently so. Those who don't meet the desirable norms are often made to feel less of themselves and feel as if they are not worthy. There are many people who did not get an opportunity to grow up self confident and know what they are truly worth, because right from the get go they have been made to feel like they lack something.

I feel placing emphasis on one physical trait or the other is purely personal choice. No one should question what one prefers. However, demeaning someone not meeting the preferred traits is unacceptable. But then, chances are that people harbor complexes because they themself feel they are inadequate or inferior because they do not have the physical traits preferred by society in general. I would say, at that point, the inferiority complex becomes more of a personal choice. Others should not be blamed for what they prefer or not prefer. Like BI said, no one can ride on your back if you don't bend it. It's hightime folks take responsibility for the way they feel about themselves and stop passing the blame to others.

Its not just India or fairness though - across the world we see people having issues due to societal body image pressures. Over here we have people going through anorexia and bulimia to be super slim.

Do we see majority suffering from bluimia or anorexia? Naheen na. If societal body image pressure was the only culprit causing each and every disorder out there then you'd see majority suffering from such disorder - not miniscule minority. Fact remains that most people, who are self conscious of their body image, use societal preference as a motivation - unlike the whiners who do nothing but blame society for each and every thing.

We are all human, we all have a bit of vanity, we all have little things we want to change, we all have appearance goals we desire. Ideally fair skin and fairness creams should just fall in that vanity market, for those who prefer and desire fair skin. Most people have issues with fairness creams and fair skin - because its gone beyond being a personal preference and choice for some people - to an unfair judgment criteria.

Again, it's a personal choice to let others' judgments affect our lives. I firmly believe in "khud hee ko ker buland itna kee har taqdeer sey pehley khuda bandey sey yeh poochhey - bata teri raza kya hai"

Originally posted by: MacGyver

Do anyone of you have any idea about "Dark and Lovely" being sold in Uganda and Congo? ... They dont use fair and lovely.

I once saw an Indian movie with Govinda where there was an extremely offending and RACY song symbolizing a cogonese woman are extraordinarily ugly. I cant remember the lines otherwise I would post the link ... but I remember the scene ... which almost made me puke.

Thats the mindset prevalent in India... whether you want to think its not there is ur wish ... LOL....

Dark and Lovely is a permanent hair color and not a fairness cream.

Racism is everywhere. Not just Bollywood, but Indian Television as well. For instance, Bidaai which was based on the same idea.

Speaking of Dark & Lovely, has anyone tried Black Soap? Its actually way better than regular soaps. It actually leaves the skin more soft, taut and really evens out the tones. They have Shea Butter in it which is like the best thing for skin. Unfortunately, due to the "Black" connotation, black soap tends to be used by African Americans only. Maybe they intend to keep it that way and prevent the rest of the world from being in on their black beauty secrets. Honestly, African Americans tend to have really good smooth even toned skins.

On this subject - I found an interesting article - http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1272/is_2730_134/ai_n16108105/ . The article discusses the notion of preference for light skin, and how it is not a western or really a white man influence - but a preference for lighter shades has been exhibited even in indigenous cultures. Research has shown that even in black magazines like ebony, the swimsuit models tend to be shades lighter than the average black woman. The emphasis for lighter shades seems to be more on women than men. It would be interesting to know how and why these social norms and expectations came by - even in cultures where dark skin is the norm.

On another side note, there is a direct relationship between melanin and collagen. People who produce more melanin tend to produce more collagen - explaining the firmer youthful skin amidst darker people. So basically its a trade off between fair skin and youthful skin. The fairer the skin - the faster skin ages. The darker the skin - the later the onset of wrinkles and fine lines.

My thoughts were wandering, and I got to thinking - its fair skin that is preferred not pale or white skin. Which is why you will never see Edward Cullen endorsing fairness cream - not even the kind that makes you sparkle. Cos even if girls and guys drool over Twilight vampires - I bet no one goes in real life - "You're so pale and translucent, so sexy"

"Nobody can make you feel inferior without you consent" -Eleanore Roosevelt.

Tell that to me again...im fat/gay/geeky/dark-skinned....and i get regularly bullied/made victim of racist insults.

ps: Me is not "me".😛