A whiter shade of pale

[S_O_C_O_M]

A whiter shade of pale​

India's skin-whitening cosmetic industry is worth billions of dollars and growing, but not all of the products are safe.​

Last Modified: 02 Sep 2010 17:58

In India, real beauty is proving to be skin deep with a massive growth in the sale of skin-whitening creams.

India's obsession with pale skin has created a billion-dollar industry, with predictions it will grow in 2010 by 25 per cent.

Endorsed by top Bollywood stars in TV ads, marketers lure consumers with a bewildering supply of products that promote fair skin that they promote with bring romance or a new job after the user becomes markedly fairer.

Skin-lightening products aimed at Indian men are also booming with marketers constantly adding new products including whitening soaps, moisturisers and aftershaves.

The desire for pale skin has deep roots in India's complex caste-driven history. Those higher up the scale were typically fair-skinned while lower castes often worked outdoors and were darker skinned.

101 East looks at India's billion-dollar skin whitening industry and asks, can there be fairness in India, without fair skin?

A whiter shade of pale - 101 East - Al Jazeera English

 

[Gentle Typhoon]

@ S_O_C_O_M - Har Waqt Apne mou mia mithu achha nahi lagta.

 

[Tshering22]

A whiter shade of pale​

India's skin-whitening cosmetic industry is worth billions of dollars and growing, but not all of the products are safe.​

Last Modified: 02 Sep 2010 17:58

YouTube - 101 East - A whiter shade of pale

In India, real beauty is proving to be skin deep with a massive growth in the sale of skin-whitening creams.

India's obsession with pale skin has created a billion-dollar industry, with predictions it will grow in 2010 by 25 per cent.

Endorsed by top Bollywood stars in TV ads, marketers lure consumers with a bewildering supply of products that promote fair skin that they promote with bring romance or a new job after the user becomes markedly fairer.

Skin-lightening products aimed at Indian men are also booming with marketers constantly adding new products including whitening soaps, moisturisers and aftershaves.

The desire for pale skin has deep roots in India's complex caste-driven history. Those higher up the scale were typically fair-skinned while lower castes often worked outdoors and were darker skinned.

101 East looks at India's billion-dollar skin whitening industry and asks, can there be fairness in India, without fair skin?

A whiter shade of pale - 101 East - Al Jazeera English

Dude, seriously. What's wrong with you lot? You think you're really 'fairer' and 'superior' to us in any way? In Western countries, people risk skin cancers to get the colour that an average Indian has- wheatish. Beach rush, desert safaris, tanning parlours etc.. would you call that also inferiority complex?

It is simply that Indians like lighter skin tone just as white people want tanned and wheatish complexion. Grass always seems greener on the other side which is natural in human beings.

Pathetic excuse to malign mainstream Hinduism. "Caste" has been there in every religion on earth including Christians, Muslims, Jews and what not. This is simply because man cannot accept that he's equal to everyone else and thinks himself as special therefore creating an "I am superior" creed.

 

[gubbi]

A whiter shade of pale​

India's skin-whitening cosmetic industry is worth billions of dollars and growing, but not all of the products are safe.​

India's obsession with pale skin has created a billion-dollar industry, with predictions it will grow in 2010 by 25 per cent.

The desire for pale skin has deep roots in India's complex caste-driven history. Those higher up the scale were typically fair-skinned while lower castes often worked outdoors and were darker skinned.

A whiter shade of pale - 101 East - Al Jazeera English

Caste driven industry or not, this is a real disgrace. People with mass appeals should not endorse such products and actually there are laws which forbid marketing and sale of such products. Alas, with the demand for skin whitening creams and products and the profits involved, authorities turn a blind eye to proper enforcement of such laws. It is a shame, indeed.

Celebrities should act responsibly and stop endorsing such products.

 

[foxbat]

Caste driven industry or not, this is a real disgrace. People with mass appeals should not endorse such products and actually there are laws which forbid marketing and sale of such products. Alas, with the demand for skin whitening creams and products and the profits involved, authorities turn a blind eye to proper enforcement of such laws. It is a shame, indeed.

Celebrities should act responsibly and stop endorsing such products.

Dont agree there.. How is it any different from people doing stuff to appear tanned? Or people wearing wigs, or going under a knife to make their features sharper.?

Don't fall for stupid propoganda post by the OP

 

[Rajput Warrior]

Dude not all indians are like tht!!

Stop this nonsense!

 

[CardSharp]

Dont agree there.. How is it any different from people doing stuff to appear tanned? Or people wearing wigs, or going under a knife to make their features sharper.?

Don't fall for stupid propoganda post by the OP

What worries me most about whitening your skin is an inherent denigration/rejection of your own identity. By conscienously or unconsciously admitting you want to look like a white person, you are valuing them above your own race. Everyone should be proud of their individuality, the world would be a pretty dull place if we systematically weed out diversity in people and culture.

Also I personally don't agree with plastic surgery because of its potential for abuse by people with body image problems. Skin whiting creams may be no different.

 

[Urbanized Greyhound]

What worries me most about whitening your skin is an inherent denigration/rejection of your own identity. By conscienously or unconsciously admitting you want to look like a white person, you are valuing them above your own race. Everyone should be proud of their individuality, the world would be a pretty dull place if we systematically weed out diversity in people and culture.

Also I personally don't agree with plastic surgery because of its potential for abuse by people with body image problems. Skin whiting creams may be no different.

Isn't this what human vanity is all about ......its quite similar to a person gyming for instance to change his physique or a person changing his hairstyle......actually the argument about valueing white people above our own race is a bit too extreme.....there are significant nos. of white people in our race as well.....but then its been a historical fact that fairness is appreciated in all cultures all over the world....no exceptions in India.....though in modern times its become taboo to discriminate on the basis of skin colour........

the thread starter is deluding himself if he thinks this is just an issue with Indians in particular.....its universal.....

 

[Water Car Engineer]

I really want to face palm. I seriously think that most Indians dont care. Like seriously who cares? Get with the time(21 century hello!). And people shouldn't be making fun of this either. Because you know damn well you, your self are insecure about something. Fat, bold, skinny, dumb, what ever. So dont try to make fun of Indians because of some Indians that cant get it together. And dont try to build on your self esteem on this.

 

[Capt.Popeye]

What worries me most about whitening your skin is an inherent denigration/rejection of your own identity. By conscienously or unconsciously admitting you want to look like a white person, you are valuing them above your own race. Everyone should be proud of their individuality, the world would be a pretty dull place if we systematically weed out diversity in people and culture.

Also I personally don't agree with plastic surgery because of its potential for abuse by people with body image problems. Skin whiting creams may be no different.

Your POV makes some sense.
However most Men (and Women?) by their nature are happiest being followers. i don't think being unique means anything to many people, To my mind, it seems to be more of a conformance thing then a class thing. Because this fondness for fairness has been created and perpetuated as a social more. In some of the deep forests in Central India, people have decidedly aboriginal features and earlier their standards of being attractive did not include fair complexion. But as they were exposed to the world outside theirs, their standards stated altering.

p.s. the o.p. is ignorant or conveniently chooses to overlook that such creams/magic potions happen to have large sales figures outside Indian borders as well. But never mind.

 

[CardSharp]

Isn't this what human vanity is all about ......its quite similar to a person gyming for instance to change his physique or a person changing his hairstyle......actually the argument about valueing white people above our own race is a bit too extreme.....there are significant nos. of white people in our race as well.....but then its been a historical fact that fairness is appreciated in all cultures all over the world....no exceptions in India.....though in modern times its become taboo to discriminate on the basis of skin colour........

the thread starter is deluding himself if he thinks this is just an issue with Indians in particular.....its universal.....

There is a difference between going to the gym and using chemicals to bleach your skin. Also why is the fact that there are white people in your population matter to this discussion? Think about it, why would you bring that up?

If we can escape physical colonialism, and not mental colonialism, we still lose in the end.


(Also please please please stop using those ............pet peeve)

 

[Rajput Warrior]

Dude im a RAJPUT of indian origin... i can say easily u wont find any rajput even if he looks like coal complain abt his complexion!!!

I cant say abt most of india... but not all indians are dark and not all are complexed!

By starting such retarded threads ur being a racist biggot....

 

[S_O_C_O_M]

Here is the contact information for Al Jazeera. Please forward all concerns to them as they made this video, wrote this article.

Al Jazeera English
PO Box 23127
Doha - Qatar

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Contact us - About us - Al Jazeera English

 

[CardSharp]

Your POV makes some sense.
However most Men (and Women?) by their nature are happiest being followers. i don't think being unique means anything to many people, To my mind, it seems to be more of a conformance thing then a class thing. Because this fondness for fairness has been created and perpetuated as a social more. In some of the deep forests in Central India, people have decidedly aboriginal features and earlier their standards of being attractive did not include fair complexion. But as they were exposed to the world outside theirs, their standards stated altering.

You're right, that's probably what happened. What I am advocating here is that we don't live in another people's reality.

Often when two people meet, the course of a relationship is determined by who's reality is stronger. (if that makes any sense)

 

[CardSharp]

Here is the contact information for Al Jazeera. Please forward all concerns to them as they made this video, wrote this article.

Al Jazeera English
PO Box 23127
Doha - Qatar

Advertising
PO Box: 23123
Doha - Qatar

E-mail: advertising@aljazeera.net
Tel: (+974) 4489-7446 / 4489-7451 / 4489-7449
Fax: (+974) 4489-7472

For other information please add @aljazeera.net to the following mailbox addresses:

For press & PR enquiries: press.int
For marketing enquiries: marketing.int
For distribution enquiries: distribution.int
For advertising enquiries: advertising

For AJI programme commissioning information, please visit Al Jazeera International Commissioning: Home

If you have a comment, suggestion, complaint or praise regarding Al Jazeera English or any of our programmes, we use this information to help us provide a better service to you so please click on the Send Your Feedback link at the top of the page.

Contact us - About us - Al Jazeera English

I don't think they have a problem with the video, rather the fact that you posted it with malicious intent. A contact number isn't helpful.