We Indians are obsessed with fair and bright skin. Even though Indian skin is beautiful the way it is, we keep longing for a lighter complexion. Many of us are unhappy with what we have; hence, our search for a suitable fair cream never ends. We must understand that it is impossible to change our skin color completely.
What is Fairness Cream
The skin tone of a person depends on several factors, including genetics. Fairness creams contain skin-lightening or bleaching ingredients like hydroquinone. It controls the production of Melanin – a pigment responsible for the skin’s tone. Fairness creams inhibit the production of Melanin, thus making skin tone brighter to an extent. (1)
How to Choose A Fairness Cream?
While the market is flooded with hundreds of options, it is crucial to consider a few factors before selecting a fairness cream. Ensure that your cream is loaded with natural extracts and clinically tested. Moreover, if enriched with sun protection formula, it can protect you from harmful sun rays. In your cream, look for ingredients like Laminaria Japonica, Alaria Esculenta, Maris Sal, Dead Sea Salt, Vitamin C, and Vitamin B3. Avoid products containing ingredients like mineral oils, parabens, and sulfates.
Natural Alternatives
You can always bank on Mother Nature if you want a natural alternative. Regularly applying face masks containing sandalwood, yogurt, papaya, orange, lemon, and oatmeal can significantly lighten skin tone. Further avoiding exposure to the Sun, applying sunscreen lotion, and maintaining the proper CTM regimen can improve the skin tone.
Side Effects
Fairness creams come loaded with Steroids, Fragrance, Hydroquinone, Mercury, and Preservatives. Possible side effects are irritation, inflammation, skin thinning, photosensitivity, allergy, and scarring. (2)
It is possible to lighten the complexion to a couple of shades with the help of several available products. We have compiled a list featuring India’s eight best fairness creams to give you bright and beautiful skin.
8 Best Fairness Creams in India
1. Fair & Lovely Advanced Multi Vitamin Face Cream (Now Glow & Lovely)
How can we forget the good old Fair & Lovely Fairness Solution? The cream is loaded with Multivitamins (vitamins B3, C, E, and B6, and Niacinamide), which work as a face polish to give a lighter and radiant complexion. It also acts on dark spots and black marks on the skin with laser-like precision. It tackles dullness, marks, tan, dark circles, and pigmentation with uneven skin tone.
Price: Rs. 245 for 110 gm.
Also Read – Fairness Cream – How To Know Is It A Safe Bet?
2. Garnier Skin Naturals White Complete Multi-Action Fairness Cream
Garnier White Complete Multi Action Fairness Cream is the only cream with ten benefits for complete fairness, including instant whitening, sun protection, and lasting fairness. It is essentially a fairness cream for use at night, which claims to peel away dark cells during your sleep, thereby lightening the skin tone considerably. Pure lemon essence makes the skin feel fresh, moisturized, and glowing upon regular usage. The cream also comes with SPF17/PA++ to protect skin from further darkening by harmful UVA and UVB rays.
Price: Rs. 109 for 18 gm.
Fairness creams either avert tanning by providing protection from the harmful UV rays of the sun or restrain melanin-producing Tyrosinase by limiting the formation of melanocytes through bleaching ingredients. However, scientists have proved that cosmetic products can lighten our skin tone only up to 20% and not more than that.
3. Clean & Clear Clear Fairness Cream
Clean & Clear Clear Fairness Cream has a breakthrough formula that combines cherry extracts and multivitamins. It helps lighten and brighten the skin instantly, making it look fair and pink. The oil-free formulation contains a pure rice oil control system, providing fresh and non-greasy fairness that lasts three times longer than others. This cream gives fair, bright, and glowing skin and keeps it soft and moisturized. It also blocks UV rays to prevent skin darkening.
Price: Rs. 120 for 40 gm.
Also Read – Our Top 10 Picks For Ayurvedic Natural Fairness Cream (With Their Latest Prices)
Side Effects of Fairness Cream – One may experience dry and itchy skin, allergy, and pimples.
4. Biotique Botanicals Bio Coconut Whitening & Brightening Cream
Biotique Bio Coconut Whitening & Brightening Cream combines the goodness of pure virgin coconut, dandelion, and manjishtha that help reduce dark spots and blemishes to lighten the skin tone and make it brighter. It is free of chemicals and nourishes the skin deeply to make it soft, supple, and smooth. The non-greasy and lightweight cream blends easily with the skin and suits all skin types.
Price: Rs. 250 for 50 gm.
The first fairness cream was launched in 1919 and the product was known as “Afgan Snow”
5. Olay Natural White Light Instant Glowing Fairness Cream
Enriched with Vitamin B3, Pro-B5, and E, Olay Natural White Light Instant Glowing Fairness Cream has seven exclusive benefits to provide you with fair and radiant skin. Its powerful vitamin-rich formula lightens dark skin tone, brightens dull skin, reduces dark spots, evens out uneven skin tone, moisturizes dry skin, provides soothing effects, and protects skin from the Sun’s harmful rays. Applying this cream can give you a non-greasy and naturally lightened skin tone.
Price: Rs. 99 for 20 gm.
6. Garnier Skin Naturals Light Complete Serum Cream
Garnier Skin Naturals Light Complete Serum Cream is a complete fairness cream with Yuzu Lemon & Vitamin C serum. As per the product label, visible results can be observed within one week of application of this cream. This multi-purpose cream is a brightening agent and exfoliates dead skin to give you a radiant look. Its antioxidant properties give skin a natural glow and effectively minimize dark, pimple, and UV spots. This product is dermatologically tested and comes with a UV protection formula.
Price: Rs. 109 for 25g
Also Read – Multivitamins May Be Doing More Harm Than Good!
7. Pond’s White Beauty Anti Spot Fairness SPF 15-Day Cream
This fairness cream has a dark spot-reducing formula to give you flawless skin. Loaded with Vitamin B3, Pond’s White Beauty Anti Spot Fairness SPF 15 Day Cream inhibits the growth of Melanin, thus minimizing dark spots throughout the face. It also balances uneven skin tone, protects from UV rays, and hydrates skin by supplying adequate moisture.
Price: Rs. 164 for 35g
8. Lakme Absolute Perfect Radiance Skin Lightening/Brightening Day Creme
Lakme Absolute Perfect Radiance is enriched with micro crystals and vitamins. Its three powerful formulas polish, brighten and protect from UV rays to give you illuminated skin. Recommended for all skin types, the cream has a smooth consistency and minimizes dark spots, blemishes, and breakouts. It comes with SPF 30 to protect your skin from the Sun’s harmful rays.
Price: Rs. 349 for 50g
Also Read – Check Out The List Of Top 15 Fairness Creams for Oily Skins
9. Kaya Youth Oxy-Infusion Day Cream
Kaya Youth Oxy-Infusion Day Cream is a light, non-oily fair cream suitable for all skin types. Developed by dermatologists, its unique formula promotes oxygen circulation and minimizes dark spots, uneven skin tone, and pigmentation. Recommended for everyday use, this cream comes with SPF 15 formula, and regular application can make skin look flawless and glowing.
Also Read – 10 Best Soaps In India to Keep Your Skin Clean and Healthy
Price: Rs. 149 for 20g
Summary
Obsession for a fair tone is nothing new in the sub continents of India, Africa and other parts of the world. While fairness creams can control production of melanin thus removing dark spots and lightening skin color, it comes with multiple side-effects like irritation, inflammation, thinning of skin, photosensitivity, allergy and scarring. It is always recommended to use fairness creams that come with natural ingredients and avoid harmful ingredients like mineral oils, parabens and sulphates.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do fairness creams work?
Yes. Fairness creams typically lighten and brighten skin tones by controlling the production of Melanin – a pigment responsible for skin color.
Is fairness cream harmful to the skin?
Prolonged use of fairness creams can cause side effects. Some common side effects are irritation, inflammation, skin thinning, acne, etc.
Can I use fairness cream at night?
According to dermatologists, fairness creams should be applied twice daily, i.e., morning and night, for better results.
References-
- “Side Effects and Precautions of Skin Bleaching” – healthline.com
- “Skin Color, Cultural Capital, and Beauty Products: An Investigation of the Use of Skin Fairness Products in Mumbai, India” – ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
