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Looking for a FAIR, slim and homely girl for our only son.’ This is how most matrimonial advertisements in India read. Twenty three year old Shraddha Pandey was depressed when her marriage proposal was rejected because of her dusky skin complexion. Shraddha says “I felt terrible when I was rejected only because of my skin color. It is ironic but true that skin color plays a very important role in indentifying the personality of an individual in India.”
There is a lot of stress on being fair in India. It has been seen that Indians are usually obsessed with fair skin and they equate fair skin with beauty, success and happiness. A fair skinned person is considered attractive.
To tap the growing demand for fair skin, many established cosmetic companies produce skin lightening creams, face washes, herbal gel or lotions that promise to turn your complexion fair. However, it has been seen most individuals do not get satisfactory results even after trying various products.
Well Known Dermatologist, Dr Sharmila Patil from Fortis hospital says, “Each individual has a different skin type and hence his need for a fairness cream is different. The fairness creams that are available in the market are designed to cater to normal skin types and hence may not suit every complexion. Using an umbrella to protect your skin from the harsh sun rays can be effective in taking care of your skin complexion.”
Dr Sharmila Patil adds, "Milk contains lactic acid which acts as a skin lightening agent. Hence the tradition of having bath with milk existed in the olden days.”
You can try effective homemade remedies from ingredients that are easily available and can make your skin fair and radiant.
Let’s understand effective home remedies to get fairer looking skin.
Exfoliation is essential if you are experiencing aging signs like freckles or dark spots. It helps to remove dead skin cells and lightens the skin tone.
Exfoliation is needed for at least once in a week to see noticeable results in a month. You can prepare homemade scrubs with small rough grains of sugar crystal, salt, or flecks of walnuts that are suspended in gentle bases.
a) Make thick puree of strawberry/ mango / banana. Add ½ tsp sugar grains and stir till the sugar melts in the fruit puree. Add 1tbsp of honey to give your skin a luxurious shine. Scrub your face with these scrubs in gentle strokes. Then wash your face with cold water.
- Prepare natural skin lightening creams.
a) Take 1 tbsp cucumber juice, tomato juice, lemon juice and sandal wood paste and mix them. Apply this paste on your face and leave it to dry. Wash with cold water and then apply some moisturizer. Regular use of this mask will bequeath a natural look in just a couple of weeks.
b) Take a glass of boiling water and dried fennel. Let the herb stand for one hour and then remove from water. Add one tbsp butter milk. Apply the mixture to your face. Leave for 15 minutes and wash with cold water.
c) Mix two equal proportions of eggs white and lemon juice. Heat the mixture till it is semi solid in nature. Apply the mixture on your skin and leave it for 15- 20 minutes. Then rinse off with cold water. You can store the remaining mixture in a jar. Refrigerate the mixture for good results.
d) Soak almonds in water overnight. Peel them off in the morning. Make a paste and add equal quantity of honey to it. Apply on the skin and let it dry. Wash the face with cold water.
e) Gram flour has skin whitening agents. Take 2 tbsp of gram flour; add a pinch of turmeric, few drop of lemon juice and few drops of milk cream (you can skip this ingredient if you have oily skin). Make a paste and apply on the skin.
The products that are available in the market usually have natural products and chemicals that lighten the skin. They may promise you for a fairer skin but you do not know what side effects it may bring along. Well known Dermatologist, Dr. Shankar Sawant from Kokilaben Dhiruhai Ambani hospitals says, “Very few fairness creams are effective. In fact the chemical used in them frequently causes skin irritation, burning and at times even darkens the skin one.”
Preparing homemade natural creams may be a little time consuming but you can be sure that you are using natural ingredients that will definitely Not cause any harm.
Remember, the skin color should never be considered as a hurdle in your life. The global fashion industry has also started embracing South Asian dark skinned models.
So be proud, and make other gaze over your confidence and your skin color.
