Skin Whitening creams are a branch of cosmetic products, which are supposed to lighten the complexion of the skin.

This might be with the help of bleaching agents or using SPF to block harmful sun rays. 

Why have skin whitening creams been criticized?
Well, it's not about creams helping someone to get rid of tan or get fair skin, but the issues are with regards to the fake beauty standards that people are getting trapped into.

Several big cosmetic organizations have standardized the beauty requirements of people around the world. 

But the problem comes with globalization, which has made people aware of what is right and what is wrong? What is possible and what is not?

People around the world now know that skin tones are different as per the region that you are from. This might be because of several environmental conditions that are affecting you.

People in South India, or Africa, or some other area is nearby to the equator, have more melanin production in their skin, which ensures that they are saved from harmful sun radiations, and also keeps sunburns at bay.

This might not be the case with people coming from northern areas, where there is more snow and less sunlight. 

How has skin evolved?
One needs to understand, skin is the biggest organ in the human body, and it has evolved as well over several thousand years and is still evolving with every interaction.

It is believed that Homo Sapiens first appeared in Africa, which they left and went to different parts of the world.

As Homo Sapiens started traveling to different parts of the world, over a course of several thousand years, their bodies started adapting to the conditions they were put into.

Therefore, people who went towards the equator were having a good amount of sunlight coming, because of which their bodies remained darker because of more melanin production, which saved them from harmful UV rays.

On the other hand, people who went away from the equator, and to places where there was less sunlight, saw a reduction in their melanin production in the skin, because of which they were able to absorb more sunlight than dark-colored homo sapiens.

These changes didn't happen to create beauty standards. White skin people usually are more prone to sunburns.

How did white become the standard of beauty?
It is difficult to say today when white skin became a standard for beauty, but it seems that people all around the world were using white lead powders to hide their complexion.

Many queens and people from rich families, used to put whitening creams and powders on their skin to look more white. When we see those ancient images, we know they looked just like a clown, but people at that time were having those norms only.

You can click here to read more about Face Powders, and how they were used to make skin look white, even though some of them resulted in poisoning in ancient days.

What can we do to control this beauty standardization?
First of all, we should understand that beauty has different meanings for every society and even for every individual.

As a consumer, we should be aware that the big companies are not selling us lies. 

Although several skin whitening creams can work when used for more than a year consistently, they work by removing blemishes and ensuring that they protect you from harmful UV rays.

There is no other way to naturally change the color of our skin. 

Another way of getting rid of these kinds of products is by not promoting and not digesting what these ad networks are selling us.

Are they selling you fair skin?

Don't follow those fake influencers or celebrities, who tell you that white is the real beauty, and you will get a good job or husband or wife only when you will have white skin.

Become aware of what are the ingredients used in manufacturing those cosmetics products. Are there any harmful bleaching agents, which will harm your skin in the long run?

Also, ensure that you teach your children and other people around you about fake claims, and try to be away from them.

But one of the biggest roles is of the government, which can stop these claims ruin the mental health of millions of people around the world, by ensuring legal regulations are strict over the cosmetic industry.

By this, it will become much easier for consumers to select from a limited set of cosmetics as there will be fewer cosmetic products reaching the shelves around the world, that market fake claims.

Conclusion
Now, when we have to conclude if skin whitening creams are really efficient, one needs to understand that skin whitening creams can help in getting rid of tanning or some blemishes, but they can't change the color of our skin.

And that too works when consumers use those creams for more than a year as it has some raw materials, whose concentrations are also low.

Again one needs to understand that, beauty is not in the color, but how humans treat each other.

Don't get influenced by Fake Claims

Stay safe, and help others in increasing awareness about fake claims made by big cosmetic manufacturing firms.