India Fairness Cream & Bleach Market Outlook, 2027-28

High literacy rate, demand from single working women, beauty pageants at national and international level, pressure of society, marriage issues, desire to look beautiful and fair, etc. are some of the major factors which have pushed the market for women's fairness cream in India. The rising influence of the media and entertainment, the pressure of society to look well groomed all the time, inferiority from colleagues at the workplace, the desire to try new products launched in the country, the escalating number of young population etc. are some of the factors which have driven the market for women's fairness cream in the last few years and are still driving it. Furthermore, there are many beauty pageant shows in India that have aspired women to win the crown for the country, such as Miss World, Miss Universe, Miss India, and so on. This has created a hunger in Indian women to look beautiful and fair to compete with other women of different countries. According to the report, "India Fairness Cream and Bleach Market Outlook, 2027-28" published by Bonafide Research, the market is anticipated to grow at a near 6% CAGR during the forecast period and is expected to register a market size of around 10500 INR. There's always been a crazy obsession among Indian women for fair-toned skin. Dusky ladies are often subject to racial discrimination in their own country. There are many matrimonial sites in India that differentiate skin colour into fair, dusky, and dark. For instance, Shaadi.com, a leading Indian matrimonial website, cites fair skin as the key factor. The desire for whiter skin goes beyond the middle classes, but those who cannot afford branded, expensive products use a host of traditional remedies such as lemon juice, rose water, honey, egg yolk, cream or cumin. During the time of marriage, the boy's parents prefer a girl who has white-toned skin; else the girl is rejected most of the time. Rejections sometimes create a lot of stress and depression for the girl's family, especially the girl.

Additionally, there have been lots of advertisements prevailing in the country for many years, which give preference to fair skin only. Many Indian film stars have appeared in advertisements for whitening creams, including Katrina Kaif, Deepika Padukone, Sonam Kapoor, Preity Zinta, Yami Gautam, etc. For years, skin-lightening creams and other products have shown people, mostly women with dark skin, to have problems when it comes to finding jobs, getting married and generally being accepted by society. The makers of these ads include behemoths like Hindustan Unilever, Johnson & Johnson, and P&G. However, protests have been organised against the obsession with fairer skin, particularly on social media. Also, many campaigns were launched against racist advertisements by Fair & Lovely, Fair & Handsome, Garnier, Neutrogena, etc. For instance, actress Nandita Das, who is often referred to as "Dark" in magazines and newspapers, is actively involved in the campaign "Dark is Beautiful". Still, Indian women, somewhere, are attached to the use of fairness cream in their day-to-day lives. To deal with the situation, Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL)’s decision to remove the word "fair" from its Fair & Lovely brand of skin-lightening products comes amid the raging controversy over race and the Black Live Matter movement. Several companies have made similar moves to change branding that has been linked to a negative portrayal of black people, with even TV shows being scrapped from streaming services. Other than fairness cream, bleaching is also an option for women who want to get an instant fairness solution. The number of advertisements for fairness bleach cream is very low in India. However, only one Bollywood actress, Sonakshi Sinha, is associated with the brand "Fem". Due to this, the fairness bleach cream is not that popular as compared to fairness creams which are promoted by a large number of actresses. The market for fairness cream is expected to grow on account of growing western culture, awareness regarding fairness products made with natural or herbal ingredients, more focus towards looks and appearance, exposure to international beauty and grooming trends, more international brands making their way into the Indian market, brand endorsements by Bollywood beauties, etc. Beauty, it is said, is skin deep. Not so anymore for Indian consumers, who demand from their beauty products more than just a superficial whitening of their skin tones for a short duration. This has led to companies coming up with several products to woo consumers. In addition to this, the entry of international players into the market, e-commerce sales, and a strong distribution network are also driving the fairness cream and bleaching industry.

Make this report your own

Have queries/questions regarding a report?

Take advantage of intelligence tailored to your business objective

Ask an Expert

Manmayi Raval

Research Consultant

Further, the market is divided into two fairness cream markets and a fairness bleach market. The fairness cream market is further sub-divided into women's fairness cream and men's fairness cream markets. There are lots of national and international players present in the fairness cream and bleach market in India. Some of these national players include Dabur India Limited, ITC Limited, Emami Limited, Hindustan Unilever Limited, etc., while L'Oreal India Private Limited, Nivea India Private Limited, P& G, and Avon Beauty Products India Private Limited are some of the international players present in the Indian market. The fairness cream and bleach markets have come a long way in the country. Earlier, only women-oriented fairness creams were sold in the market, but with the increasing desire of men to improve their appearance and to look well groomed, the manufacturers began to manufacture fairness cream specially designed for men. Some of the major players in the men's fairness cream segment are Emami Limited, Hindustan Unilever, and L'Oreal. The bleaching cream market is comparatively a low-key market, but in the future, fairness bleach cream is expected to grow robustly. The fact that bleaching provides an instant fairer appearance, as opposed to fairness creams, which must be applied for months, will increase demand for the former. In this fast-paced life, women have a low patience level, and thus they would prefer an instant product rather than a long treatment. COVID-19 Impacts: Consumer spending patterns and shopping selections were influenced by the COVID-19 epidemic. As a result of several governments' taking multiple measures to restrict the spread of COVID-19, market growth has slowed slightly. Social isolation guidelines, business operating hour’s restrictions, and travel restrictions were just a few of the basic approaches during the pandemic. However, online sales of the product increased. Because of expanding disposable income, intense advertising activities, and the debut of innovative products by manufacturers, customers have seen an increase in their propensity toward various skincare products. Consumers are using skincare products earlier as they become more aware of skin illnesses and treatments, which are helping the market to grow.

Don’t pay for what you don’t need. Save 30%

Customise your report by selecting specific countries or regions

Specify Scope Now

Covered in the Report: • Fairness Cream • Women's Fairness Cream • Men's Fairness Cream • Fairness Bleach "India Fairness Cream & Bleach Market Outlook, 2027-28" discusses the following aspects of fairness cream & bleach in India: How it will help solving your strategic decision making process?? The report gives an in-depth understanding of the fairness cream & bleach market in India: - India Fairness Cream & Bleach Market Outlook - India Fairness Cream & Bleach Market Size By Value & Forecast - India Fairness Cream & Bleach Market Segmental Analysis - India Fairness Cream Market Size By Value & Forecast - India Fairness Cream Market Segmental Analysis: By Company, By Region, By Gender - India Women's Fairness Cream Market Size By Value & Forecast - India Women's Fairness Cream Market Segmental Analysis: By Company - India Men's Fairness Cream Market Size By Value & Forecast - India Men's Fairness Cream Market Segmental Analysis - India Fairness Bleach Market Size By Value & Forecast - India Fairness Bleach Market Segmental Analysis - Product Price & Variant Analysis of Women's Fairness Cream, Men's Fairness Cream and Fairness Bleach products - Key vendors in this market space - Competitive Landscape & Strategic Recommendations This report can be useful to Industry consultants, manufacturers and other stakeholders to align their market-centric strategies. In addition to marketing & presentations, it will also increase competitive knowledge about the industry. Report Methodology The information contained in this report is based upon both primary and secondary research. Primary research included interviews with various channel partners of fairness cream & bleach in India. Secondary research included an exhaustive search of relevant publications like company annual reports, financial reports and proprietary databases. Intended Audience This report can be useful to industry consultants, manufacturers, suppliers, associations & organizations related to the facial care industry, government bodies, and other stakeholders to align their market-centric strategies. In addition to marketing & presentations, it will also increase competitive knowledge about the industry.