Fair and Lovely…naam toh sunna ho ga

Fairness creams have plagued our nation for far too long. White skin supremacy has reigned beauty in South Asia and has distorted the concept of beauty to the point where your televisions are graced with patronizing ads like this:

And even product ads glaring at you on shop counters with otherwise really good people, like Zubaida Aapa..

Btw, We Tried Some Of Zubaida Aapa’s Totkay And Here’s What Happened

And it’s not just the women who are bombarded with rung gora karnay wali creams

Even major television shows constantly give you recipes to become fair (with ingredients that you think are all natural but then you see the last one)

And you’re facepalming.

In our country, whitening products are promoted as a necessity for women if they want to be accepted in society

There are countless ads that advocate the same recycled mindset. There is much more social pressure on women to have fair skin – you get ads that suggest lighter skin will get you better marriage proposals, more attention and indirectly more confidence.

While most women apply whitening creams and undergo various fairness treatments, it’s important to know what exactly you’re getting your skin into

These ingredients in fairness creams can harm you, even leading to death:

Hydroquinone, a skin bleaching agent, is the most common chemical in most shelf whitening products and can cause cancer

The substance is banned in Europe and is in the process of being banned in the U.S. too. The chemical is known to be a carcinogenic and is also highly irritable for your skin. It can harm vital organs like your kidneys and liver. It’s basically a bleaching agent and toys with your skin pigment melanin by reducing photo-sensitivity – meaning that your skin will be highly sensitive to the sun and will cause sunburn, rashes and in turn darker skin.

Fairness creams contain mercury which is detrimental for your kidneys and nervous system

The metal is sold in salt form and is far cheaper to purchase in bulk than vitamins and herbs that could be substitute ingredients. Mercury is also carcinogenic.

Steroids are also present in fairness creams and are highly dangerous

Steroids thin the skin and trigger acne, facial hair and have damaging long term effects like scarring.

Fairness products really aren’t worth it ladies. If you want to freshen up your wonderful skin and fade out blemishes and dark spots, then the following home remedies are godsends for you

You’ll easily find all the following ingredients, either already tucked away somewhere in your kitchen or at any local supermarket. Opting for any one of these remedies will leave your skin conditioned, taken care of and gorgeous!

1. Honey lemon face mask with turmeric powder and yogurt.

If you want a face mask, add a few tablespoons honey with lemon, turmeric powder and yogurt.

2. …And even lemon on its own.

Squeezing lemon on a cotton ball and dabbing your face will not only naturally freshen up your skin, but will also tame acne and breakouts.

3.  Oatmeal yogurt face mask.

A thick paste of yogurt and oatmeal flakes is the perfect combination for your skin. Kick back on a Sunday morning with this revitalizing face mask.

4. Freshly squeezed orange juice.

As delicious and refreshing as that sounds, it’s not actually to consume. Mix some of the juice with turmeric powder and dab onto your skin!

5. Honey.

Honey on its own doesn’t only help bleach the face, it also moisturizes it wonderfully, leaving baby soft skin.

6. Aloe Vera.

Aloe Vera helps regenerate skin cells and lightens blemishes and dark spots. It improves your overall skin complexion and soothes skin (especially in the summers), cooling it down.

7. Turmeric powder with milk.

Turmeric powder is the most popular remedy in South Asia. You’ll see it speckled on dhulans-to-be and in most desi guides to getting good skin. Mix turmeric powder with milk (if you have fresh goat’s milk then that’s perfect) and apply liberally onto your face and neck. Allow it to dry and settle. It’ll be hard to wash off but if you maintain this routine religiously, you’ll see a big difference.

8. Cucumbers.

Cucumbers are miracle workers for dark circles. They’ll brighten them extraordinarily. Leave fresh slices on for a few minutes each morning and rinse with cool water.

Cover Image Via healthypak.com