Fair play?

Soaking in the winter sun has left your face tanned and dry... summers are bound to make it worse. Beauty experts bust the myths around fairness creams.

Soaking in the winter sun has left your face tanned and dry... summers are bound to make it worse.
Cosmetic companies report a steep rise in sales of fairness creams during summers but beauty experts warn that these creams are not the only solution, they are just a temporary aid. Contrary to popular perception, these creams don’t turn you into a swan (complexion-wise), they simply brighten your skin.

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Devapriya Khanna of Oriflame says, “Fairness creams do remove the tan. The biggest myth is that they make you fair instantaneously. The truth is that they don’t make you fair but brighten your skin and make it clearer.”
Certain creams do cause whitening of the skin but this is due to the presence of bleaching ingredients, which can harm the skin and have reactions.

Cosmetic surgeon Dr Rashmi Taneja says, “The biggest myth related to a fairness cream is that it changes your skin tone permanently making it three to four shades lighter. However, it causes only temporary lightening of the skin. It can also lead to reactions like pimples and rashes.”

Beauty experts say that one cannot become fairer than one is and no one should use a cream thinking that it will do some miracles to your complexion. Beauty expert Blossom Kochhar says, “Instead of using a fairness cream, it is always better to go for a sun screen and a Vitamin C cream.” Vanita Kapur of Revlon says, “The cream has sunscreen that fights the UV rays and a vitamin agent that acts as a lightener.” She adds, “If you are dark, you can’t become fair. Only if you are fair, you can look fairer.”

Myths
Leads to fairness
The creams are 100 per cent natural
The cream is suitable only for those looking for fairness
They give immediate results

Facts
Your skin tone is genetic and cream can only brighten the shade marginally
There are chances of adverse reactions like like pimples and rashes
It can lighten scars and surgery marks