New york fair and lovely cream

A blast from the past!

New York Fair and Lovely Cream was a popular beauty product in the United States, particularly among African American women, during the mid-20th century. It was a skin cream that claimed to lighten and whiten the skin, as well as reduce the appearance of blemishes and dark spots.

Fair and Lovely was introduced in the 1950s by the Hindustan Unilever company, which is now one of the largest consumer goods companies in the world. The product was marketed as a way to achieve a more even skin tone and a "fairer" complexion, which was seen as a desirable beauty standard at the time.

The cream contained a combination of ingredients, including hydroquinone, a chemical that is known to lighten the skin. However, the use of hydroquinone has been linked to serious health risks, including skin irritation, allergic reactions, and even cancer.

In recent years, the use of skin-lightening products like Fair and Lovely has been widely criticized for perpetuating harmful beauty standards and promoting the idea that darker skin tones are inferior. Many beauty experts and advocates have called for the discontinuation of such products, citing the potential health risks and the negative impact they can have on self-esteem and body image.

In 2019, Unilever announced that it would discontinue the sale of Fair and Lovely in India, where the product was widely popular. The company cited changing consumer preferences and a growing awareness of the potential health risks associated with skin-lightening products.

While Fair and Lovely is no longer widely available, its legacy continues to be felt in the beauty industry. Many beauty companies have since introduced products that promote skin care and self-acceptance, rather than skin lightening.