Real Women, Real Skin, Real Beauty: India’s Fight Against Fairness Fetishes

India’s beauty lies not just in its diversity of faces, but in the power of owning them unapologetically.
Step into any mall in India or scroll through Instagram for a few minutes, and you’ll quickly notice a pattern, ad after ad selling you “glowing skin,” “fairness in just 7 days,” or the promise of “flawless beauty.” The beauty industry here is massive, worth over ₹1.4 lakh crore and growing fast, around 10% every year. But beneath all the glossy packaging and flawless faces lies something deeper: a business built on our doubts and insecurities.
So, is it really just about makeup and skincare? Or is it quietly reshaping how millions of us see ourselves, our worth, our identity, even our idea of beauty?
It’s worth taking a closer look.
India has always had a deep appreciation for beauty just look at the intricate carvings of Khajuraho or the detailed portraits from the Mughal era. But over time, that admiration has shifted into something else. Today, it’s less about celebrating beauty and more about chasing a very narrow ideal.
Fair skin is still often equated with success. The market for fairness creams is booming worth over ₹3,000 crore and it's not just women buying them; men are part of this too.
This obsession with lighter skin is rooted in old colonial mindsets that we haven’t fully shaken off. Advertisements and brands still push the idea that fairer is better.
Social media hasn’t helped. Filters and heavily edited images set impossible standards. Add in celebrity promotions, and suddenly everyone’s idea of “normal” beauty feels completely out of reach. It’s no surprise that more and more young people, especially Gen Z, are turning to cosmetic treatments to try and keep up.
In a country where 9 out of 10 women say they feel pressured to look a certain way, beauty has become more than just a personal preference, it's become a kind of social currency.
When we start tying our self-worth to how we look, the damage goes way deeper than just skin. It's our mental health that takes the real hit. In India, a heartbreaking 70% of young girls say they feel like they’re not “good enough” because of their appearance. This comes from a study by the Dove Self-Esteem Project.
And it’s not just in their heads. The pressure is so intense that cosmetic surgeries among Indian teens have jumped by more than 30% over the past five years.
A big reason? Social media. Influencer culture constantly feeds us unrealistic beauty standards, pushing people, especially young minds into a spiral of comparison, self-doubt, and body image issues.
We’re stuck between trying to be real and trying to measure up. And for too many, that battle is costing them their sense of self.
There’s a quiet shift happening around us, and it’s powerful. While the world once shouted unrealistic beauty standards from every billboard and screen, something new is taking root, something honest.
Homegrown brands like Brownian Beauty and Sherries are tossing out the old fairness-obsessed narratives and embracing every shade, shape, and story. They’re not selling insecurity, they’re celebrating individuality.
Celebrities like Radhika Apte, Konkona Sen Sharma, and Masaba Gupta aren’t playing by the old rules either. They’re showing up as their true selves, no filters, no apologies and people are listening.
Influencers like Kusha Kapila and Dolly Singh? They’re flipping the script too. Their mix of humor, honesty, and style is redefining what “beautiful” even means.
But the real game-changer? You. The everyday person who's beginning to ask a simple but powerful question: “Why should I have to look like someone else to feel beautiful?”
That question? That’s the revolution.
We don’t need to tear the beauty industry down—we just need to rebuild it in a way that actually reflects who we are. Here's what that could look like:
Show Real People, Not Just Ideals
India’s beauty scene should look like India. That means featuring people of all skin tones, body types, backgrounds, and identities—whether that’s dusky skin, plus-size models, hijabi influencers, or trans creators. Let’s stop pretending beauty comes in just one mold.
Prioritize Mental Health
It’s not just about what we put on our faces. Brands should care about what they put in our heads, too. Editing disclaimers, warnings on filters, and more honest before-and-after content should be standard—because no one should feel “less than” thanks to a beauty ad.
Stop Selling Harmful Stories
Ads that tie beauty to fairness, weight, caste, or class? Time to move past them. If we can put regulations on cigarette ads, we can definitely crack down on messaging that quietly chips away at people’s self-worth.
Teach Kids the Truth Early
Media literacy and body positivity should be part of school life. Children deserve to grow up knowing that beauty isn’t something you chase—it's something you already have.
India’s beauty industry has a huge influence—so why not use it to uplift, not pressure?
Picture this: young girls embracing their natural curls, boys feeling comfortable using skincare, and no one believing they need to lighten their skin to land a job, a role, or love.
Because beauty should make us feel good—not insecure.
So next time you pick up a beauty product, take a second and ask yourself:
“Is this really about how I look—or how I feel about myself?”
Because in a truly confident, beautiful India, the mirror doesn’t get to decide who you are. You do.

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