Global skin whitening market analysed

The rights and wrongs of this viewpoint are debatable, but the fact remains that many Asian people, and in particular women, seek to lighten their skin tone in the quest for beauty. The use of skin whitening products is also widespread throughout Africa. The World Health Organization reported1 that in Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Togo, 25%, 77%, 27%, 35% and 59% of women, respectively, are reported to use skin lightening products on a regular basis. The market for skin whitening products is now very much big business, with an Asian market value of around US$13 billion2 (out of a total beauty market value of $80 billion). This high proportion illustrates the importance of skin whitening to the Asian demographic as well as to the personal care industry. However, there are signs that not all parts of Asia are continuing to witness a skin whitening boom.

The Indian experience

India has always been seen as a country particularly in love with the concept of fair skin, as well as the development of whitening products. In 2010, India’s skin whitening market was worth $432 million and growing by 18% per year. The World Health Organization reported that in India, 61% of the dermatological market consists of skin lightening products. Products are endorsed by the two pillars of Indian celebrity culture: cricket players and Bollywood actors, helping to win over men to the idea that fairer skin can elevate their perceived status. In recent years, there has been a backlash against this concept, notably from Bollywood actress Nandita Das, who has joined the campaign, ‘Dark is Beautiful’. Kavitha Emmanuel, director of Women of Worth3 which founded the campaign, said recently: “Our goal is not to point fingers but to rather instigate and inspire change. It’s time for a new wave of thinking towards skin colour. It’s time to redefine beauty. Not based on skin colour, but on a person’s innate worth.” A recent report by market research firm AC Nielsen suggests there was a slowdown of skin whitening sales volume during 2012. The report said that there was a 4.5% negative growth in 2012 despite the overall skin care market doing well. This could indicate that Indian consumers are starting to disengage with the idea that fairer skin is preferable, or at least that it is necessary to change the tone of skin one is born with. It is worth noting however that the Global Industry Analysts’ report that was published only a few months earlier claimed that the skin lightening market was looking set to continue boosting the overall skin care market for years to come across Asia. The report said that the skin lightening market was projected to reach a value of $19.8 billion by 2018 with increasing use by men helping to keep the industry growing.