The History of Skin-Whitening and Colorism
Skin-whitening is often talked about as a modern beauty trend, but in reality, its roots stretch back thousands of years. Across several ancient civilizations, lighter skin was associated with privilege, status, or protection from outdoor labor. In ancient Egypt, people used creams and preparations made from natural substances like honey, milk, and chalk to appear lighter. In classical China and Japan, pale skin symbolized nobility and refinement, while outdoor workers tended to tan, reinforcing class-based color differences. Over centuries, these ideas became woven into social expectations, transforming preferences for lighter skin into long-standing beauty standards.
In India, the story is layered and complex. Pre-colonial color preferences already existed to some degree through caste and regional traditions, but they intensified dramatically under colonial rule. The arrival of fair-skinned rulers, especially British administrators, created a power hierarchy that linked lighter skin with authority, intelligence, and respectability. This connection became so normalized that even after independence, the beauty industry capitalized on it, producing “fairness creams” marketed as pathways to success, marriage, confidence, and acceptance. The famous slogan “Fair and Lovely” became a cultural symbol of a color-based ideal.
By the 20th and 21st centuries, global advertising, Bollywood, and social media reinforced these colorist beliefs. Decades of product marketing promoted fairness as the ticket to better jobs, relationships, and self-worth. The cosmetic industry grew into a multi-billion-dollar machine, influencing families, shaping childhood perceptions, and pushing people to internalize the harmful message that darker skin is less desirable.
Today, anti-colorism movements challenge these toxic narratives. Activists, scholars, and everyday people are reframing beauty standards to embrace and celebrate darker skin. The history of skin-whitening shows us that colorism isn’t an isolated issue, it’s a deeply rooted system shaped by centuries of inequality. By recognizing how old these ideas are, the Nīla Project hopes to help communities break free from them and rebuild self-worth based on truth, pride, and empowerment.
