Morung Express Feature
Dimapur| May 23
Most people want to have fair skin. The obsession for fair skin is seemingly rooted since time immemorial where being fair was considered beautiful by all means, irrespective of the crooked nose or squint eyes. And Nagas are quite familiar with this apparition. Yes, Nagas prefer fair skin. It may seem a little strange considering most Nagas have fair complexion. But this till doesn’t stop them from making ‘fairness creams’ the highest selling cosmetic product in the local market.
According to the county’s sales manager of the renowned international cosmetic brand Mary Kay, in Nagaland, the company’s fairness cream is the largest selling range of products in addition to being the second largest contributor of sales in the entire country. The most prominent name in fairness cream- ‘Fair & Lovely’ has been a hot favourite for generations among Nagas as well. Some people swear by it. The cream which comes in a tube is affordable and associated with a trustworthy brand ‘Hindustan Unilevel Limited,’ has captured the imagination of Nagas with pretty looking faces in its advertisements. The marketing formula adopted by the company has actually prompted many Nagas especially girls to try the product irrespective of the end result. Even men are targeted with ‘Fair and Handsome.’ And most men this daily spoke to don’t deny that they use it or have tried using.
Most shops across Dimapur selling cosmetic products say that ‘Fair & Lovely’ is the most preferred among whitening creams. Ponds and Garnier fairness and lightening creams also sell well but not as good as ‘Fair & Lovely,’ shopkeepers say. The manager of Ankit stores located in church road says that ‘Fair & Lovely’ cream sells on a daily basis. Renowned herbal queen Shehnaz Hussain’s fairness products sell most among herbal products, it is observed. Most beauty parlours offering facial treatments say that Shehnaz Hussain’s treatments are the most preferred among Naga customers.
Second to the ‘Fair & Lovely’ fairness cream are the Burmese made creams which throng Hazi Park market. Nagas who indulge in China and Burma made cosmetics also often look for fairness products. According to a man who owns a shop in Hazi Park selling such products, two names ‘Jiaoli’ and ‘Ruiqian’ fairness creams is the highest selling. These shops which deal mostly in wholesale trade say that people from mostly small towns buy these creams in bulks. On an average daily basis, these two ‘imported’ brands sell higher than any other product available in these shops. The rush doesn’t end here. Fairness face wash and soaps also move off the rack often. Godrej’s fairness soap is a big hit among many young girls, sales people say. So no matter how much Nagas deny the love for fair skin, the market proves otherwise.
