No More 'Skin Whitening Lotions' By Johnson And Johnson After #BlackLivesMatter

Amidst #BlackLivesMatter, the multinational Johnson & Johnson has decided to stop selling skin whitening lotions, including dark spot reducers which were also used to lighten skin tone. The product aims to profess that 'dark-spot reducer products represent fairness or white as better than your own unique skin tone,' which, the company said, was never their intention. The product market is mainly centered in Asia and the Middle East and was not sold in the United States.

“Conversations over the past few weeks highlighted that some product names or claims on our Neutrogena and Clean & Clear dark-spot reducer products represent fairness or white as better than your own unique skin tone,” the company said in a statement. “This was never our intention — healthy skin is beautiful skin," NY Times reported.

According to Euromonitor International, about 6,277 tonnes of skin lighteners were sold worldwide last year, including products marketed as anti-aging creams targeting dark spots or freckles.

The main products that Johnson & Johnson is looking to stop manufacturing are Neutrogena Fine Fairness and Clear Fairness by Clean & Clear. Since some products have already been manufactured and delivered, these might appear on shelves for a short while, but the company said, that it is working on its site to remove the links to these products. It clearly stated that it'll no longer produce or ship the product line. 

Also Read: Men Entered the Fairness Race and We Didn't Even Take Notice!

Johnson & Johnson's Band-Aid Modified To Match Skin Tones

Right since the beginning, Johnson & Johnson Band-Aids came in a lighter skin tone. When the conversation around skin colour went global after George Floyd's death in the US, the company decided to reconsider the colour in which the band-aid is available. It announced that it will start manufacturing band-aids meant to match different tones.

"We stand in solidarity with our Black colleagues, collaborators, and community in the fight against racism, violence and injustice. We are committed to taking actions to create tangible change for the Black community.," the company wrote in an Instagram Post. The company also added that it started selling bandages meant to match different skin tones back in 2005, but had to discontinue because of lack of demand.

“Since then, we’ve seen conversation increase on this topic and we were planning to bring a new offering to the market for diverse skin tones,” the company said in a statement.

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We hear you. We see you. We’re listening to you.⁣ ⁣ We stand in solidarity with our Black colleagues, collaborators and community in the fight against racism, violence and injustice. We are committed to taking actions to create tangible change for the Black community.⁣ ⁣ We are committed to launching a range of bandages in light, medium and deep shades of Brown and Black skin tones that embrace the beauty of diverse skin. We are dedicated to inclusivity and providing the best healing solutions, better representing you.⁣ ⁣ In addition, we will be making a donation to @blklivesmatter.⁣ We promise that this is just the first among many steps together in the fight against systemic racism.⁣ ⁣ We can, we must and we will do better.

A post shared by BAND-AID® Brand Bandages (@bandaidbrand) on Jun 10, 2020 at 7:00am PDT

"We stand in solidarity with our Black colleagues, collaborators, and community in the fight against racism, violence and injustice"- Johnson & Johnson

Other companies in the race of manufacturing skin whitening lotions and creams are Unilever, Procter & Gamble and L'Oreal, among others. According to Euromonitor International, about 6,277 tonnes of skin lighteners were sold worldwide last year, including products marketed as anti-aging creams targeting dark spots or freckles. Recently Indian government talked of putting a fine on companies advertising products to promote fair skin.