Unilever Announces A Rebranding of Its Skin-Lightening Lines Is Underway

They are removing words like "fairness" and "light" from their products.

By Olivia Wohlner, Editorial Assistant · Jun 26, 2020

MARCO DE SWART / Stringer / Getty Images

Unilever has announced that they are changing the name of their Fair & Lovely line in the wake of a global justice and inclusivity movement. The company acknowledges that its messaging promotes the inappropriate admiration of light skin and that it’s imperative that their target market is broad enough to fit any customer.

Noting this decision as “the next step in the evolution of its skin care portfolio to a more inclusive vision of beauty,” Unilever assures that they will remove words such as “fairness” and “lightening” from their marketing. Although they have yet to announce a new name for The Fair & Lovely brand, it will be declared in the coming months.

Unilever is also changing the aim of these products: “We have progressed all communication of product benefits towards ‘glow’, ‘even tone’, ‘skin clarity’ and ‘radiance,'” the company has noted. “We recognize that the use of the words ‘fair’, ‘white’ and ‘light’ suggest a singular ideal of beauty that we don’t think is right, and we want to address this,” explains Sunny Jain, head of Unilever’s Beauty & Personal Care.

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We continue to be committed to building an inclusive culture and a workforce that fully reflects the diverse communities we serve. There is a lot to do and we continue to make progress. We’re proud that 42% of our US Leadership Team identify as people of color. Seventeen (17) percent identify as Black. Of our US corporate employees, 30% identify as people of color. Eight (8) percent identify as Black. And more than 50% identify as women. We are dedicated to fostering a culture that denounces racism and intolerance and promotes diversity and equal opportunity. These values are the foundation of our business. Earlier this week, we laid out specific areas of action to help create systemic change and to address institutionalized racism. In addition to creating a more diverse and inclusive workforce: -We are donating more than $1 million to organizations and activists including @blklivesmatter, @naturbanleague @bailproject and National Bail Fund Network. -We will continue to increase our work with and investment in diverse suppliers. -We uphold a zero-tolerance policy on intolerance – both among our Unilever employees and suppliers, customers and partners that work with us. -We will add our voice and influence to advocate for safe and fair access to voting this November. #pullupforchange #pulluporshutup @axe @babydovecare @benandjerrys @breyers @caress @degree @dove @dovemencare @hellmannsmayonnaise @klondikebar @knorr @liptonusa @lovebeautyandplanet @magnum @nexxushaircare @popsicle @qtips @schmidtsnaturals @seventhgeneration @sheamoisture @stivesskin @suave @talenti @tazo @therighttoshower @tresemme @vaselinebrand

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Unilever isn’t the only company that’s rebranding and bashing negative portrayal of minorities. Quaker Oats is rebranding all Aunt Jemima pancake products, and Dreyer’s said they will change the name of their cult-favorite Eskimo Pie ice cream, referring to the name as “derogatory.” Johnson & Johnson is also doing its part by discontinuing two lines of skin-lightening products that have a following in Asia: Neutrogena Fine Fairness and Clean & Clear Fairness.