For this edition of Article Outrage (inspired by a tip from the lovely Leandra), commentary is almost completely unnecessary.  Let’s keep it simple: just read these excerpts from Pond’s parent company, Unilever, when referring to international Pond’s products:

In 1987, Unilever purchased Chessebrough-Pond’s. By the 1990’s, Pond’s was at the forefront of leading-edge product innovations that answer women’s unmet skincare needs. Pond’s led colour management developments in Asia and pioneered the use of AHAs for anti-aging in the US. These innovations in tune with women’s needs and beauty ideals have given Pond’s a strong position in the global skin arena.

Hold on a minute…your claims to fame are “colour management” and anti-aging? That doesn’t sound like any unmet skincare needs I’ve ever had.  In fact, it kind of sounds like repressive bullshit.  Then again, I’m a 26-year-old white girl.  Let’s see what their Asian division, which is under the same parent company and based in the Philippines, has to say about those colour management developments…

The evolution of Pond’s is a true reflection of the modern asian woman, who is confident, vibrantly happy, and dynamic. And in keeping with the times, Pond’s provides products for all face care needs, in every stage of a woman’s life, and even love.

A company that promotes confidence and happiness at “every stage” of a woman’s life – now that sounds empowering.  But where does this love thing come in, Pond’s?

Pond’s now offers various platforms such as oil control and acne solution for young women on the cusp of romantic discovery; skin lightening for those in search of true love; as well as products that provide the best-proven anti-aging technology for those who wish to renew sparks and rekindle passions.

Wait just a fucking minute, here. Are you telling me, Pond’s, that your prize products - the ones that you market to a group of women using the words confident and vibrantly happy - are products that are intended to drastically alter the way they look?  And not only that, are you actually telling me that they need to do this to discover, capture and maintain love?  How stupid do you think we are…and how superficial do you think men are?

Here are the products Pond’s lists beneath the quotes above:

• Pond’s Age Miracle
• Pond’s Age Defense
• Pond’s Flawless White
• Pond’s White Beauty
• Pond’s Clear Solutions
• Pond’s Perfect Matte

For those of you who aren’t seething with anger yet, I’ll make this abundantly clear: Pond’s effectively compares healthy dark skin and the natural process of aging to the hormonal imbalance that causes the painful bumps and scarring of acne. Not only that, but they’re saying that men will not love you if you have pimples, dark skin or wrinkles.

 

How many of you have pimples?

How many of you were born with dark skin?

How many of you plan on ever being old enough to have wrinkles?

 

If you’re not convinced, take a look at this March 2007 case study by Aneel Karnani for the University of Michigan: it lays out the negative social implications and lack of efficacy of Unilever’s “Fair & Lovely” skin lightening cream.  (My favorite part: Unilever claims that their ads “empower” women.  To do what?  Throw away their familial and racial heritage for the acceptance of a social construct that demoralizes women of color?)

See for yourself: below is a commercial (part one in a series) for Pond’s “White Beauty,” which runs in the exact same market and under the exact same premisse as “Fair & Lovely.”  (You can watch parts two through five on YouTube here.)

The products that Pond’s promotes for its “confident” female market are actually products that erode a woman’s confidence and depress her feelings of self-worth.

You know what will make me feel more confident?  Never buying a Pond’s product again.

[[Two quick notes: Skin lightening products have been in promoted in Afro-Caribbean, Asian and African markets for years, and activists have been fighting them for just as long.  Though Pond's US division doesn't sell these products, boycotting them does affect overall sales - they're owned by the same parent company.  Unilever also owns Dove, Vaseline, and other popular beauty brands. Check back soon to see how they're interconnected and whether more boycotts are prudent.]]

To contact Jennifer Nicole, the author of this post, please send e-mails to jen@thedemoiselles.com or use our contact form.

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