L'Oreal will remove 'whitening', 'lightening' and 'fair' from skin care products in response to Black Lives Matter protests

French cosmetics giant L'Oreal will remove words such as 'whitening', 'lightening' and 'fair' from its skin care products amid worldwide Black Lives Matter protests.

The company - one of the world's largest cosmetics firms - said in a statement that it 'has decided to remove the words white/whitening, fair/fairness, light/lightening from all its skin-evening products.'

The move follows outcry over controversial skin-lightening creams and serums, which activists claim perpetuates white skin as an ideal beauty standard. 

Such items are often sold with the promise that users will achieve 'fair' or 'flawless' skin with dark marks or blemishes reduced. 

Hindustan Unilever - the Indian and Bangladesh unit of Anglo-Dutch firm - this week said it would remove the world 'fair' from use on its 'Fair and Lovely' beauty range to create 'a more inclusive vision of beauty.'

French cosmetics giant L'Oreal will remove words such as 'whitening', 'lightening' and 'fair' from its skin care products amid worldwide Black Lives Matter protests. Pictured: An image on the company's website next to the words 'skin care whitening'

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The company - one of the world's largest cosmetics firms - said in a statement that it 'has decided to remove the words white/whitening, fair/fairness, light/lightening from all its skin-evening products'. Pictured: Two products from the brand's 'White Perfect' range

Two lines of Johnson & Johnson products have ceased production because packaging included the word 'fairness'.

It came amid global protests sparked by the killing of George Floyd in the US.

Floyd died when white police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into his neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds despite his desperate pleas that he 'can't breathe'. 

He passed out and later died in Minneapolis on May 25. His death is largely seen as a symbol of systemic racism against Black people. 

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The company's website features a list of 'skin care whitening' products which promise to give the user a 'fair, flawless complexion'

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The move follows outcry over controversial skin-lightening creams and serums, which activists claim perpetuates white skin as an ideal beauty standard. Pictured: A product from the brand's 'White Perfect' range

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L'Oreal Paris's post is support of the Black Lives Matter campaign following the protests around the world in response to the death of George Floyd; Bergdorf had called the company 'racist snakes' but said today that she was looking forward to a new and positive relationship with L'Oreal Paris  

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Transgender model and activist Munroe Bergdorf responded to L'Oreal's post on her Instagram page, telling her 260,000 followers: 'Excuse my language but I am SO angry. F*** you'

Earlier this month, L'Oreal tweeted that that it 'stands in solidarity with the Black community and against injustice of any kind' and said 'speaking out is worth it.' 

The post drew a negative reaction from people who see the company's business model and advertising as focused on white consumers.

Transgender model and activist Munroe Bergdorf responded to the post on her Instagram page, telling her 260,000 followers: 'Excuse my language but I am SO angry. F*** you.

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The statement published by Bergdorf on social media; the transgender model said L'Oreal Paris had reached out to her and they'd had an 'open and constructive conversation' about their dispute three years ago - with both parties vowing to move forward

'You dropped me from a campaign in 2017 and threw me to the wolves for speaking out about racism and white supremacy.' 

In 2017, Bergdorf was introduced by L'Oreal as the 'face of modern diversity'.

However, days after she was announced as the brand's first transgender model, Bergdorf wrote online about racism and white supremacy - and was quickly dropped from the lucrative role.

The company said Bergdorf's comments were 'at odds' with their values. 

However, the model since revealed bridges had been built with her former employer after new Brand President Delphine Viguier 'reached out' to her.

Bergdorf said the pair had shared an 'open and constructive' conversation while Viguier expressed 'regret' that the model had felt previously 'silenced' by the beauty goliath.