NEW DELHI: Indian scientists are hoping to turn camels’ milk into a skin-care product that would wipe away wrinkles and lighten the complexion, a report said on Monday. The government's team of camel researchers, which has already pioneered such products as camel milk ice cream, said it has found cosmetic properties in the hardy mammal’s milk.

“The cream developed from camel milk has been given to a hospital's skin department to study it on 20 people for at least four months,” centre director K.M.L. Pathak told the United News of India agency.

“Only after laboratory experiments and tests would the cream be produced commercially,” said the chief scientist of the unit, which is based in the desert state of Rajasthan and has bred a herd of 270 camels for research projects.

Having fairer skin is something of a national obsession in India and has helped spur massive growth in the beauty industry, currently worth around Rs180 billion ($400 million) annually.—AFP