Each of us should learn to appreciate our natural skin tone, but if there are spots caused by the sun or by advancing age, there is nothing wrong with wanting to eliminate them. Whatever color it is, your skin will certainly look better when it is clean and hydrated. If you still want to lighten it slightly, there are some natural remedies you can easily adopt at home.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Take Care of Your Skin Every Day
Step 1. Apply a moisturizer to your face in the morning and in the evening
Your skin will look clearer, brighter and healthier when nourished properly. Use a moisturizer formulated for your skin type and apply it every morning and evening after washing your face.
- For example, if you have oily skin, you should use a light product that is absorbed quickly. If, on the other hand, you have dry skin, it is better to use a cream with a richer texture. Those with combination skin will benefit the most by using a light cream on most of the face and a richer and more concentrated one where the skin is at its driest.
- Also apply a light body cream on the torso, arms and legs.
Step 2. Adopt new, healthier habits for healthier, brighter skin
Eat a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. Also try to drink at least 2 liters of water a day if you are a woman or at least 3 liters if you are a man, to keep your body hydrated. Don't overlook the importance of exercising every day for at least 30 minutes.
If you keep your body hydrated, exercise regularly and meet your daily need for nutrients through a healthy diet, your skin will naturally become clearer, more beautiful and radiant
Step 3. Use sunscreen indoors and outdoors.
In most cases, the skin darkens or stains due to exposure to ultraviolet sunlight. The best way to avoid it and prevent skin diseases that UVA and UVB rays can cause is to apply a sunscreen with an SPF of no less than 30 on the face, neck, décolleté, hands and arms every day, regardless of daily commitments. For constant protection, reapply sunscreen every two hours, especially outdoors.
Remember that your skin can also be exposed to the sun while you are in the car, when the sky is cloudy, or if you work while sitting next to a window with no curtains. It is for this reason that it is important to use sunscreen every day of the year
Step 4. Cover up when you are outdoors even if you are wearing sunscreen
Even if you protect it with cream, your skin may redden or darken when you spend time outdoors, especially during the summer when the sun's rays are at their most intense. To avoid sunburn or tanning and to keep your skin clear, cover your face and body.
- You can protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed or peaked hat, trousers and a long-sleeved T-shirt or shirt. Choose lightweight fabrics so you don't get hot. You can sit under a tree or under an umbrella to be even more protected.
- It is a good idea to avoid exposing yourself to the sun between 10:00 and 16:00, which is the time of day when the sun's rays are strongest.
Step 5. Exfoliate your skin 1-2 times a week
Exfoliating means scrubbing the skin gently to remove dead skin cells. You can use a scrub brush, a damp cloth, or a homemade scrub made with sugar or salt.
- Since the skin on the face is very fragile and delicate, it is essential to use suitable tools and products. Body scrubs are generally too aggressive to use on the face.
- Keep in mind that your skin will only lighten if it is currently darker than usual because it is tanned. By exfoliating it, you will remove the dark cells on the surface and bring out the lighter ones below that have not yet been reached by the sun.
- By adding a teaspoon of oatmeal to the cleanser you usually wash your face with, you can turn it into a scrub.
Step 6. Try to have realistic expectations
When the skin is dark by nature it is very difficult to lighten it more than a couple of tones, especially using natural methods. Protect her from the sun and exfoliate her regularly to keep her healthy and blemish-free, and use natural ingredients to make her shine.
Remember that consistency pays off, so repeat the treatments several times a week until you get the desired results
Method 2 of 2: Home Remedies to Lighten the Skin
Step 1. Make a creamy paste with turmeric
This Indian spice has been used for centuries to naturally lighten the skin. Add a few drops of olive oil to the turmeric powder, just enough to make a creamy paste, then spread a thin layer on your face and let it sit for 15-20 minutes before rinsing the skin with warm water.
- Turmeric contains a substance called curcumin, which acts as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Thanks to these properties it has the potential to illuminate the complexion.
- Turmeric can stain fabrics, so wear cheap clothes when preparing and applying the paste. The skin may also be temporarily stained, but a thorough rinsing should be enough to get it back to normal.
- You can repeat the treatment once a day as long as you wish.
Step 2. Rub a raw potato on age spots
Cut the tuber into slices and then moisten them with a few drops of water. Rub the potato slices on the skin if you want to lighten it evenly or place them on the dark spots and leave them on. Either way, rinse your face with warm water after about ten minutes.
- The starch and sugars contained in the potato have an exfoliating action on the skin, while the vitamin C, potassium, zinc and other nutrients contained in the tuber keep it toned and young, consequently making it brighter.
- The lightening action of the potatoes is delicate, which allows them to be used every day.
- If you don't have potatoes at home, you can use different vitamin C-rich fruits or vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers or papaya.
Step 3. Use lemon juice every night to exfoliate and lighten the skin
Pour a tablespoon of lemon juice into a bowl and add a tablespoon of water. Wet a cotton ball and pat it where you want to lighten the skin. After about 20 minutes, wash off the lemon juice with warm water, pat your skin dry with a soft towel, and then apply a good moisturizer.
- Repeat the treatment three times a week for the best possible result.
- Lemon juice exfoliates the skin naturally. Once the dead skin cells that accumulate on the surface of the epidermis are removed, the new and lighter ones below will come to light. The citric acid contained in lemon juice also performs a slight lightening action (like when you apply it on your hair).
- Keep in mind that lemon juice can dry out or irritate your skin, especially if it's delicate, and can make it sensitive to sunlight. If your face becomes red or feels pain or burning, immediately rinse it with plenty of water and stop using lemon juice.
Step 4. Use aloe vera gel to soothe and brighten the skin
Its capabilities against skin burns are now known, but not everyone knows that aloe vera gel contains a group of substances called anthraquinones that gently lighten the skin by removing the most superficial layer of epithelial cells. Apply a generous layer of gel to the skin and wait about 20 minutes for it to be fully absorbed. You can rinse it off, but it is not necessary since it is a very nutritious substance.
- Aloe vera gel and juice are contained in many cosmetic products, but the most natural way to use them is to apply them neat directly to the skin.
- Reapply aloe vera once a day until you get the desired results.
Step 5. Brighten the complexion with coconut water
If you're not lucky enough to have a coconut palm in your garden, you can purchase packaged coconut water from health food stores or herbalists. Wet a cotton ball and apply coconut water to your face and other areas you want to lighten. Leave it on for 20 minutes before rinsing off with warm water.
You can use coconut water twice a day for as long as you want
Step 6. Make an exfoliating mask using honey, oats and lemon juice
Their combined lightening and exfoliating action will create a mask that makes the skin visibly clearer and brighter, because in addition to removing the layer of dark epithelial cells on the surface, it will slightly lighten those below. Use lemon juice, honey, and a teaspoon of oatmeal. Apply the mask on your face and in the points you want to lighten, let it act for 20 minutes and then remove it with water.
- When you rinse the skin to remove the mask, gently massage it with your fingers making small circular movements. The oatmeal will act as a scrub, removing dead skin cells and revealing the new, clearer ones underneath.
- If you have dry skin, use cucumber instead of lemon. Apply a mixture of cucumber juice and honey in equal parts on your face and all over your body. Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes before rinsing off.
- Another option is to mix two teaspoons of oatmeal with a pinch of cinnamon and a few drops of lemon juice.
Step 7. Moisturize and brighten the skin with milk or yogurt
Pour them on a cotton ball and pat them on the skin. Leave the milk or yogurt on for 20 minutes, then rinse your skin with warm water.
- The alpha-hydroxy acids contained in milk and yogurt have the ability to gently exfoliate the skin.
- It is important that the milk or yogurt is whole because low-fat products do not contain enough enzymes.
Advice
- You can create contrast and the illusion of lighter skin by using a dark lipstick or eyeshadow.
- If you find that lightening your skin naturally takes too long, ask your dermatologist for advice on whether you can use a lightening cream and in what concentration.
Warnings
- Do not use a lightening or depigmenting cream without first consulting your doctor or dermatologist. Incorrect use could lead to an adverse reaction and the skin could be permanently damaged.
- Do not try to lighten the skin using hair bleach or bleach. In addition to not working because they have not been formulated to lighten the skin's melanin, they can cause severe damage to the epidermis.
