Dark, dull and pigmented skin can be caused by a lot of factors such as excessive sun exposure, pollution, poor lifestyle choices, medical condition, or even stress.
A fair and flawless skin complexion is a dream of many girls and there is no dearth of skin lightening creams and lotions available in the market.
But prolonged use of chemical-based cosmetics can harm your skin.
Tips to lighten your skin naturally
We share with you some tips to naturally lighten your skin tone and get a flawless look.
However, you need to know that you cannot go from being dark-skinned.
1. Get enough sleep
Lack of sleep can mess with your skin and face because your body needs 7 to 9 hours of sleep. You need to give your body enough time to rest to bring out the inner glow.
While you sleep, your body boosts blood flow to the skin which means you wake up with a healthy glow. But if you don't get enough sleep, your skin can look dull and lifeless, not to mention dark circles too.
See: 5 Tips to Remove a Splinter of Skin at Home
2. Drink enough water
You must drink adequate amounts of water to get hydrated and glowing skin. You should drink at least two liters of water a day to keep yourself hydrated.
Drinking plenty of water will improve the texture and appearance of your skin by flushing out toxins.
3. Use potatoes
Rub a raw potato on your skin. Raw potatoes are said to have mild bleaching properties that naturally lighten the skin, due to the high amounts of vitamin C they contain.
All you have to do is cut a raw potato in half, and rub the exposed part of the skin you want to lighten. Leave it on your face for 15 minutes and then wash it off [S].
4. Use sunscreen
You need to protect your skin from the harmful rays of the sun when outside the house and even indoors where the rays can also penetrate the glass.
Apply or spray sunscreen generously all over your body and carry sunglasses, a cap or scarf to protect your skin from the sun and pollution.
5. Moisturize your skin
You need to moisturize your skin with a daily moisturizer or face oil twice a day.
Moisturizing the skin will help you get rid of dry, flaky skin and make your skin look radiant. Hydration will give an instant boost to your skin.
6. Massage your face with olive oil and honey
To lighten your skin tone, massage your skin daily with olive oil and a pack of honey. Mix two tablespoons of olive oil and one teaspoon of honey and massage it into your skin for a few minutes.
If you have oily skin, add a few drops of lemon juice. Wipe down this pack with lukewarm water. This home remedy will give you a brighter complexion.
7. Use a facial steamer
This deep cleansing method will open the pores and clean all the dirt. But instead of using plain water, boil lemon peels in water and then use the water to steam your face.
Do this for a few minutes and then dry your face with a soft towel dampened. Vitamin C with lemon will enhance your skin tone.
8. Use cold rose water
Rose water has anti-inflammatory properties, it reduces the redness of your skin. Sprinkling cold rose water on the face will make your skin fresh and supple and also enhance it.
The best thing about using this home remedy is that you can use it at any time of the day.
9. Exfoliate your skin
You need to exfoliate your skin to get rid of the accumulated dead skin every day. Use a homemade scrub by mixing 2 teaspoons of rice powder with a little coconut oil.
Rub this mixture on your skin to get rid of tan and improve your complexion.
10. Homemade mix
Make a homemade face mask using some unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons of the paste of ripe bananas and 1 teaspoon of honey.
Mix all the ingredients and massage it on your face for a few minutes. Use a warm cloth to remove the package. This pack will improve your complexion and skin texture.
11. Use an orange peel mask
You can apply an orange peel mask to get skin brightening results. Grind fresh orange peels in cold milk and apply the paste on your face and neck.
Use this pack twice a week for naturally fair skin.
12. Make a natural face mix
To make a natural face whitening pack, combine 2 teaspoons of orange peel powder or lemon peel powder with 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of honey, and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice.
Apply this paste on your face to remove pigmentation and also to bleach facial hair and get glowing skin.
13. Use coconut
Dip a cotton ball in coconut water, some say that coconut water can lighten the skin, while also leaving it soft and supple.
Dip a cotton ball in a bowl of coconut water. Then wipe the liquid on your face or any other area you want to lighten.
Leave it on overnight and rinse it off in the morning. You can repeat this daily [S].
See: Actinic Keratosis: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment and Prevention
14. Aloe Vera Hygiene Treatment
Mix 2 teaspoons of aloe vera gel with 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric and 1 tablespoon of honey in a bowl and apply it to your face and neck.
Leave it on for 15 minutes and then wipe it off with a cotton swab soaked in cooled milk. Wash your face with cold water after wiping it with milk. This pack will enhance your skin complexion and elasticity.
15. Cucumber Hygiene Treatment
To lighten the skin tone, you can make a pack of cucumber halves by mixing peeled cucumber slices and a tablespoon of lemon juice.
Apply the herbal facial care mixture to your face and leave it for 15 minutes. Wash it off and pat it dry for glowing skin and a lighter skin tone.
16. Use a natural toner on your skin
In order to make a natural toner, you need to mix equal parts of apple cider vinegar and rose water.
Then soak a piece of cotton in the solution, wipe your face with it, and rinse it off after two minutes.
This will eliminate impurities and dead skin cells and leave your skin feeling smooth and bright. Twice a day.
17. Egg mask for skin whitening
Egg whites work wonders on your skin! Eggs have astringent properties, they can shrink your pores, tighten your skin, and lighten your skin tone as well.
To make an egg mask for skin whitening, mix two teaspoons of cornstarch and an egg white, and apply it on your face.
Those with acne-prone skin can add lemon juice to this pack for better results.
18. Use lemon juice
Apply lemon juice to your skin with a cotton ball. Many believe that lemon juice can have skin-lightening effects.
To test this theory for yourself, cut a lemon in half. Using only one half, squeeze the lemon juice into a bowl.
Use a cotton ball to absorb the lemon juice and then rub it on the area you wish to lighten.
Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes before washing it off. Use warm water to rinse, and always apply moisturizer afterwards. Repeat this 2-3 times a week (S).
- You can apply it to your face, neck, or anywhere else you wish to lighten. Avoid getting lemon juice in your eyes.
- If you feel that lemon juice is too harsh on your skin, try diluting it to half its strength with water before applying.
19. Use aloe vera
Apply aloe vera gel to your skin. The gel made from aloe vera plants is very soothing to the skin. It also moisturizes the skin and encourages its renewal.
Some believe that this enables it to fade dark spots and lighten the skin. Cut off the leaves of an aloe vera plant (available at plant nurseries) and rub the jelly-like sap all over the area you wish to lighten.
Repeat this four times daily for at least 15 days [S].
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