Our skin gets badly affected by the pollution, chemicals, dirt, dust, harmful sunrays on regular basis which leads to uneven skin tone. There are some other factors like nutritional deficiency, dry skin, stress, poor lifestyle choices, use of chemical products, allergic reactions etc. which also makes the skin dark and dull. The regular skin damage can cause skin problems like acne scarring, age spots, dark circles, blotches, blemishes or other skin conditions. There are many products available in market to cure these problems and give you an even skin.
The most popular skin product is skin whitening cream or the fairness cream, scar bleaching cream and age spot reducing creams. All these creams have ingredients to lighten the skin tone to give it a unified appearance. Many women bleach their skin for instant lightening of skin but it is not always a safe option.
Skin bleaching and its effect
Some people especially women bleach their skin to remove the blemishes, spots, and general unevenness of their skin. The even tone skin without any spots and speckles gives a younger appearance to the body. Bleaching can be considered as the alternative to loads of makeup which you use to hide the uneven skin conditions.
Commonly, hydroquinone and mercury is used as the main ingredients in the skin lightening products and it works by inhibiting the production of skin pigment Melanin. The prolong use of these chemicals can be toxic, it can darken the skin and promotes premature aging. Hydroquinone is banned in many countries as it is found to be a potential carcinogen.
So rather than exposing your skin to possible chemical threat by using chemical based skin lightening products, you can use the following natural ingredients to brighten and lighten your skin to get a fair and flawless look.
Yogurt
This protein rich source is good for skin as it provides instant nourishment. It contains lactic acid which has bleaching properties and it works very effectively in lightening all types of skin naturally.
How to use it
- You can simply rub it on your skin and leave it for few minutes so that it can nourish your skin. Wash it off with lukewarm water, use this tip everyday for several weeks to get the change in our skin tone.
- Mix one tablespoon of yogurt with one half tablespoon of honey and blend it well. Apply this paste on your face and neck by massaging it gently on your skin. Leave it for 15 minutes and wash it off with lukewarm water. Use it daily for effective results.
- Make a face mask by mixing yogurt with little lemon juice and oatmeal. This treatment will moisturize your skin and make it supple.
Oranges
Vitamin C is known for its bleaching properties and oranges are rich source of it. Regular consumption of oranges can improve the overall texture of your skin and make it flexible.
How to use it
- Mix two tablespoon of orange juice and pinch of turmeric powder. Apply it on your face and neck massaging it gently with your fingertips. You can also apply it on your hands and legs. Leave it for 30 minutes and wash it off with lukewarm water. Do it daily to get faster results.
- Dry orange peels and make a powder of it. Mix one tablespoon yogurt with one tablespoon powdered orange to make a paste. Apply this paste on your face and neck. Leave it for 20 minutes and wash it off with lukewarm water. This treatment will lighten your spots and other marks but don’t use this treatment more than twice a week.
Gram flour
This is another rich source of protein and works wonders for the skin by making it healthy and lightening the complexion. It removes the excess oil from the skin but retains its natural moisture making it supple and refreshed.
How to use it
- You can make a paste of gram flour with normal water or rose water. Apply this paste on your exposed skin and let it dry completely. Wash it off with water, do it daily to get a clean and radiant skin.
Honey
This is popular as a natural moisturizer but it also has skin lightening properties. Regular use of honey on the skin removes the dryness and its antibacterial properties takes care of the acne scars and age spots.
How to use it
- Apply honey on your face once a day, leave it for few minutes and rinse it off with water. Do it daily to get a refreshed and bright skin.
- You can prepare a skin lightening mask by mixing 1 teaspoon of honey, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of powdered milk with one and half teaspoon of almond oil. Apply it on your skin and leave it for 15 minutes. Wash it off with cold water. You can use this treatment on every other day.
Lemons
This natural bleaching ingredient is rich in antioxidants and vitamin C which promotes new cell growth and prevent development of scars on skin.
How to use it
- Apply freshly squeezed lemon juice on your face with the help of a cotton ball. You can also rub a cut lemon directly on the skin. Let the juice stay on your skin for an hour and then wash it off with water. Do it daily to lighten your skin.
- Make a mixture of 3 tablespoon of lemon juice with a tablespoon of turmeric powder. Spread it on your skin evenly and leave it for half an hour. Wash it off with water. use this treatment once daily.
- You can also make a mixture of lemon juice, powdered milk and honey. Apply it on your skin and leave it for 20 minutes. You can use this treatment on every other day.
If you have breaks or wounds on your skin then avoid using this treatment as acidic nature of lemon juice can cause pain to you. You should also avoid it if you are allergic to lemons.
Aloe Vera
This is very good for treating hyperpigmentation and restoring the original skin complexion. It promotes new cell growth, repair damaged tissues, lighten dark spots and improve the overall skin complexion.
How to use it
Cut the Aloe Vera leaf and squeeze out the thick, jelly like substance. Apply this gel on your skin and leave it for 30 minutes. Wash it off with water. Use this treatment twice daily for two weeks to get effective results. You can use Aloe Vera gel if you don’t have its plant.
Papaya
This is a nutritious ingredient which is extensively used in several beauty products. It lightens the skin and nourishes it immensely to make it glow.
How to use it
- You can eat the fruit to cleanse the skin internally
- Rub the fruit on your skin and let its extract dry. Wash it with cold water.
- Make a mixture of mashed ripe papaya and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Apply it on your face and neck, leave it for 30 minutes. Wash it off with cold water. Use this tip once a week for effective result.
Turmeric
This ingredient needs no introduction for its health and beauty benefits. Its antiseptic and antioxidant properties gives a nice glow to your skin and makes it healthy
How to use it
- Make a thick paste by mixing turmeric powder and milk cream. Apply this paste on your skin, let it dry and wash it off with lukewarm water. Regular use of this treatment will lighten your skin tone effectively.
- Prepare a face mask by mixing 2 teaspoons of gram flour, one and half teaspoon of turmeric powder with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Apply this mask on your face and neck, let it dry completely. Remove the mask with the help of scrubbing followed by rinsing with lukewarm water.
Cucumber
This natural ingredient is known for its cooling effect and makes the skin supple and firm. It works effectively on all skin types.
How to use it
- You can place the cucumber slices on the affected area which needs lightening treatment. leave it for few minutes and then rinse it off with lukewarm water. Use this treatment twice a day.
- Mix honey and grated cucumber to make a paste. Apply it on your face and neck. leave it for 20 minutes and rinse it with cold water. Do it twice daily for faster results.
- Apply a mixture of cucumber juice and lemon juice (1 tablespoon each). Apply it your face and let it dry. Wash it off with water. use this treatment daily for better results.
Oatmeal
This is the best ingredient for skin exfoliation which gives your skin a soft look by removing the old and dead skin cells.
How to use it
- Make a paste of oatmeal and tomato juice. Apply it on your face and leave it for 20 minutes. Wash it off by rubbing it gently so that the dead skin cells can be removed during rinsing. You can use this treatment daily.
- make a thick paste by mixing 1 teaspoon of oatmeal powder, pinch of turmeric and a few drops of lemon juice. Apply this mask on your face and let it dry completely. Wash it off with water. Use it once daily for soft skin.
Coconut oil
It is a natural moisturizer and suits all types of skin but it also helps in lightening the skin.
How to use it
make a mixture of 3 tablespoon of coconut oil and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Apply this mixture on dark area and massage gently for 15 minutes. let it stay for 5 more minutes and then rinse it off with water. Do it every other day for effective results.
Besides these proven ingredients, science has discovered several other natural whitening agents which works as effectively as the synthetic ones. Some of them are:
Kojic acid
This is a crystalline powder extracted from a fungus. It is a natural alternative of hydroquinone and has been used in Japanese medicine for reducing skin discoloration from a long time. American As per Academy of Dermatologists, this ingredient helps in reducing hyperpigmentation. It inhibits tyrosinase enzyme which is responsible for melanin production. It also has antioxidant properties and suitable for sensitive and sun damaged skin.
Licorice extract
It is derived from the roots of licorice plant and has been used in Chinese medicine for almost all type of skin treatments. It can absorb UVA and UVB rays and also acts a effective skin whitening agent. It can inhibit tyrosinase function by 50 percent without causing any harm to skin cells. It has anti-inflammatory properties which helps in soothing skin and reducing redness.
Bearberry Extract
The extract is generated from the bearberry or beargrape leaves instead of fruits. It contains Alpha arbutin, which is a skin lightening agent and found to be effective in lightening freckles, dark spots, and other skin discolorations. It also helps in slowing down the signs of aging and provide sun protection.
Phyllanthus Emblica (Indian Gooseberry)
The extract of this plant is rich in vitamin C and has antioxidant and antibacterial properties. It provides sun protection to the skin and helps in reducing hyperpigmentation, protect skin from oxidative stress, reduce wrinkles, regulate melanin production and retain skin moisture. It is found that its skin lightening properties are equivalent to the conventional skin lightening agent hydroquinone.
Gigawhite
This patented skin brightener helps in treatment of dark spots and melasma. This chemical compound is derived from seven organically grown alpine plants which have high tyrosinase-inhibiting activity. It has shown 24 percent reduction in skin discoloration and increase in 15.3 percent in skin lightening with minimum or no signs of skin irritation.
White Mulberry Extract
This Chinese native plant has many health benefits as it helps in preventing heart disease, cholesterol and diabetes but it is recently found to be effective in skin lightening as well. This is natural inhibitor of tyrosinase enzyme and a study has found that 0.4% concentration of this extract can decrease the tyrosinase activity by 50%.
Vitamin B3 (Niacinamide)
This vitamin is found to be effective in skin lightening when added in skin creams. It reduces the melanin production and helps the skin to retain moisture which makes it soft and smooth.
With all of the above mentioned natural remedies, you can easily make your skin glow in a safe way. If you are purchasing any whitening cream then look out for the above mentioned whitening ingredients. The best way to keep your skin glowing is the natural way and you should go for it!!