So
many articles show you how to get lighter skin. This article will show you not
only how to whiten skin, but how to maintain it with a rosy glow. Most of these
methods are unverified home remedies. If you are worried about possible side
effects or skin discoloration, see your doctor or dermatologist for advice.
1.
Increase
your Vitamin C intake.
This enhances skin color and suppleness.
This will help keep your skin strong by maintaining its basic support
structure—collagen. You can increase Vitamin C intake by:
Ø
Eating
more foods that contain Vitamin C. This includes citrus like lemon,orange,gooseberry,etc.
Fruits/juices, strawberries, sweet peppers, tomatoes, cantaloupe, and green
peas.
Ø
Taking
Vitamin C pills. If you chose to do it this way, you should take 250 mg/day. Do
not go beyond this amount.
2.
Eat more Vitamin A.
Since your
skin is basically composed of Retinol, which is Vitamin A, this will help keep
your skin healthy and strong. If you feel your skin is weak or not tight
enough, that usually suggests a lack of Vitamin A.
Ø
Foods that are high
in Vitamin A include nonfat milk, oysters, and egg yolks. You can also get Vitamin A by eating foods
that are high in beta carotene, which will help minimize the effects of sun
damage to your skin. These include carrots, watermelon, papaya, tomatoes, or
other dark colored produce.
3.
Minimize your
exposure to sunlight and pollution.
Apply
sunscreen with a minimum of SPF 15 whenever you are outdoors. UVA/UVB rays are
known to be harmful to your skin because they slow down your body's ability to
repair damaged skin cells and clear dead ones. Pollution is also a major cause
of acne and dull skin tone.
4.
Use skin lightening
products — with care.
Skin
lightening products with hydroquinone or kojic acid reduce the amount of melanin
in the skin when applied. These can be effective, but they come with certain
risks:
Ø Skin whitening products have been associated with toxic levels of mercury,
and therefore, with mercury poisoning. The FDA regulates the use of
hydroquinone in the U.S, and so it's relatively safe. 1 out of every 4 skin
whitening agents from China, however, contains mercury, and so should be used
with caution.
Ø Be careful about sun exposure when using skin whitening agents. Prolonged
sun exposure can lead to skin cancer.[2] Always use appropriate sunscreen and
other sun protection when exposed to sunlight.
Ø Bleaching agents can cause irritation and allergic reactions in some
people. Bleaching agents with steroids, such as kojic acid, may put you at risk
for health problems associated with steroid use.
5.
Drink
8-10 glasses of water a day.
This will help keep your skin from drying
out.
6.
Exercise
daily for 30-60 minutes.
Doing so will help you de-stress and let
your body detoxify.
7.
Mix
raw sugar with oil.
Scrub this lightly on your face.
8.
Use
lemon to lighten your skin color.
The citric acid is lemon slowly works away
at the pigments in your skin, but this treatment will take a while. Mix equal
parts fresh lemon juice and water into a spray bottle and apply evenly over skin
you wish lightened. Consider:
Ø
Avoid
exposure to sunlight. When using lemon and other skin-lightening products,
always use sunscreen and avoid unnecessary time in the sun. Lemons and lemon
juice can dry out skin, making it susceptible to sun damage.
Ø
Try
using lemon or lemon juice only every other day. Lightening your skin with
lemon juice will take a long time, so it's tempting to try to apply a mask or
lemon juice every day. Try to stick to 3-4 applications every week. Lemon juice
dries out the skin too much to apply every day.
Ø
Be
aware of what products you put on your skin. Much of what you put on your skin
gets absorbed into your body. If you are using other ingredients in addition to
lemon juice as a peel, a wash, a lotion, or a mask, use good judgment about
whether you'd want it in your bloodstream.
9.
Make
a face mask.
The following options will whiten your skin
and improve your complexion.
Ø
Cucumber
mask. Put a cucumber, 1/4 cup of lemon juice, 5 teaspoons of honey, and 5
teaspoons of milk into a blender. Blend until well mixed. Pour mixture into a
bowl. Stir in flour until the mixture gets a thick consistency. Refrigerate for
6 hours. Apply to your face once daily after you shower. You should leave it on
for 15-20 minutes, and wash it off with warm water and a clean towel.
Ø
Amaranth
juice mask. Blend 1/4 cup amaranth juice or 1 cup of amaranth leaves with a
small amount of lukewarm water leave for 15 to 25 minutes.
Ø
Mint
and floral cream. Put a handful of almonds, fresh rosebud paste, honey and 5
tablespoons of fresh mint juice into a blender. Blend until creamy. Apply the
cream every night before bed. If refrigerated, the cream should last about one
week.
10.
Make
use of other home remedies.
Other home remedies using items commonly
found around the house may help you whiten your skin while giving it a rosy
luster. •Make a potato mask. Potatoes may contain bleaching agents that make
the skin lighter while treating blemishes. Mash raw potato into a pulp, make a
paste with a bit of milk, and apply to skin, leaving for 15 minutes.
Alternately, apply raw potato slices to skin and leave for 15 minutes.
Ø
Make
an almond mask. Soak some almonds in water overnight. Dump out water, blend
almonds with either honey or milk, and apply as a paste to skin. After it
dries, wash it off gently.
Ø
Make
a tomato mask. Another natural bleaching agent, tomato can be mixed raw with a
bit of lemon juice and applied as a paste to the skin. Leave for 15 minutes
before washing off.
