Lighten Your Skin Fast & Naturally With These Ten Proven Home Remedies

Skin-lightening is officially a $10 billion industry and is growing rapidly, with sales projected to surpass $20 billion by 2020. However, it is an industry fraught with controversy as the dangers of unsupervised and poorly regulated skin bleaching are increasingly documented. For example, last year, Ghana decided to implement a new ban on hydroquinone, the main ingredient in most skin-bleaching products.

Hydroquinone is widely considered to have contributed greatly to the increased incidence of skin cancer amongst users. Products containing it are banned in an increasing number of countries such as Japan, Australia, South Africa, Ivory Coast, the EU and so on.

With increasing evidence of the long term harmful effects of skin bleaching, our experts at Natures Lab® recommend avoiding harmful skin bleaching chemicals and opting for more gentle natural means of lightening the skin. Our top ten recommendations are:

1. Oatmeal + Sugar + Lemon juice – Without exfoliating, it is difficult to achieve effective skin lightening. To create an effective home-made scrub:

Get a handful of oatmeal and about three tablespoons of brown sugar.
Mix with some lemon juice until a coarse scrub-like texture is formed. Make sure the paste does not turn too smooth. You may use this paste to scrub your face and neck.
We recommend doing this twice a week for best results.

Oatmeal and sugar are excellent exfoliators, while lemon juice provides Vitamin C, which is an effective skin lightening agent. Vitamin C also plays an important role in formation of collagen and new skin cells in the body. This is why Vitamin C serum sales are going through the roof!

2. Dried Orange Peel + Sandalwood + Rose Water – Dried orange peel contains more Vitamin C than the pulp and we have previously touched on the benefits of Vitamin C to the skin. Both it and sandalwood are excellent skin lightening agents, while the rose water softens the skin and gives it a natural glow.

Mix 1 teaspoon sandalwood powder, 1 teaspoon orange peel powder and rose water.
Make a paste and apply it to your face.
Let it stay for 15-20 minutes before rinsing it off with cool water.

3. Turmeric + Sandalwood + Milk – Turmeric is highly effective at dealing with hyper-pigmentation and evening out the skin tone. Apart from being an effective skin lightening agent, sandalwood also has great anti-ageing properties. The lactic acid component of milk works to break down darker pigments on the skin and evens out skin tone. You will need two tablespoons of sandalwood powder, a teaspoon of turmeric powder and some milk.

Mix the two powders in the proportions advised.
Add in the milk gradually until a thick paste is formed.
The paste can then be applied to the face and left on for about 20 minutes before rinsing off.

4. Milk + Lemon Juice + Honey – The skin lightening properties of both milk and lemon juice have previously been highlighted. In this mixture, honey acts as an emollient, softening the skin and improving the lightening effects of the milk and lemon juice. It also balances out the drying effect of lemon juice. Nature’s Lab® experts recommend using raw organic honey.

Mix two tablespoons of milk and lemon juice.
Add a teaspoon of honey.
Mix well and apply over cleansed face.
Leave on for about 20 minutes before rising off.

5. Licorice + Alfalfa + Rose Water – Licorice root extract is one of the best natural remedies for whitening skin. It is an Ayurvedic remedy that cures many skin ailments, scars and dark circles. In the early 1990s, Japanese scientists identified a compound in licorice called glabridin in licorice, which absorbs UVB and UVA rays and works as an effective skin-lightening agent. Glabridin also reduces the production of melanin, the pigment that gives skin their colour. The more melanin, the darker the skin. Alfalfa has a high content of Vitamin A and enzymes which are essential for maintaining healthy, glowing skin.

Mix 1 tablespoon of licorice root powder with 1 tablespoon of alfalfa powder.
Pour in the rose water to make a thick paste.
Wash your face with warm water and ensure it is clean.
Apply the pack evenly and massage into your skin for 5 minutes.
Leave it on for another 15-20 minutes.
Wash it off with lukewarm water.
Rinse with cold water and moisturise.
Use this daily or at least thrice a week for 1 month to see the results.

6. Potato Juice – Not only does potato juice lighten your skin, it also gets rid of dark circles and eye bags when applied under the eyes. It also has excellent moisturizing properties. Potato contains an enzyme called catecholase, which has natural bleaching properties.

Blend a potato and squeeze its juice out.
Apply evenly to the face using cotton wool and allow it to dry.
Rinse and cleanse your face with a mild soap.

7. Gram flour + Turmeric + Yoghurt – Gram flour is an excellent skin cleanser and lightening agent, yoghurt moisturizes the skin and turmeric provides the glow. This synergistic combination makes for an excellent face and neck scrub.

Mix 2 tablespoons of gram flour, 1 tablespoon of yogurt and a pinch of turmeric together.
Apply this mixture over the skin and scrub gently.
Let it rest for 30 minutes before rinsing off with water.
Repeat regularly 2 – 3 times a week.

8. Paw Paw + Pineapple + Honey – Due to its constituent compounds acting as tyrosinase inhibitors, pineapple is an effective skin lightening agents. Pineapple also cleanses, softens and rejuvenates dull and dry skin, giving it a nice glow. Due to its alpha-hydroxy acids, it helps in slowing down the skin ageing process. Papaya can cure dark circles and heals lesions or wounds on your skin. Just by consuming papaya juice regularly, you can decrease the appearance of wrinkles and effects of skin ageing. In addition, papaya has a high vitamin C content, which plays a key role in new skin cell formation and protecting against free radical damage. Furthermore, papaya contains a natural enzyme called papain, which provides strong skin bleaching properties. To prepare, follow the instructions below:

Prepare 150g each of fresh papaya and fresh pineapple, together with 1 tbsp of honey.
Place diced pineapple and papaya in one blender and blend until a thick consistency is formed.
Shift thick paste in one bowl and add honey (1tbsp) and mix well.
Then, apply this paste on the face with gently circular rubs. Keep this mask on for 10-15 minutes.
At last, wash the fruit mask by using splashes of cold water.

9. Almond + Milk – Almonds are a great source of nutrients that help to improve overall skin health. Vitamins A, D and E found in almonds act as natural antioxidants for promoting skin health. Furthermore, due to its amazing anti-inflammatory properties, almonds aid in soothing skin allergies and infections. They also give the skin protection from harmful UV rays, improve blood circulation in the skin and aid in lightening dark circles.

Grind some almonds until they turn into powder form.
Mix the ground almond with some milk until a thick paste is formed.
Use this as a daily face mask.

10. Saffron + Sandalwood + Milk – Saffron has long been used as a skin-lightening agent. It is rich in copper, magnesium, potassium, manganese, iron , selenium, zinc which help in promoting good health.In addition, saffron is bursting with vitamin C, riboflavin,niacin, folic acid, and Vitamin A which work together to give a youthful glow to your skin.

Soak a few strands of saffron in milk for about 30 minutes to let the milk absorb the saffron.
Add a teaspoon of sandalwood powder to this and apply to your face and neck.
Keep it on for 15-20 minutes before washing it off.
Regular use of this mixture will help improve and brighten your skin tone.

Our experts have recommended some natural skin-lightening products in our online shop for your convenience. For the purposes of improving complexion and brightening the skin in a natural and safe manner, we recommend: Himalaya Natural Glow Fairness Cream, Natural Glow Fairness Wash, Clear Complexion Whitening Scrub, Clear Complexion Whitening Wash and Power Glow Men’s Wash.