It?s a no-brainer that white or fairer skins are regarded as a prerequisite of beauty today. This has made the practice of how to get whiter skin one of the current most popular activities as far as beauty is concerned. Unfortunately, a majority of counsels provided today regarding skin whiteners are fabricated and misguided. Besides, tons of attempts and products widely recommended for the practice put little or no consideration for effectiveness or safety.
This post will walk you through some of the most effective methods on how to get whiter skin. As such, it will outline both the proven natural methods and safe products that will assist you reach your goal in the shortest duration possible and most safely.
How to get whiter skin using natural remedies
1. Increase your intake of Vitamin A and C
Vitamin C has for a long time been used to enhance skin color as well as its suppleness. This is a vital vitamin that helps your skin grow stronger by increasing its collagen composition. Some of the commonly available foods that contain high amounts of Vitamin C include citrus fruits such as lemon, orange, and gooseberry. Besides, you could also consume strawberries, tomatoes, and green peas among others. You will only be required to take a maximum of 250mg/day of this vitamin.
Retinol (Vitamin A), a major component of the skin, is essential to keeping your skin healthy. Consuming foods rich in this Vitamin will help your skin glow more while also mitigating the harmful effects of sun rays that make the skin darker. Some of the Vitamin A rich foods include oysters, nonfat milk, carrots and tomatoes among others.
2. Minimize your skin?s exposure to the sun
The science behind this is that exposure to sun rays stimulates our skin to produce melanin, a pigment that gives darker colors to your skin. Large amounts of melanin facilitate the darkening of the skin which is exactly what you are avoiding at this point.
3. Use Kojic acid
Kojic acid is naturally obtained from mushrooms and other related fungi foliage. Additionally, this effective skin whitener can also be derived from rice wine or rice sake. Kojic acid is used to inhibit the functioning of tyrosinase, an enzyme responsible for enhancing formation of melanin in your skin. The acid thus enables you achieve a whiter skin more naturally and is arguably one of the most effective natural remedies to date.
4. Using almond oil
Almond oil is very rich in several skin whitening compounds such as vitamins, minerals, and unsaturated fatty acids. A key component, niacinamide, for example, is essential for whitening the skin as well as clearing unwanted skin pigmentation. It achieves this feat by interfering with the process of transforming melanosome to keratinocytes. In general, almond oil has been found to assist in lightening up the skin and preventing formation of wrinkles. It is also very effective in removing blemishes thus making your skin appear lighter and glow more.
5. Using lemon
Despite taking relatively longer to provide results, lemon is another effective alternative when it comes to whitening the skin. The citric acid in the fruit can help to clear out most of the pigments that make your skin darker albeit gradually. For this option, you will need to mix equal parts of the fruit?s fresh juice and water. Using a sprayer bottle, apply the mixture evenly over the part of the skin you want to whiten. The results may take relatively longer to show as compared to other methods discussed earlier. You will need to repeat the procedure regularly, preferably on a daily basis for you to achieve significant results. Avoid using very high concentrations of the lemon juice since it only ends up drying out your skin.
6. Using yogurt masks
Using yogurt masks to lighten up your skin may sound a bit weird to you, but yes, it works. A popular by-product of milk, this substance contains both lactic acid and probiotics that are very helpful in enabling you achieve a whiter skin. Lactic acid, for example, acts as a bleaching agent, helping to remove dead parts of the skin and the shrink pores. On the other hand, the probiotics (active cultures) in yogurt are pretty effective in getting rid of acne while also soothing most skin irritations. Using yogurt mask may take a relatively longer time to show results as well, but will ultimately lighten your skin tone.
Other natural methods to help you lighten your skin include exercising on a regular basis, drinking sufficient amounts of water each day and avoiding areas of pollution.
How to get whiter skin using skin lightening products
While taking this route will in most cases guarantee you quicker results, it is important for you to understand that some of these products can pose some risks to your skin and even your overall health. You will need to keenly observe the following guidelines if you are to avoid some of the common accidents and side effects:
- Avoid all skin products that have traces of mercury as one of its ingredients as this is a toxic substance and a risk to your health. However, it is highly unlikely that you will encounter such products today given the strict laws imposed by FDA and other related governing bodies in most parts of the world regarding this harmful substance.
- Avoid extended periods of exposure to sunlight while using these products as this increases your chances of getting skin cancers.
- Always be on the lookout to notice any allergic reactions that might emanate from the skin whitening product you may be using.
Some of the commonly used skin lightening products today include:
1. Sunscreens
Primarily, sunscreens do not help in whitening per se, but rather contribute immensely to the process from a different aspect. They assist in blocking out most of the sun rays especially the harmful ultraviolet type that darkens the skin. A good sunscreen should be SPF 30+ and above for it to provide creditable results.
2. Masks
Typically, masks provide immediate results when used for skin whitening or brightening. Most of these masks are soaked in serum, giving your skin the much-needed hydration. Some masks only provide short-lasting benefits although others can do better.
3. Exfoliation
This method helps to brighten your skin in a very short time by removing the dead skin cells that make your skin appear darker. However, a majority of physicians advise against using this technique more than twice a week. Other methods under this category include the use of serums and scrubs.
Conclusion
It is important to understand that different skin tones will respond at varying rates to any of the method described above. This means that you will need to attempt a few of them to determine that which works best for you. Better yet, you can consult your skin physician to learn more on how to get whiter skin in a safer way.
