5 Steps to get fairer skin? {Five Series}

PS: This post is for all those people who have asked me to give tips on fairer skin. I am sorry that I couldn't reply to you all personally but hope this post is helpful to you :)

Since quite long, I have been seeing a trend of questions on this topic from people who are either getting married or who have darker skin tones. So, first of all, I would like to say that you can't really lighten the skin complexion. The skin color is determined by the amount of melanin your skin has and you can't do anything to reduce the amount of this pigment inside your skin. Ok, after that bit of science, I would like to say that you can do somethings to preserve your original complexion.

Sunscreen

Yup, that's the first step to any kind of skin care. And, I totally stress on the importance of this routine. I would suggest Neutrogena Ultra Sheer but my favourite is MVO Moisturizing Face Screen. I have often heard complains that the sunscreen does nothing but the secret lies in using the proper amount of sunscreen to provide full protection.

Double Cleansing

To remove makeup or sunscreen after an entire day of work, use oil or a good makeup remover before washing your face. Its one of the most important routines of the night. 

Face Wash and Tone

Use your face wash as you would and don't forget to use the toner if your face is oily. I would suggest using homemade toners for your skin type. Green tea for oily and combination skin and rose water for dry skin. You can do other experiments with them as well.

Moisturize and Nourish

One of the most important routines even if your skin is oily. Get a good moisturizer. Or, use aloevera gel if your skin is oily. Its the best bet. For dry skin, I would suggest using a facial oil or serum instead of moisturizer at night. 

Face Scrub and Mask

The above steps were regular routine. But, some extra love is needed to keep skin in perfect condition so exfoliate on every alternate day for oily skin or if you layer too many products on your skin at day time. And, if you have dry skin, exfoliate twice a week. 

For dry skin, use sugar to exfoliate. For combination and oily skin, mix salt and sugar to exfoliate. They have alpha-hydroxy acids which help with removing the blemishes and dark spots on regular usage. Also, they keep the skin supple and improve the skin tone by making the skin look brighter.

After scrubbing, always follow with a mask. You can use any commercially-available products. I would not suggest you to use fruit masks after scrubbing with sugar because fruits also have active enzymes and sugar also have active enzymes so that can too much for your skin at a single time. 

If you plan to use fruits, remember that they have active enzymes which do both the jobs - exfoliation and acting as a mask so keep the fruit juices on your skin for 15 minutes and wash off. Using sugar to exfoliate and using fruit juices as mask afterwards can make the skin sensitive. Honey is a good mask in such cases.

These are the steps I follow regularly to keep my complexion glowing. Please remember that whatever you do to your face, do the same to your neck and decolletage. You don't want your neck and lower body to look older and uncared for. But, also remember NOT to overdo things EVER. Keep things regular and you will notice difference in a month. 

What's your secret to preserving your skin complexion? Are you already following a particular routine or going to follow this routine? Do share your results :)

Image Courtesy:medtips.in

Related Posts: 

Homemade Body Polish

Are you sold the fairness products by sales assistants? {Your Opinion}

When I went to watch Heroine, I also went to check out products at the H2O+ counter at Shopper's Stop just like that to get some samples :D I did get samples but the guy was repeatedly selling me the whitening range of their products!!! I told him that I do not need any whitening products but still he continued with that. Its not the first time I had this kind of an encounter. Female assistants are even worse, in my opinion. 

If they see any person with darker skin tone, they simply start selling the whitening products!!! To give credit to the guy I mentioned above, he did try to sell me the brightening products later on! Anyways, I have often noted that this is a trend everywhere. And, I don't think its fault of the SA's but the society on the whole as Indians are really and I mean REALLY obsessed with white skin. 

I wanna clear a small misconception that many people have. Even many of the South Indians are in fact very fair and have flawless complexion, may be not as much as Kashmiris but definitely fair in a creamy complexion kind of a way. So, yes, those people are really proud of their complexion and often look for people with the same complexion. I have often noticed that North Indians often think that all Southies are dark but that's not true at all. I'll elaborate more on this theme later :) 

Anyways, you tell me - do you get irritated by these whitening products unnecessarily thrusted upon you or you like to buy the fairness products?

Don't forget to share your opinions on these posts:

Face Mask Sheets or Face Masks?

Budgeting on Shopping 

Hair Mask first or Conditioner?

How long do you leave the conditioner?

Is Vanity Silly?

Tan lightening Face Pack {Reader's Tip}

Health and Beauty suggested this home made mask to lessen the tan in the summers.

"if u have normal or dry skin.. apply oatmeal+yoghurt face pack once or twice a week... this nourishes the skin and also has lightening properties..."

Submit your favourite beauty tips here. And, don't forget to read other Reader's Tips here.

Dabur Uveda Lightening & Radiance Face Mask {Product Review}

This is a requested review so I hope you find it satisfactory :)

Price: Rs 165 for 100ml (near abouts)

Ingredients

I quite like its ingredients but I guess a face mask could definitely use less of them :)

My Experience

The mask is soft to touch and is muddy in color. It spreads easily on the face and dries fast enough. The mask smells strongly of sandalwood!!! Ok, so getting to the serious aspects, the mask might breakdown when not used for long. No need to worry at all coz that happens. And, the mask breaking down means you can see some water coming out separately. It is red in color so you can be sure that it has all the ingredients it mentions. Otherwise, there are no issues and frankly, it is not an issue at all. Just that you should be aware of it. 

The mask dries up in 10 - 15 minutes or even less. And, yes, it is a little pain to remove as it has clay but if you remove it a minute before it dries up entirely, it is pretty easy to remove and even if it dries up, it's not as difficult to remove like fuller's Earth. Ok, now a warning - it tingles for 30 seconds or so but soon settles down. I didn't get any burning sensation or anything and I don't really think there is a need to worry about it. 

Now, the results - the skin probably glows a little but not much. I am not entirely sure if it removes tan or not but skin does look really bright the next morning. But, the results are not long-lasting. It does help reduce the pore size and a little with the blackheads too. But, otherwise, it is probably a product which would behave differently with each. I think it should be tried once. And, I do like the packaging of the entire range.

Have you tried anything from the range?

Other products from Dabur:
Dabur Gulabari Moisturizing Cold Cream with Rose Extracts

Himalaya Fairness Face Pack {Product Review}

This was one product which was on my wish list since long. I had heard great reviews of the product and many had claimed that the product had removed tanning to quite an extent and since I am basking in the sun almost everyday so tanning is one of the first effects apparent. So, lets see if it worked or not?

Price: Rs 60 for 50gms

Ingredients

My Experience

It is a soft brown colored mousse textured mask which is creamy enough and does spread easily. And, dries fast enough - around 10-15 minutes. But, it is a clay based mask so it hardens and is difficult to remove as usual. And, I would say it will suit all skin types as it is a little creamy.

But, as regards to the results, well my dad commented that my face was looking really bright and fair :) So, I guess you know coz guys and males hardly notice things and generally give negative comments!!! And, I think it does help remove tanning but I am not very sure of that claim though I had used the pack on alternate days for almost two weeks. May be it does and may be it doesn't. But, I definitely don't have anything negative to say about the product. It doesn't dry out the skin afterward but it is better to follow with a moisturizer.

My Recommendation

Worth a try anyways!!! And, good at pecking up the skin in a rush :)

Aloevera for soft skin {Skin Care}

Ok, so this is something really simple. I used the Papaya Peeling Gel I reviewed a little while back and then, I wanted to use something as a face pack and didn't want to go for the market face masks. So, I used the Patanajali aloe vera gel and I applied a thick layer of the gel on my face and left it for half hour. I think it is because of the ingredients of the product that my face wasn't all dried up and stayed well-moisturized otherwise aloe vera is notorious for drying up the skin. But, I am not entirely sure so I leave on to you to tell me how it goes if you use the aloe gel from the plant.

What to do?

Apply a thick layer of aloe gel on your face and leave it for half hour. It might tingle in the starting and even sting a little if you have inflamed skin but it subsides in a few minutes. You should apply it around the eyes and the lips too. Just be sure you don't eat it :D

Results

An extremely soft skin with a really silky feel that you want to touch your skin again and again!!! I am really amazed at the results. And, aloe is good at removing tan and blemishes so it does help in that matter too. And, the main benefit is that you can use it everyday for a little perking up the skin. It hydrates the skin and soothes it after a long day in the dust, pollution and sun.And, also, it reduces the size of the pores. So, those who have such problems should definitely try this remedy. My pores are looking way smaller.

Caution

Ok, so this information I have from a very credible source - one of my readers. And, this is what she said: 

"Though I agree with the silky softness acquired post application, I'd noticed an alarming increase in those 'keel' of 'keel-muhaase' around my jawline. A room-mate experienced tiny boils erupting. We both discontinued use after a week."

Now, my opinion of this problem is that the culprit is not the aloevera gel but the Patanjali product. I checked the ingredients of the product.

Ingredients: 90% aloe gel and rest are permitted colors, Vitamin E, preservatives and fragrance.

So, either the preservatives or the colors or fragrance might have initiated the breakout reaction. Though, well, they might even be allergic to aloe gel but that's some what less likely. So, check out if the product suits you before you try this out. 

Papaya for skin complexion {Reader's Tip}

So, this tip was posted by Manoj. So, this is what he says:

Hi, I'm Manoj. I'm dark skinned. I have been trying some natural skin exfoliating things. From my experience, papaya is the best skin exfoliant. Here is what I did:
1) Take a papaya fruit and make its pulp.
2) Apply its directly on the skin about 1 cm thickness.
3) Leave it until it starts getting dry, which would take 20 to 30 minutes.
4) The result is instant.
Your skin will get more lighter .

I have tried lemon juice, curd, etc. and they are effective but they give results in 3 to 7 days where as papaya gives instant results.

Thanks a lot for the tip, Manoj. Papayas are really beneficial in skin care and the reason it works best is that it has high levels of Alpha Hydroxy Acids and so caution should be used in using Papaya - do not use it more than once a week because AHA's can cause photo-sensitivity and irritate the skin of applied in high concentrations.

Improve skin complexion with almonds

Almonds are extremely good for skin inside as well as outside. So, I have a simple recipe which can be used daily to enhance your skin complexion and make your skin look soft and supple.

Soak 5 (or as many as you want) almonds in the milk overnight. In the morning, make a paste of the almonds with milk. Do not remove the peel of the almonds as they make for a great scrub. Apply this paste on your face including the eye area. You can extend this to the neck and chest too. It helps in removing the tanning also. Keep for 15-20 minutes till it dries and then wash off. You can use this scrub after washing your face thoroughly with the cleanser for a moisturizing effect too.

Variations: For dry skin, you can also put some coconut oil. Or, using homemade coconut milk instead of simple milk is again a great idea. For oily skin and combination skin, using milk can cause breakouts so you can substitute milk with water and make the paste in aloevera or orange juice.

Home made Scrub to get rid of facial hair {DIY}

Today, I will be sharing with you an age old scrub used by Indians. It is pretty popular during the wedding season and suits every skin type. It actually balances the oil production in the skin.

Ingredients: (actually everything good for skin)

1. Chick Pea Flour (besan)

2. Green Gram Flour

3. Turmeric

4. Sandalwood Powder

5. Ground Orange Peels (dried)

6. Ground Lemon Peels (dried)

7. Ground Rose Petals (dried)

You can add other flowers too according to your choice like Jasmine, Marigold,, Lavender, Rosemary. Mix all the ingredients and store in an air-tight jar.
Scoop out a generous amount as you would be using it for whole of the body. Mix it with Yogurt, Honey, Glycerin, Rose water, Milk, floral water or any other ingredient of your choice. Apply it all over your body and leave for 5 minutes. Scrub it and wash off. Your skin would be soft, supple and clean. It also fades away any blemishes or dark spots on your skin. It can be used daily instead of a soap as it is completely natural.

You can also use it as a face scrub. If you are mixing the scrub with yogurt, wait till it dries off on your face. This could take a pretty long time. But, its worth the wait. And, scrub it in upward direction towards your forehead to help remove the facial hairs. If used consistently over a period, the scrub is useful to get rid of all the facial hair.

Using Turmeric for skin care {Ingredient}

Kasturi Turmeric is the kind used for body application. It is a special kind which is not used in cooking. It is longer, about a finger length, and considerably thinner than the normal turmeric sticks which are short and stout. It does not leave any color on the face or clothes so safe to use.

Home Remedies:

• A pinch of Kasturi Turmeric mixed with milk can be used as a cleanser. Milk has lactic acid which does the cleansing job and turmeric acts as an antiseptic. It also gives an instant glow to the complexion.
• To get rid of facial hair, you can apply powdered Kasturi Turmeric every day on your face for about 10-15 minutes. The results would be visible in a month. Preferably, mix the turmeric with chickpea flour or any other scrub which you find is good for your skin. This way you can be sure it would not leave any color on your face.
  
• Kasturi Turmeric can also be used as an ingredient in various face packs and face masks preperation. A pinch would do the job.
• Kasturi Turmeric can be included in body scrubs. If used regularly, it removes body hair over a period of time. Gives great results when you use it on babies.

Lemon juice: drink a glass daily {Ingredient}

Today, I would be talking about the benefits of lemon juice for our body. We are all advised to drink a glass of water with lemon juice and honey mixed in it in the morning to lose weight. Right? Does it really work? Well, it did never work for me. But, I have found other benefits of doing the same. Or, probably a little different. Because, I am pretty lazy so I squeeze a half lemon into a glass of warm water and drink it. I do not bother to mix honey in it as I do not like to take much of sugar and am too lazy. And, guess what. It has done wonders for my skin and body.

Drinking lemon water in the morning has cleansed my body inside out. Lemon helps in the detoxification process of the body. And, it has helped to bring a glow in my complexion internally. Lemon has Vitamin C which is also responsible for building up collagen in our skin. Collagen is necessary to keep the skin firm and young. So, lemon is necessary to stay young. Forget Botox and surgeries. Stick to lemon and you will never really need any of them. Moreover, it is necessary to keep our digestive system in the right order and our metabolism high.

There are many other benefits of lemon juice apart from the above-stated.

• Applying lemon juice to the skin helps in lightening the blemishes and any scars or dark spots. But, do not apply lemon juice alone. Mix it with honey or any face mask and then apply.
• Lemon is good for bleaching the facial hair. Mix honey and lemon juice and apply it over the face and you would find in a month, the facial hair is no more. It actually does not go away but simply gets bleached and is not any more visible to the naked eye unless looked from very close.
• Lemon juice when applied to hair helps in curing dandruff.
• Lemon juice can be used as a last rinse to bring shine in the hair.
• If you want to lighten your hair color, apply lemon juice on your hair and go and sit in sun. The heat will help lemon bleach your hair. If you do it pretty frequently, you might even end up with blond hair color.
• Mix it in face masks. It helps bring a glow on your face by cleaning your skin right down to the pores.
• Lemon peels can be infused in hair oil to get its benefit stated above in point no. 3 and 4.
• You can grind the dried lemon peels and use it as a body scrub. They leave a refreshing scent on your body.
• Pour lemon juice into the bath water to experience a refreshing bath.

Caution: Use lemon juice externally on the body only at night. It makes your skin photosensitive (sensitive to light). Exposure to sun would be extremely harmful so use sunscreen diligently after using lemon on your skin. 

And, if you know any more uses of lemon juice, please feel free to share them. I shall be glad to know more about it.

Use milk to keep your skin moisturized all day long {DIY}

I will be posting today a tip to keep your skin moisturized all day long. How? MILK. I have already talked about how milk can be used to maintain a shiny hair. Now, lets see how it takes care of our skin.

Take some raw unboiled milk along with its cream. Dip a wash cloth in it and saturate well. Apply the milk on your face using the wash cloth. Let it stay for 5-15 minutes till it dries. Then, again dip the wash cloth in milk and saturate it. Start scrubbing your face gently with the wash cloth. Scrub for 3-5 minutes. Then, wash off. Your skin will be smooth and supple. It will look fresh and glowing. This routine will improve your skin's elasticity, its complexion, its water retaining capacity and will keep it looking fresh all day long.

You can use this routine for your complete body once in a while. It is a great treat for your body. Instead of putting milk in your bath water or tub, use a wash cloth and saturate it well before applying it on your body. Use a full cream milk or if you can, goat's milk. That's the best for skin care. Do not worry even if you have oily skin. It balances the oil secretion in your skin and your skin would not suffer breakouts. Instead, your skin might turn to a normal type. And, if you are consistent with this routine, you can notice results in as less as 3 days. Your skin would be considerably lighter and glowing. 

Caution: Do not follow this if you are allergic to any dairy products or are lactose-intolerant or even if suffering from acne.