How to Lighten up Dull and Blotchy Skin Naturally
Many people will take clear, blemish-free skin and be happy about it. However, even blemish-free skin is not quite enough. Seeking out how to lighten skin is one of the pet-peeves of many cultures, particularly those nationals of South and Southeast Asia. Although, even among caucasians, lighter skin is not flattering enough most especially when its dry, dull and lifeless.
Why Do You Have Dark, Blotchy Skin?
What’s making your skin dull and blotchy? Here’s a run-through:
- Sun damage. Always a top cause of damage, UVA and UVB too much for your skin to handle. If this isn’t reason enough for you to feel that you need to be more careful when basking in the sun then, any skin lightening treatment you take will never suffice to lighten your skin, and restore its vibrance and vitality.
- Harsh products. You must know that products loaded with harsh chemicals and toxins damage your skin’s deeper layers and not just leave superficial marks on the surface. Since harsh products contain skin irritating ingredients, these often causes your skin to be inflamed and itchy, which also often leave marks that gives you blotchy, uneven skin tone.
- Acne, skin injuries, and scarring. These skin conditions hurt your skin. Prolonged bouts with acne can significantly alter the surface layer of your skin, sometimes requiring years for the skin to recover and show a healthier complexion.
- Hormonal fluctuations and other medical conditions. Pregnancy can cause melasma which causes hyperpigmentation on select areas of your skin, while renal-related diseases often leave the skin blotchy and discolored. In these cases, treating the underlying cause of skin discoloration should be top priority. In the case of melasma associated with pregnancy, it often clears out a few months following delivery.
- Pollution. Whether it is from the smoke of your own cigarette stick or, the high levels of air pollutants where you live or work, these conditions expose your skin to toxins and suspended particles in pollution. All of these can result to compromised skin health often signaled by dryness, blotchiness, itchiness, and other signs of inflammation. Free radicals from pollution can alter or irreversibly damage your skin cells.
How To Get Lighter And Healthier Skin
It is clear, considering the factors that affect skin complexion listed above, that skin darkness and blotchiness have underlying health-related causes. In most cases, it is unhealthy skin that makes your skin less than appealing.
Below are top tips on how to brighten skin by improving skin health:
1. Turn to natural ingredients and products. Since chemical-laden skin lightening products irritate your skin, try going natural. It is always best to get natural ingredients in their raw form, however, to pack a punch that significantly boosts your skin health. See what’s available where you are and prepare a simple concoction that your skin will love. Try the following:
- Shea Butter. This is one of the most hardworking natural skin ligtening ingredients. It delivers lighter, more revitalized skin by replenishing key nutrients that promote health: Vitamin A supports faster skin regeneration, Vitamin E enhances skin barrier and restores moisture, and antioxidants re-energize skin cells. Shea butter also contains triterpene alcohols and cinnamate esters that help soothe skin irritation and, therefore, relieve blotchiness, and it also contains fatty acids that heal your skin faster.
- Lemon Juice. Before anything else, you should never use a highly concentrated form of lemon juice on your skin. You have to dilute it with lukewarm water or, add it to milk or honey before applying it on freshly cleansed skin.
- Oat Meal. It’s good for your tummy and it’s good for your skin. Oat meal has natural anti-inflammatory properties that gives it its skin brightening properties. By soothing skin irritation, oat meal restores your healthy, even toned complexion.
- Tomato Juice. Like lemon juice, tomatoes have strong antioxidant properties and it also serves as a good natural skin toner. By toning your skin, it evens out your complexion, tightens your pores, and helps keep moisture locked in, giving your skin a dewier, more revitalized appearance throughout the day.
- Chamomile. It’s not very easy to find this herb in every corner of the world. The good news is that it has become one of the most commonly used botanicals in organic beauty products which makes it more accessible to more people. Chamomile is renowned in the skincare industry for its strong anti-inflammatory properties. It also has natural skin lightening ingredients that, with regular use, can improve skin fairness.
2. Sun protect. Integral to any skincare regimen that aims to restore skin health is sun protection. Use sunscreen daily and make sure to reapply throughout the day. It helps stop further sun damage and gives your skin ample time to heal and become rejuvenated.
3. Eat a balanced diet. The way your skin appears says a lot about your state of health. If your skin looks dull and unhealthy, you’ve probably been missing out on good nutrition. Fill up with leafy greens which contain good calories plus plenty of antioxidants that help defend your skin from damage, as well as plays an instrumental role in restoring the efficient functioning of your skin cells.
4. Treat skin discolorations. Stop wondering how to lighten skin because you can always solicit help from a skincare specialist. He or she can help you sort out what’s making your skin unhealthy and prescribe a treatment course that addresses the underlying causes of your lifeless complexion.
5. Get a rest and sleep. Sleeping late most nights not only makes your skin breakout but also causes it to become dehydrated, resulting to dull skin. Sleep can do a lot to rejuvenate not just the way your skin appears but also enhance your overall health. You deserve quality time under the covers. Go ahead and indulge.
Conclusion
How to brighten skin? It’s not an easy feat to accomplish but, it can be done. Many times, people think they have tacky skin but, other than your mature age and your genes, there could be a handful of things in your lifestyle and skincare habits that could be causing your skin to be looking much less healthy than it should. What you must remember is that help is always available.
Author Bio
Bella is a dreamer who was born to run wild and free; a traveler who is always on the
move collecting research and experiences from different people, cultures from all
over the world. Her love of writing comes naturally, she finds it a great way to share
stories, advice and information from her experiences. Bella is a certified life coach,& has a wide range of knowledge from health & fitness, adventure and traveling, sex & relationships & beauty.
