Have you been postponing all your chores because it’s too sunny outside? Well, keep doing that, because skin damage is nearly irreversible.
However, sometimes your chores cannot wait for the sun to hide. You need to expose your skin to the sun.
But even if it’s just five minutes and you’ve applied the best sunscreen there is, you seem to get tanned almost immediately.
Some of the de-tan face packs on the market are either too expensive or have ingredients you’ve never heard of.
It’s quite tempting to apply raw lemon on your skin because it seems like it would work. Let me stop you right there, let’s make a much safer concoction for your precious skin in the comfort of your home!
What is Skin Tan?
No matter how much you hate getting tanned, it’s actually for your own good. When the skin is exposed to sunlight, it has some defenses to protect it against cancer-causing UVA and UVB lights.
This defense comes in the form of Melanin production. Melanin is a dark-colored pigment that protects the skin from further skin damage.
Even though melanin is an adaptive bodily change, it can make your skin look blotchy, dull, and dry. Use the following 3 DIY tan removal masks to relax and rejuvenate your skin this summer!
DIY Tan Removal Masks at Home
Papaya and Oats
The first de-tan pack uses ingredients that you should not only apply to your face but also add to your diet. Papaya has an enzyme called “papain” that has mild skin-lightening properties.
For the other part of the face pack, you may use regular rolled oats or oat flour.
Oats are excellent for exfoliating your skin gently and increasing blood flow.
Thus, oats help remove the dull outer layer of the skin and reveal brighter inner layers as you massage them into your skin.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons mashed papaya with pulp
- 1 tablespoon rolled oats or oat flour
Directions
- Roughly Mash some papaya in a bowl
- Thoroughly mix two parts of papaya with one part of oatmeal
- Mash the mixture with your hands
- Apply a thick layer on your face while gently massaging your skin to exfoliate.
- Keep the face pack on your skin for 20 mins
- Wash with water while exfoliating gently with the face pack
You can also make some extra for your hands and legs by just mixing two parts of papaya in one part of oatmeal. It is suggested that you make the face pack fresh every time you want to use it rather than storing it.
You can expect smoother brighter skin just after one use! Use the face pack thrice a week for a month to see a considerable improvement in your skin texture.
Gram flour and Milk
For most people, this might be the first face mark they ever learned how to make at home. Everyone has a slightly different recipe for this, but let me share the one that just makes the most sense.
This concoction works best with one secret ingredient – rosewater. While gram flour and milk help brighten your skin, rose water acts like a natural toner and soothes any inflammation on your skin. Plus, the gram flour is an excellent exfoliator!
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp gram flour
- ½ tbsp milk
- tsp rose water
Directions
- Add milk and rose water to the gram flour
- Mix till it forms a thick paste, add more flour if the paste is too runny.
- Apply a thick layer of the paste on your face
- Let it dry for 15 minutes or till it is completely dry and begins to crack
- Rinse with lukewarm water
For best results apply this mask every other day. You will notice brighter and much more even-toned skin within 2 weeks. Make sure to make your mask fresh every time because it dries up if you try to store it even for a day.
Potato and Tomato
Potato and tomato are the two most common vegetables you’d find in your house. Both potato and tomato juice are natural yet mild bleaching agents.
A mixture of both gives the face pack some additional strength so that you experience brighter skin within days of using it.
Ingredients
- Tomato Juice
- Potato Juice
Directions
- Grate a small potato and squeeze out all the juice from its pulp with your hands. It’s okay if there are some bigger potato bits in your face pack.
- Use a blender or a grater to extract juice from a small tomato
- Mix equal amounts of both juices together
- Apply the liquid on your face and keep it on for 20 mins
- Rinse with lukewarm water
This is a very mild de-tan pack and may be used daily. You will notice a difference within 3 days of using it. It is suggested that you use the mixture consistently for two weeks to see lasting results.
Tanning is a common problem and is usually completely reversible. The faster you start taking care of your skin, the quicker these concoctions will work.
Also, no matter how tempting it is, please do not squeeze any lemon on your face as it could lead to a skin burn. Stick to these DIY tan removal masks packs and trust the process!
So go out in the sun and enjoy it without the fear of getting your skin damaged or tanned. Keep your skin tone even with nothing but just these three great, readily available ingredients.
While you are at it, take a look at the difference Retinol and Retinoid.
