11 Methods To Brighten Skin Naturally At Home
Revive your skin's natural glow by taking cues from our curated list of amazing tips.
Dr. CP Thajudheen has over 20 years of experience in various lasers, light-based devices, and other advanced equipment. He was one of the beginners who introduced cutaneous lasers in India. He carries out dermato surgeries regularly, including hair grafting and vitiligo surgeries.
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Experience: 8 yearsArshiya Syeda is the Co-Editor-in-Chief of StyleCraze with 8 years of experience. Prior to that, she was a content writer who combined her writing and research skills to write over 200 high-performing articles on hairstyles, hair care, and skin care.
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Experience: 11 yearsRamona is an editor at StyleCraze with 11 years of experience in writing and editing. She has authored over 200 articles on skin and hair care. She graduated from the University of Calcutta, West Bengal, and did her post-graduation from the University of Kalyani, West Bengal.
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Experience: 3 yearsSwathi has a postgraduate degree in English literature from The English And Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad, and over three years of experience in writing on beauty, health, and lifestyle. She also has a diploma in English journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Kottayam, and is a certified skincare coach.
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Everyone has skin care troubles, and most of us wish for bright and glowing skin.
Most of us would have also searched for instant skin brightening tips and skin brightening supplements online. But how many of them worked? Your skin becomes dull and lifeless due to several factors, including dust, sun exposure, pollution, and other skin issues, causing skin darkening. What if we tell you the solution is available in your pantry? Wondering how? This article introduces you to herbal remedies for skin brightening made with ingredients available in your kitchen. Read on to know more!
In This Article
11 Natural Treatments To Brighten Your Skin
1. Banana Face Pack For Skin Brightening
You Will Need
- 1 ripe banana
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Towel
Prep Time
2 minutes
Treatment Time
15 minutes
Treatment
- Blend all the ingredients together until you get a smooth mixture.
- Wash your face with a mild cleanser and pat dry with a towel.
- Apply the banana mixture onto your skin and leave it on for about 15 minutes.
- Rinse your face with lukewarm water and pat dry.
How Often Can You Do This?
Twice a week.
Why This Works
It is one of the best skin-brightening home remedies you can try. Bananas are packed with vitamins A, B, and E. They are also an abundant source of the mineral potassium (1). These nutrients help even out rough skin while reducing the appearance of dark spots and blemishes. They also improve skin elasticity and prevent aging (2). The vitamin E helps prevent oxidative damage while also building your skin’s defense against the harmful rays of the sun (3).
Quick Tip2. Baking Soda For Skin Brightening
You Will Need
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons water
- Towel
Prep Time
2 minutes
Treatment Time
5 minutes
Treatment
- Combine the baking soda and water until you get a smooth paste.
- Wash your face with a mild cleanser and pat dry with a towel.
- Gently massage the paste onto your face in circular motions. Leave it on for about 5 minutes.
- Rinse your face with lukewarm water and pat dry.
How Often Can You Do This?
2-3 times a week.
Why This Works
Baking soda is a gentle exfoliant that may also help neutralize your skin’s pH level (4). It has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antifungal properties that may help clear acne from your skin(5), (6). It may also help unclog your pores while removing the damaged and darkened skin from the top layers, revealing fair and healthy skin. But people with dry and sensitive skin or open wounds should not try this.
Gin Amber, a YouTuber conducted an experiment with baking soda for her acne, cleansing her face with it once daily every other day for 10 days. She said, “It’s really good. It’s really helping. I am so happy. This is so cheap and it helps make your skin look better (i).” She added, “I have no more pimples, red spots! I have very little scars, that’s it.”
3. Gram Flour For Skin Brightening
You Will Need
- 2 tablespoons gram flour
- 4 tablespoons rose water
- Towel
Prep Time
2 minutes
Treatment Time
20 minutes
Treatment
- Combine the ingredients until you get a smooth mixture.
- Wash your face with a mild cleanser and pat dry with a towel.
- Apply the mixture onto your skin as you would a face pack. Ensure to avoid the delicate areas around your eyes and mouth.
- Leave it on for about 20 minutes.
- Rinse off with lukewarm water and pat your skin dry.
How Often Can You Do This?
2-3 times a week.
Why This Works
The gram flour helps control the oil production in your skin while also maintaining its pH levels. It helps remove grime and toxins to leave your skin looking radiant. It is also a gentle exfoliant that helps remove dead skin cells while encouraging the production of new and healthy skin cells (7).
4. Lemon For Skin Brightening
You Will Need
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Towel
Prep Time
2 minutes
Treatment Time
15 minutes
Treatment
- Combine the ingredients until you get a smooth mixture.
- Wash your face with a mild cleanser and pat dry with a towel.
- Apply the mixture onto your skin as you would a face pack. Ensure to avoid the delicate areas around your eyes and mouth.
- Leave it on for about 15 minutes.
- Rinse off with lukewarm water and pat your skin dry.
How Often Can You Do This?
Twice a week.
Why This Works
It is one of the best skin-brightening tips and takes only 15 minutes. The treatment is also an ideal way to lighten your skin tone without causing skin damage or irritation. Lemon’s rich vitamin C content helps lighten pigmentation and dark spots, evening out your skin tone (8). It is also rich in antioxidants that help prevent oxidative damage (9). This lemon and honey mask purifies and refines your pores while also killing harmful bacteria that can cause breakouts. The combined bleaching properties of lemon and honey help control melanin production, brightening your skin tone.
Dr. Anna Chacon, MD, FAAD, a double board-certified dermatologist, says, “You will notice a change in your skin’s texture and tone within one to two months. Lemon juice can also be added in little amounts to the mixture. This bleach will function more quickly.”
Quick Tip5. Multani Mitti For Skin Brightening
You Will Need
- 5-6 peeled cucumber slices
- 2 teaspoons Multani mitti
- 1 tablespoon rose water
- Towel
Prep Time
5 minutes
Treatment Time
15 minutes
Treatment
- Blend the ingredients together until you get a smooth mixture.
- Wash your face with a mild cleanser and pat dry with a towel.
- Apply the mixture onto your skin as you would a face pack. Ensure to avoid the delicate areas around your eyes and mouth.
- Leave it on for about 15 minutes.
- Rinse off with lukewarm water and pat your skin dry.
How Often Can You Do This?
2-3 times a week.
Why This Works
The cucumber juice combined with the Multani mitti in this face pack helps brighten your skin and may even fade skin discoloration (10), (7). The rose water adds an instant pink glow to your skin. Multani mitti is also rich in minerals that help nourish your skin. It has strong bleaching, cleansing, and oil-absorbing properties that brighten your skin while keeping it clean and healthy (11).
6. Papaya Face Pack For Skin Brightening
You Will Need
- 1 papaya slice
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon milk
Prep Time
2 minutes
Treatment Time
20 minutes
Treatment
- Blend the ingredients together until you get a smooth mixture.
- Wash your face with a mild cleanser and pat dry with a towel.
- Apply the mixture onto your skin as you would a face pack. Ensure to avoid the delicate areas around your eyes and mouth.
- Leave it on for about 20 minutes.
- Rinse off with lukewarm water and pat your skin dry.
How Often Can You Do This?
1-2 times a week.
Why This Works
Lemon juice is one of the most popular treatments for bright skin. In combination with papaya, it can give you good results. This is because both lemon and papaya enzyme masks have bleaching properties that can help brighten your skin tone and leave it with a radiant glow (12), (8). If you have dry skin, you can add a little milk to this mix to make it more hydrating.
7. Tomato For Skin Brightening
You Will Need
- 1 Ripe Tomato
- Towel
Prep Time
2 minutes
Treatment Time
20 minutes
Treatment
- Blend the tomato to a puree consistency.
- Wash your face with a mild cleanser and pat dry with a towel.
- Apply the tomato puree onto your skin as you would a face pack. Ensure to avoid the delicate areas around your eyes and mouth.
- Leave it on for about 20 minutes.
- Rinse off with lukewarm water and pat your skin dry.
How Often Can You Do This?
Every day
Why This Works
Tomatoes are a rich source of vitamins A, B, and C. They also contain calcium, magnesium, and potassium (13). While the minerals help heal your skin and keep it hydrated, the vitamins prevent premature aging and boost healthy cell production. Tomatoes help you achieve radiant skin and their lycopene content protects your skin from the harsh UV rays of the sun (14).
8. Turmeric For Skin Brightening
You Will Need
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon milk
- Towel
Prep Time
2 minutes
Treatment Time
1 hour
Treatment
- Combine the ingredients until you get a smooth mixture.
- Wash your face with a mild cleanser and pat dry with a towel.
- Apply the mixture onto your skin as you would a face pack. Ensure to avoid the delicate areas around your eyes and mouth.
- Leave it on for about 1 hour.
- Rinse off with lukewarm water and pat your skin dry.
- If your skin looks yellow, dip a cotton pad in some milk and rub this on your face for a couple of minutes.
- Proceed to rinse your face again.
How Often Can You Do This?
Thrice a week.
Why This Works
Milk has excellent cleansing properties that help get rid of grime, dead skin, and other impurities from your skin (15). These turmeric face masks work as an effective treatment to reduce acne scars, pigmentation, acne, and dark spots (16). Turmeric also helps inhibit melanin production with its curcumin content. Curcumin helps block the production of ACTH, a hormone that triggers excessive melanin production (17), (18).
9. Ubtan For Skin Brightening
You Will Need
- 1 tablespoon gram flour
- 1 tablespoon rice flour
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons milk
Prep Time
2 minutes
Treatment Time
25 minutes
Treatment
- Combine the ingredients until you get a smooth mixture.
- Wash your face with a mild cleanser and pat dry with a towel.
- Apply the mixture onto your skin as you would a face pack. Ensure to avoid the delicate areas around your eyes and mouth.
- Leave it on for about 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes have passed, wet your hands and gently rub the dry mask on your face as you would a scrub.
- Rinse off with lukewarm water and pat dry.
How Often Can You Do This?
1-2 times a week.
Why This Works
Homemade ubtan face packs are usually used by Indian brides to help add a glow to the skin while improving its health (19). The use of multiple ingredients in an ubtan makes it an effective skin health-boosting face pack. This pack contains the goodness of gram flour, milk, lemon juice, and rice flour.
10. Aloe Vera For Skin Brightening
You Will Need
- 1 aloe vera leaf
- Towel
Prep Time
2 minutes
Treatment Time
10 minutes
Treatment
- Slice an aloe leaf in half and scoop out its gel.
- Blend the gel to bring it to a smooth consistency.
- Wash your face with a mild cleanser and pat dry with a towel.
- Apply the gel onto your skin as you would a face pack. Ensure to avoid the delicate areas around your eyes and mouth.
- Leave it on for about 10 minutes.
- Rinse off with lukewarm water and pat your skin dry.
How Often Can You Do This?
Twice a day
Why This Works
This remedy may help you achieve instant glowing skin in 10 minutes. Aloe vera gel contains about 150 nutrients, which include enzymes, lignins, salicylic acids, sterols, saponins, amino acids, minerals, and anthraquinones (20). About 96% of the gel is water, which makes it extremely hydrating for the skin (21). It contains minerals like magnesium, zinc, and selenium that repair and protect the skin from damage-causing factors, such as chemicals, the harsh rays of the sun, and pollution. The vitamins and minerals in this ingredient also help inhibit melanin production and brighten your skin (22).
11. Orange Peel Face Pack For Skin Brightening
You Will Need
- 2 tablespoons of dried orange peel powder
- 1 tablespoon of yogurt
- 1 tablespoon of honey
Prep Time
7 minutes
Treatment Time
20 minutes
Treatment
- Mix the orange peel powder with honey.
- Add yogurt and mix well until you get a smooth paste.
- Apply the mixture evenly to your face and neck.
- Leave the face pack on for 15-20 minutes until it is dry.
- Gently wash it off with tepid water.
- Pat your skin dry and apply a light moisturizer.
How Often Can You Do This?
Twice a week
Why This Works
Orange peel is rich in vitamin C that brightens skin by reducing the melanin pigment (23). Yogurt contains lactic acid that gently exfoliates skin and promotes a smoother, even complexion (24). Honey possesses antimicrobial properties that may help acne-prone skin (25).
There are other skin-brightening methods that you can follow apart from the above-mentioned herbal beauty tips. Dr. Chacon says, “All you have to do is combine a sprinkle of turmeric powder with a tablespoon of honey, two tablespoons of lemon juice, and three to four pieces of almonds with almost two cups of yogurt. Blend everything well.”
Key Takeaways
- Apply lemon juice.
- Apply a tomato mask.
- Use papaya.
- Use buttermilk.
- Use baking soda.
- Apply potato juice.
- Try a mask made of honey and turmeric.
- Use rosewater and sandalwood.
- Apply honey, lemon juice, and yogurt mixture.
- Use a skin-lightening cream.
- Make use of a full-body fairness pack.
- Apply coconut oil.
- Invest in a milk bath.
Infographic: Easy Natural Remedies For An Instant Glow
The skin often gets dull and lifeless due to dust, exposure to the sun, and pollution, all of which darken the skin. For protection from their harmful effects and to achieve instant fairness, follow the natural remedies listed in the article, but some of them might be challenging, so to know about the easiest natural remedies for brighter skin, check out the infographic below!
Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team
Home remedies are a safe, natural, and organic way to brighten your skin. They are perfect for a weekend of skin-pampering activities. Although they work a bit slowly, these home remedies produce results when used regularly or at least once or twice a week for 2-3 months. Don’t opt for commercial treatments filled with harsh chemicals that promise you flawless skin like skin brightening facials, skin brightening creams, skin brightening serums, skin brightening toners, skin brightening oils, and skin brightening exfoliators. Instead, try skin brightening treatments at home that you can make with nourishing ingredients. You will be more than pleased with the results if you incorporate these simple home remedies into your daily routine. You may also add mulberry extract, bearberry extract, and grapefruit seed extract to your skincare routine for overall skin benefits. Remember to use sun protection to prevent damage to your skin.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do natural skin lightening treatments take to show results?
Natural skin lightening treatments may take 4-5 weeks to show visible results on the skin, as they work gradually and require consistent application. To maintain the results, you may have to continue taking the treatment.
Do natural skin lightening methods have any side effects?
Yes, natural skin lightening methods can still cause side effects like skin irritation, dryness, or allergic reactions, especially on sensitive skin. Hence, always remember to do a patch test before topical application.
Can hydrogen peroxide lighten the skin?
Dr. Chacon says, “Among its numerous uses in skin care, hydrogen peroxide is a bleaching and oxidizing agent. It can help lighten the skin tone when used in a suitably low dosage.” However, do not use it without consulting your doctor.
What drinks make your skin glow?
Detox drinks and juices of vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables may make your skin glow.
Is coffee good for the skin?
Coffee helps protect the skin from oxidative stress and photoaging and reduces hyperpigmentation (26).
Can we apply lemon juice to the face directly?
Yes, you can apply lemon juice directly to the face if your skin is not sensitive. Those with sensitive skin may need to dilute the juice with water or rose water before applying.
Can we apply coffee to the face overnight?
Yes, there is no problem in applying coffee to the face overnight. You can make a coffee overnight face pack, apply it before bed, and rinse it off the next morning. However, always do a patch test before applying.
Illustration: Methods To Brighten Skin Naturally At Home
Image: Stable Diffusion/StyleCraze Design Team
Discover the ancient secret to radiant skin with a homemade multani mitti body/face pack. Say goodbye to dullness and hello to a natural glow. Watch the video below for more information.
Personal Experience: Source
StyleCraze's articles are interwoven with authentic personal narratives that provide depth and resonance to our content. Below are the sources of the personal accounts referenced in this article.
i. BAKING SODA CURED MY ACNE in 10 days!!! Experiment WORKED!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjeRov-nt2I
References
Articles on StyleCraze are backed by verified information from peer-reviewed and academic research papers, reputed organizations, research institutions, and medical associations to ensure accuracy and relevance. Read our editorial policy to learn more.
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Read full bio of Dr. CP Thajudheen
Dr. Anna Chacon, MD, FAAD, is a double board-certified dermatologist with over 7 years of experience. She has authored many peer-reviewed articles and managed clinical research studies during her fellowship. She completed her medical school in the PLME (Program of Liberal Medical Education) at Brown University.Dr. Anna Chacon, MD, FAAD, is a double board-certified dermatologist with over 7 years of experience. She has authored many peer-reviewed articles and managed clinical research studies during her fellowship. She completed her medical school in the PLME (Program of Liberal Medical Education) at Brown University.
Read full bio of Arshiya Syeda
Read full bio of Ramona Sinha
Read full bio of Swathi E
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