Pale skin is favorable in Asia compare to olive skin. It’s not only about the skin color, but also the culture. Pale skin is profiled as more desirable, rich and beautiful.
For those that unfamiliar with Asian culture, many countries in Asia are obsessed with fair skin. The vast majority of woman in Asia tried at least one whitening product in their life. It’s common to see girls that holding an umbrella to cross the road because they don’t want to risk darken their skin under the sun.
Due to the circumstances, I guessed it’s safe to say that Asian is expertise in skin whitening.
Before we start, please check your skin tone on your inner arm. Generally speaking, most people’s inner arm skin color is closest to the skin tone they are born with because it wasn’t directly exposed to the sun.
Never go to extreme measures to change your original skin color. You can’t change your skin tone drastically, but you can certainly reverse some of the sun damage and make your skin color more even.
There are several ways that might help you to lighten your skin tone.
- Sunscreen
- Antioxidant-Rich Fruits And Vegetable
- Use A Whitening Serum
- Moisturize Your Skin
- Add A Slice of Lemon to Water
- Barley
- Exfoliate Your Skin Once A Week
- Pearl powder
Keep reading to find out more about it.
Sunscreen
How Often Do You Need To Do This
Everyday. Do not skip this even if you are just staying in all day.
Sunscreen is the most crucial step if you want to lighten your skin. When your skin exposed to the sun, your skin turned darker. This is because your skin produces a pigment called melanin to protect your skin. Sunscreen helps you to block and protect your skin from harmful UV rays.
Use a sunscreen that has SPF 30 will help you block over 95% of UVB rays. You don’t need an SPF 50 or higher than that unless you are spending all day long outdoors.
Prevention is better than cure. Your whitening care routine will not be effective if you don’t protect your skin from the sun. Excessive sun exposure increases melanin production. Melanin act like a shield to protect your skin against the sun. However, it also darkens our skin.
I know the sun is your best source to get vitamin D, but if you want to lighten your skin fast, stay away from the sun. In addition, you can always get vitamin D sources from food. For instance, fatty fish, egg yolks, canned tuna are all rich in vitamin D.
If you really enjoy the sun, you should limit your total exposure time. The best time for your sun exposure is in the morning preferably before 12 p.m.
Apply an adequate amount of sunscreen to your face and body every day as the final step of your skincare routine. Reapply your sunscreen every three to four hours.
Eat Antioxidant-Rich Fruits And Vegetables
How Often Do You Need To Do This
Everyday
Eat tons and tons of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables.
There are a variety of fruits and vegetables that you can choose from. For example, prunes, avocado, spinach, and kale.
My favorites are cherries and tomatoes. Not only that both of them are delicious but also leave my skin healthy and glowing. You can eat these as breakfast or snack. Believe me, you will notice the differences in your skin in a week. Your skin looks more radiance, healthy and brighter.
Tomatoes are not only a good source for antioxidants but also rich in vitamin C and vitamin A. In addition, they have very few calories. So you don’t have to worry if you are on a strict diet.
Cherries is a powerful antioxidant that includes multiple vitamins including vitamins A, B, C, and E. Cherries help reduce dark spots and skin lightening. This amazing fruit also rejuvenates skin and slow down the aging process.
Apart from that, cherries also promotes a good night’s sleep. Cherries contain melatonin that helps to regulate your sleep cycle.
Add A Whitening Serum to Your Skin Care Routine
How Often Do You Need To Do This
Every day and night.
Of course, you need to start using whitening or lightening products to your skincare routine. You can use the full whitening range or add a whitening serum to your skincare routine.
Look for a whitening serum with vitamin C or niacinamide. These ingredients are proved to be effective and safe. Nevertheless, keep in mind the percentage of vitamin C. Some whitening serums are infused with high, concentrated vitamin C that might cause sensitive reactions. It’s safer to start with a low percentage of vitamin C than gradually change to a higher percentage later on.
Niacinamide also is known as vitamin B3 is like a super ingredient in skincare products. Not only it helps with uneven skin tone, but it also minimizes pores and reduces fine lines.
This potent ingredient slows down melanin production. Hence, it prevents your skin to form new dark spots and lighten dark spots on your skin.
For people with very dry skin, it’s best to just add a whitening serum to your skincare routine. Use your regular hydrating toner and moisturizer. Whitening products will not work effectively if your skin is dry and flaky.
However, if you have normal or oily skin types, go for the full whitening range.
Moisturize Your Skin
How Often Do You Need To Do This
Everyday
Moisturize moisturize moisturize. We all heard about moisturizing the skin all the time. Keep your skin hydrated is like the foundation of good skin. Your skin needs hydration to keep it balanced and healthy. Moisturizing your skin is essential to have plump and supple skin. In addition, it also protects our skin from environmental damages and infections.
With that being said, your whitening product won’t work if your skin is not properly moisturized. Imagine if your skin is dry and chapped that craved for hydration all the time. Your skincare products won’t work when the skin is imbalanced and unhealthy.
Try to use whitening products that are hydrating as well.
If you have really dry skin like me, you can use a hydrating serum before whitening serum then applies your moisturizer on top. Or you can just use hydrating skincare products during the day and whitening skincare products at night.
Add A Slice Of Lemon To Water
How Often Do You Need To Do This
Everyday
Lemon is a great source of vitamin C. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and it’s critical to maintain skin’s collagen. Lemon actually slows down melanin production and helps with skin cell’s regeneration.
When old skin cell is replaced by new skin cell, your skin looks brighter and smoother.
It’s actually all over the internet that people are using lemon for whitening different part of their body, including face, body and even teeth.
Besides that, vitamin C also boosts our immune system and good for bone health.
However, please be careful when you use lemon directly on your skin because lemon can be quite acidic.
So, how to make lemon water? The recipe is plain and simple. Cut the lemon into two, and squeeze half of the lemon juice. Add the lemon juice into your water. Bear in mind, please don’t add lemon into boiling hot water in order to get the best out of it.
You can also add another slice of lemon to your water to add flavor.
You can drink this any time of the day depends on your own preference.
Barley
How Often Do You Need To Do This
Once or twice a week
Another great way to lighten your skin naturally is to drink barley water. Barley is a type of grain that is anti-inflammatory and helps improve skin’s elasticity.
Much like with lemon, barley also helps in skin exfoliation. Hence, the skin looks to renew and bright.
Barley water is a popular beverage to drink among women in Asia. It is good for your health as it is rich in vitamin B, calcium, and magnesium.
Barley is also commonly used in skincare products in Asia. Actress like Fan Bing Bing is a big fan of using barley in skincare. Fan Bing Bing is well known for her fair and translucent skin. One of her beauty secrets is drinking barley water. She also uses skincare products with barley extract.
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Barley drink is very easy to make. First of all, wash and rinse the barley. Then, put water and barley and simmer for 30 minutes to 60 minutes until the barley is softened. Lastly, you can add some honey or sugar to sweeten it.
Remember to Exfoliate Your Skin
How Often Do You Need To Do This
Once a week
Exfoliating your skin is one important step you shouldn’t skip in your skincare routine. Exfoliating your skin in the right way will improve your skin’s texture and eliminate dead skin cells on the surface.
Exfoliation also helps your skincare products to work better on your skin. Your skincare products can penetrate your skin better after exfoliation. Thus, your skin tone appears even and bright.
Exfoliation does not make your skin lighter directly. However, it will remove your dead skin cell on the surface. Therefore, your skin won’t be looking dull. Besides that, it helps other skincare products to work more effectively.
Please do not over-exfoliate your skin. Over exfoliation might damage your skin. Once a week is more than enough. Use a chemical exfoliator not scrub especially if you have acne-prone or sensitive skin. Scrub can be harsh to the skin and cause tiny injuries, so please be cautious when using one.
Pearl Powder
How Often Do You Need To Do This
Once or twice a week
Pearl powder has been popular to enhance your appearance in Asia since thousands of years ago. The empress and royal in China history used pearl for its health and beauty benefits.
You can use pearl powder by using it directly on the skin or as a supplement. No matter how you do it, pearl powder is able to give you that smooth and translucent fair skin.
Pearl powder gives your skin countless benefits. For instance, pearl powder is a powerful antioxidant that will keep your skin away from dullness. It reduces dark spots and hyper-pigmentation.
Other than that, it also stimulates the regeneration of collagen.
Pearl powder also keeps you calm and allows you to sleep more soundly at night. Your skin will appear less tired and less puffy.
Pearl powder is surprisingly pleasant to consume compared to other Chinese medicine I’ve tried. If you’ve ever tried cordyceps drink, you’ll know what I mean. Pearl powder is not 100% soluble in the water but it’s almost tasteless in my opinion.
Please drop a comment and let us know your favorite way to lighten your skin.
