Brighter Skin ♡

As someone with Irish, German, English, and Scottish blood, I have pretty sensitive, uneven, pink-toned skin that needs a lot of care. If you have sun spots or acne scars, you may be interested in some of the skin-brightening methods I've been experimenting with. This blog will cover the topics of lightening and evening skin tone as well as keeping it healthy by protecting it from the sun c:

• EXFOLIATION: Exfoliation is very useful in fading sun spots, freckles, or any other type of skin discoloration due to sun exposure. Whether you exfoliate using a scrub or some type of loofah, this process basically helps to shed all the dead skin cells from your face which reveals newer, brighter layers of skin underneath. Since acne develops deep under the skin and gradually makes its way to the surface, it can cause scarring on many layers of your skin which means that exfoliating may not help as much. Even so, exfoliation is a very necessary part in having healthy, clear skin. You should exfoliate 1-2 times a week, depending on what you feel is necessary. I like to exfoliate in the shower with St. Ives Naturally Clear Apricot Scrub which can pretty much be purchased anywhere.. I think I got mine from Dollar General! This scrub is probably the harshest one I've ever used since it contains crushed walnuts which is why I just massage it with my hands as opposed to using a scrubby shower glove. The goal is to gently remove dead skin cells, not scratch your face raw! St. Ives has a ton of scrubs and you should choose whichever one would fit your skin best. You also have the option of making your own scrub at home! Some good whitening face scrubs can be made with various combinations of household ingredients such as lemon/lime juice, sugar, honey, milk, tomato, organic aloe vera, crushed almonds, etc. Just google things such as "how to whiten skin at home" and maybe include some of the aforementioned ingredients that you are drawn to.

St. Ives Naturally Clear Apricot Scrub

• SALICYLIC ACID: A lot of facial cleansers advertise their use of this ingredient because it can help to clear up acne. That's the primary reason that I began buying these types of cleansers but I recently discovered that Salicylic Acid can further exfoliate and lighten skin if used regularly. There are many, many drug store products that have contain this ingredient, but the one I'd recommend for this post is St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Cleanser. Yes yes, lots of love for St. Ives. I like to use this cleanser in the shower directly after using the scrub, actually, because I feel that it calms my skin and restores some suppleness to it. I adore this cleanser because I have very sensitive skin that can sometimes become red and the green tea aspect of this is a perfect soothing counteracter. A tip that I feel the need to mention about any cleanser with Salicylic Acid is that you should never use one before going out into the sun. That goes for any type of harsh cleanser or acne medication. Use these products at night before bed because they make your skin more sensitive. If you expose your skin to the sun after using them, you're more likely to develop worse sun damage. As I mentioned, you also have the option of making brightening cleansers at home that act in a similar way to Salicylic Acid using the listed ingredients.

St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Cleanser

• OIL: Just like hair and nails, your skin loves oil! In the case of lightening skin, I definitely recommend Bio Oil which I've talked about in a previous post. It's specifically formulated to fade sun spots, stretch marks, uneven skin, and scars. I also sometimes use Fruit of the Earth Vitamin E Skin Care Cream because it has amazing ingredients such as vitamin E, aloe vera, wheat germ, sunflower seed oil, collagen and elastin. This stuff is pretty great and it's only about $4. I got mine from Walmart.

Fruit of the Earth Vitamin E Skin Care Cream

• SUNBLOCK: Arguably the most important part. Once you put in all of this work to get brighter skin, you have to protect it from the sun so that it doesn't go back to the way it was! Slab on an SPF of at least 30 every single day. Even if it's raining, put on sunscreen. Even if you think you'll only be outside for a second. Be diligent about this and you will see results, I promise. A sunscreen that I like in the winter is Tropic Sun SPF 45 Sunscreen Lotion because it acts as my SPF and moisturizer, so it would be good for people with dry skin. One that I recently discovered and fell in love with is Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch SPF 30 Sunblock (It's important to get the SPF 30 one because the reviews on the other amounts of SPF are bad!) This stuff is so great because it doesn't make your face all oily, but it does its job. It goes really well on its own or under make up and I think most people would be pleased with it.

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 30

• OTHER TIPS: 
• Stay out of the sun as much as possible. If you must go in the sun, try to protect your skin by wearing clothing that covers it or a hat to shade your face.
• Skin-bleaching products are available but beware when using them that some can be very harsh so choose a safe product and read all warnings. I've never tried any, but a good start may be a lightening bar of soap or gentle cream.
• Food supplements can also lighten skin from the inside. Glutathione is the best skin antioxidant supplement with skin-whitening side effects. Avoid greasy junk foods and alcohol and instead, incorporate water, soybean products, fruits, vegetables, tea, and vitamins E & C.

♡ ♡ ♡