Skin is the largest organ of your body and taking care of it requires some helpful tips, this where skincare comes in. Skincare can be a very stressful process, especially if you do not know where to start. With all these skincare trends and products in the market can be an overwhelming experience. Due to which you do not understand some of the basic skin care that your skin needs on a daily basis. We are here to help you get started on your skincare journey with just four simple steps to get your skin from drab to fab in no time.

Cleansing

The most essential part of skin care is that you start your skincare ritual, washing your skin clean with the help of a cleanser. Cleansing helps removes all the makeup, dirt, oil, grime that might have accumulated through out the day. Not cleansing your skin can accumulate makeup and dirt particle and causing those pesky pimples. Make it a point to clean your face every day twice, before going to sleep and after waking up to have a squeaky clean face. Choose a product that can help with your skin, if you have dry skin choose a cleanser that will add moisture to your skin.

Moisturiser

It does not matter if you have dry, oil, or normal skin moisturiser is an essential part of everyone’s skincare routine. Moisturiser ensures that your skin stays healthy plump and maintain a healthy glow throughout the day. Use it morning and night after you have cleansed your face and pat dry. Also, moisturiser before your makeup does wonders as the products apply more evenly and effortlessly that looks like skin.

Sunscreen

Sunscreen should be applied every single day; it does not matter if it is rainy, or cold outside, wear a sunscreen. Sun’s rays damage skin more than anything else; these rays are the main cause of skin cancer and skin ageing such as sun spots and wrinkles. Apply a nickel-sized amount of the product on your face and another nickel sized amount on any exposed body part.

Exfoliator

Skin always sheds its top layer of skin to unveil a healthy and glowing skin. This is a very natural process and sometimes skin needs some help to get this process going, and this is where exfoliator steps in. Exfoliator removes dead skin cells and the build up on the top layer of the skin. If your skin looks dull and less radiant, it is time to pick up an exfoliator which matches the needs of your skin. External exfoliators are very abrasive, it is recommended that you use a chemical exfoliator as it is gentle on your skin.

You’ve finally managed to effectively treat your acne and your skin appears to being improving each day. Then you notice dark red or pink spots left on your skin where an acne lesion was present. This is called post inflammatory hyperpigmentation and it can take several months for these discolored areas of skin to completely disappear.

What Causes Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation?

PIH is the skin’s response to inflammation and the discoloration can range from red to pink, brown and purple.

This condition will develop when an acne lesion, rash or wound causes inflammation, which will trigger the skin to produce more melanin than necessary. This excess amount of melanin will discolor and darken the injured area and will remain even after the wound or lesion has healed. This condition is very common among individuals with chronic acne or people with darker complexions.

PIH will fade away on its own over a long period of time, without treatment. It can take up to two years for the discolored areas to fade, depending on how dark the discolored area is compared to your natural skin tone.

There are some effective treatments that can work to fade the PIH more quickly. However, you should have your acne under control before you begin treatment for post inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Each new acne lesions can cause another area of discoloration, which in turn will reduce the effectiveness of the treatment. Whatever type of treatment option you end up choosing, you should understand that results will take time.

Milder cases of PIH can respond well to over the counter treatments. There are a number of bleaching creams on the market today. Many people will use these skin lightening creams in combination with skin exfoliating in order to speed up the recovery process.

Hydroquinone is widely used to treat this condition and it can be purchased over the counter, or you’ll need a prescription for a higher strength. This cream works by blocking the melanin production, which in turn lightens the skin. This cream should be applied carefully to the darkened areas only because the cream will bleach any area of the skin it touches which can leave your skin looking blotchy.

Retinoids are commonly used by acne sufferers. This chemical will help to clear acne by speeding up the cell turnover rate. Retinoids will lessen PIH while also preventing new lesions from occurring.

Gentle Home Treatment Products for PIH

Another hydroxy acid found in a number of skin care products is glycolic acid, which is available over the counter. Glycolic acid can effectively exfoliate the skin, working to lighten discolored areas. This chemical is available in gels, cleansers and creams and it not only works to improve PIH but it also leaves the skin soft and smooth. Stronger creams containing glycolic acid are only available by prescription. As with all medications that are designed to treat PIH, you may not see results for several months.

Hyperpigmentation correction Want to have rosy lips? Having pinkish lips enhances our beauty. That’s why it’s no wonder women are obsessed with lip coloring products. But what can you do to lighten your dark lips? First, you have to discover what causes your dark lips.

Having dark lips may depend on a number of factors. It may be genetically inherited or due to skin disorders, chemical or lifestyle factors. Among the main causes of developing dark lips and discoloration are:

Excessive exposure to sunlight – too much sunshine can trigger the production of melanin, which causes the skin and lips to become dark.Smoking and chewing tobacco and high intake of caffeinated products can likewise result in darker lips. Allergic reactions and skin related conditions such as jaundice, dermatitis, anemia and cyanosis can also contribute to dark lips.

Low-quality skin lightening products and cosmetics can also cause dark upper lips. Hormonal imbalances can also contribute to dark skin formation around the mouth.

Natural Dark Lips Remedies

There are different ways to lighten dark lips. And you don’t need to spend a lot of money to do it. Fortunately, there are natural ingredients you can find at home that can also be effective lip lighteners.

Here are some ideas:

Lemon Juice

Lemon juice is known in its efficiency in correcting various skin blemishes. It is used by many people as a natural treatment fo dark spots on the face, acne scars removal, and also for general skin lightening. Similarly, you can use lemon to lighten dark lips instantly.

All you need is a fresh lemon fruit. Simply squeeze the juice and apply on your lips before getting to bed.You can also use lemon in making a lip scrub. Exfoliation is one of the best ways to remove dead skin cells. Yes, you should exfoliate your lips too. To make your natural lip exfoliant, squeeze the lemon juice into a small amount of sugar. Mix the two ingredients thoroughly and apply on your lips using a finger. To exfoliate effectively and to avoid skin injuries, rub gently in a circular motion.

Rose Extract

Want to make your lips pink? Lighten dark lips using rose water mixed with little amount of honey. Scrub your lips with this mixture daily and you will surely begin to notice positive changes.To make it even more effective, apply before you get to bed. This is the best way on how to get soft kissable lips in no time.

Pomegranate

This ingredient is also effective in lightening darker lips. It moisturizes and keeps the lips hydrated. Apply pomegranate daily to get rid of dark lips naturally. To make your paste, mix a small amount of crushed pomegranate with rose water and add little milk cream.

Almond Oil

Almond oil is a very potent moisturizer. It can also help lighten dark lips. To make an effective lip lightener, mix few drops of almond oil with honey. You can also use castor oil following a gentle massage routine. Using coconut oil is also a good alternative.

Berries

Berries contain antioxidant properties. They are abundant in minerals that are effective for skin lightening around your lips. Try using raspberries or strawberries juice mixed with petroleum jelly.

In one episode in “About a Boy”, Minnie Driver, wearing a sleeveless sundress, was talking seriously to her son, Marcus (Benjamin Stockham). I can only guess that it was a serious moment – I was too distracted by the numerous sunspots that peppered Driver’s shoulders and exposed chest area. Was the exposure deliberate or was her make-up artists just inept? I’m sure women’s advocate would scream at me for obsessing on some skin discoloration, but there are deeper issues connected to freckles. Before we delve into them, let’s discuss first how sun spots are formed.

Brown spots that appear on the skin are called chloasma, melisma or hyperpigmentation. It’s more commonly known as freckes, sun spots, age spots or liver spots. The last is actually a misnomer since it actually has no association with the liver. The name sun spots is the most accurate as its formation has everything to do with overexposure to sun, although there are other reasons for the hyperpigmentation (e.g. pregnancy, birth control pills etc). Regardless of the source, the issue is the same – increased production of melanin, the coloring agent of the skin. How do they develop?

In general, freckling occurs because of sun exposure and genetic predisposition. Simply stated, no two people will have the same reaction to some time under the sun. For example, dark-skinned people do not burn as much as fair-skinned people. The freckles form because of the uneven distribution of melanin in one spot of the skin. The longer the exposure, the more freckles form on the skin. The number of freckles largely depend on genetic factors. As a general rule, freckles are harmless and do not become cancerous (except in rare instances when you should consult your doctor).

Nonetheless, it’s not a pretty sight. You It’s not your fault, though. Freckles could be prevented by limiting sun exposure, or if you really must go outdoors, by wearing sunblock. But that’s a pretty recent learning. A few decades ago, it was cool to spend lots of time under the sun without protection. Sunblock was expensive and sold separately. The SPF protection was pretty low, and required numerous applications, which of course, was usually forgotten in all the excitement of going out. At the same, make-up companies did not add SPF to their products back then. Wearing sunscreen was considered tedious.

Now that you have all those discolorations, you probably regret all those time under the sun and want to get rid of your sunspots. While its not easy to remove sun spots, it’s not impossible. It will take time. The best way of course, is to limit your time under the sun, and to always make sure that you are wearing sunscreen, even if its just a trip to the grocery. Other than that, the good news is that numerous companies have come up with a product that you use. If you want to know how to get rid of sun spots, read on and you will find the best way to lighten that skin pigmentation.

Skin lightening and whitening skin tends to darken for several reasons. It can be due to environmental factors in like exposure to the sun, stress or the wrong diet. When your skin tone starts to darken because of exposure to sun rays, there are ways you can lighten it naturally.

Use lemon juice

Lemon has an acidic composition and it’s also rich in vitamins and anti-oxidants. These core properties are what make lemon juice a good ingredient for creating fairer skin complexion. You can apply lemon juice directly on the skin using a cotton ball. But try not to expose your skin to the sun 1 to 2 hours after application.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are also rich in vitamin C and its naturally acidic composition makes it perfect for oily skin. You can apply the tomato pulp directly to your skin and allow it to dry. You may also use a mixture of tomato pulp and lemon juice and apply on the skin using a cotton ball. Leave it for 20 minutes before rinsing your face with warm water.

Apply warm milk

Milk contains calcium which helps to maintain the skin’s normal tone. You can apply milk on your skin to help prevent dryness. The lactic acid present in milk also help to minimize skin pigmentation. You can use a wash cloth to apply the warm milk directly on the skin. Massage the skin gently for 3 to 5 minutes.

Apply orange juice

Orange juice has often been used as a skin lightening ingredient. You can choose to incorporate oranges in your diet and you’ll notice a sudden improvement in your skin’s texture and suppleness. Also apply orange juice on your skin mixed with turmeric powder. You can leave it to work overnight and rinse it off the next morning. When repeated on a daily basis, this can really boost your skin tone.

Beautiful Lighter Skin

Aloe Vera extract

Aloe Vera has been used in different skin products because it contains a powerful ingredient known as Aloesin. Aloesin is what regulates the production of melanin in the skin. Aloe Vera has a gel that contains powerful anti-oxidant properties which will make your skin radiant and smooth. When you apply Aloe Vera gel 4 times daily for two weeks, you are likely to notice a significant improvement.

Honey

Honey has often been used in moisturizing products sold commercially. It’s a powerful ingredient that helps to eliminate dead skin cells and significantly boost the skin tone. Honey also has anti-bacterial properties so it’s best used to fight black spots, scars and acne.

If you’ve ever noticed dark spots on your face, you’re probably looking for ways to get rid of them. There’s really nothing worse than having you skin looking great and then having these darkened areas show up. How exactly did you get them though? There’s a few main causes of dark patches that you may not even realized so knowing how to remove dark spots on face can help if you know what causes them in the first place.

age-spots-handsSunlight exposure is probably the most common cause and you may notice more darkened areas after you’ve spent a summer in the sun. When your skin doesn’t have any protection, it actually increases melotonin production and causes small, darkened areas to show up on your skin. And, once they’re present, it’s hard to get rid of them. However, if you’re careful to wear sunscreen especially in the summer months, you may be able to avoid having more darkened areas show up on your face. So, make sure that you pack a high spf when you’re headed to the beach!

Hormone changes can also affect and cause dark patches on your face. If you become pregnant, the shift in hormones can increase your skin’s melatonin production, causing darker areas to show up not only on your face, but other parts of your body as well. And, it’s not always easy to understand why this happens or even prevent it from occurring. Certain types of birth control that may affect your hormone levels may also be at fault. Anything that interferes or changes your levels of estrogen can be a key factor, so if you’ve noticed an appearance of darkened areas, you may want to take a look at this area.

If you’ve had a fair amount of darkened areas on your skin since birth or early childhood, then these are probably caused by deformities in your blood vessels. When your blood vessels aren’t shuttling blood and other nutrients through your body like they’re supposed to, then it’s common to notice some dark patches showing up. The good news is that you’re not likely to gain any more of these over time, but they won’t go away by themselves.

Surprisingly, even hair removal can cause darker areas to appear. This certainly isn’t a cause that you would think of, but irritation to the skin and hair follicles can cause darkened areas to form. You can prevent this from happening by using gentle soaps and babying your skin leading up to a hair removal appointment.