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Spending time outdoors in the sun may feel good, but it can be very damaging to your skin. While skin cancer is obviously a major health concern, the sun can also cause dark spots or an overall darkening of your complexion. If you want to lighten or brighten the look of your skin, a homemade whitening cream can do the trick. Best of all, you can whip one up with ingredients you already have in your kitchen. Try making an easy whitening cream with lemons for oily skin or almonds for dry skin to help brighten up your complexion.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice
- 1 cup (250 g) unsweetened, organic yogurt
- 2 to 3 drops of rose water
- 5 to 6 almonds
- 1 cup (250 g) unsweetened, organic yogurt
- 1 teaspoon (7 g) honey
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) lemon juice
Steps
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Grind the almonds in a food processor. Place 5 to 6 whole, unsalted almonds in the bowl of a food processor. Process the nuts until they reach a fine, powdery texture, which should take 5 to 10 seconds.
- If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a blender or coffee grinder to grind the almonds.
- Almonds are rich in Vitamin E, which is an antioxidant that can prevent sun damage that darkens the skin.
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Mix the ground almonds with yogurt, honey, and lemon juice. Add the ground almonds to a small bowl with 1 cup (250 g) of unsweetened, organic yogurt, 1 teaspoon (7 g) of honey, and 2 teaspoons (10 ml) of lemon juice. Stir the ingredients together until they are fully blended.- Yogurt is rich in lactic acid, which exfoliates the skin to lighten dark spots.
- Honey contains antioxidants, which help prevent sun damage that can darken the skin.
- Lemon juice is high in vitamin C, which can help prevent the skin from darkening.
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Place the cream in a jar and store it in the refrigerator. When all of the ingredients are mixed, transfer the cream to a jar with a lid or another airtight container. Keep the cream in the refrigerator to prevent the yogurt from going bad.
- The cream should stay fresh for 1 to 2 weeks. However, if you see any signs of mold, discard it.
- You can cut the recipe in half if you find that it makes more than you can use in 1 to 2 weeks.
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Smooth the cream on before bed. Because the lactic acid in the yogurt can make your skin sensitive to the sun, it’s best not to use it during the day. Apply it in the evening before you go to sleep for the best results.
- If you have sensitive skin, start out using the cream every other night or just a few times a week. The lactic acid and vitamin skin may irritate your skin, so it’s best to go slow until your skin is used to it.
- Be sure to wash off the cream in the morning with warm water and a gentle cleanser. Apply sunscreen before heading outdoors.
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Mix the lemon juice and yogurt. Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of lemon juice and 1 cup (250 g) of unsweetened, organic yogurt to a small bowl. Stir the two together so they’re well blended.
- For best results, use fresh lemon juice.
- Lemon juice contains vitamin C, which is known to slow down the cells that produce melanin in the skin. That helps prevent the skin from darkening or tanning.
- Yogurt contains lactic acid, which can help exfoliate and lighten the skin.
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Stir in a few drops of rose water. When the yogurt and lemon juice are mixed, add 2 to 3 drops of rose water. Mix well until the mixture is fully incorporated.
- Rose water helps calm inflammation in the skin, which can reduce any redness.
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Transfer the cream to a jar and refrigerate. Once the rose water is mixed in, spoon the cream into an airtight jar or other container. Because the cream contains yogurt, it must be stored in the refrigerator. It should stay fresh for 1 to 2 weeks, but toss it if you see any signs of mold.
- If you find that the recipe makes too much for you to use up before the cream goes bad, you can reduce all of the ingredients in half to make a smaller batch.
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Apply the cream in the evening. For the best results, use the cream daily. However, because the lactic acid makes the skin more sensitive to the sun, it’s best to use it at night. Gently massage it into the skin before bed, and wash it off in the morning with warm water and your usual cleanser.
- Some skin types are sensitive to lactic acid and vitamin C. If you have sensitive skin, it’s best to apply it every other night until your skin is used to the ingredients.
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionHow can I whiten my skin naturally?Mohiba Tareen is a board certified Dermatologist and the founder of Tareen Dermatology located in Roseville, Maplewood and Faribault, Minnesota. Dr. Tareen completed medical school at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where she was inducted into the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha honor society. While a dermatology resident at Columbia University in New York City, she won the Conrad Stritzler award of the New York Dermatologic Society and was published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Dr. Tareen then completed a procedural fellowship which focused on dermatologic surgery, laser, and cosmetic dermatology.While there are many over the counter and prescription options available such as retinol, azelaic acid, niacinamide and more, there may be a few things in your kitchen cabinet that might help achieve lighter skin including turmeric—which can be taken orally to help prevent darkening of the skin or applied topically to brighten it over time— and green tea—which can help prevent melanin stimulation due to the compound EGCG, reducing pigmentation.
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QuestionWhich method works better: the lemon one or the almond one?Community AnswerLemon, because it contains citric acid and is widely used for lightening skin. Almond also lightens the skin, but not as fast as lemon does.
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QuestionIs it possible to make this without using yogurt?Community AnswerYes, you can use milk instead, but I think yogurt is better because it adheres to your skin more easily.
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Tips
- Use a whitening cream in conjunction with a sunscreen with at least an SPF30. This will help keep your skin from developing any new dark patches.Thanks
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Warnings
- While these creams contain natural ingredients, they can still cause allergic reactions. Always do a spot test before applying the creams to your full face. Rub a small amount over your inner wrist or elbow, and wait 24 hours. If you don’t have a reaction, you can use it all over.Thanks
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Things You’ll Need
Lemon Whitening Cream
- Small bowl
- Spoon
- Airtight container
Almond Whitening Cream
- Food processor
- Small bowl
- Spoon
- Airtight container
Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you'd like to learn more about making your skin look lighter, check out our in-depth interview with Mohiba Tareen, MD .
About This Article
Article Summary
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To make lemon whitening cream, mix together 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 1 cup of unsweetened organic yogurt in a small bowl until they’re well-blended. Then, stir in 2-3 drops of rose water, which will help reduce redness on your skin. Once everything is mixed together, transfer the cream into an airtight container and store it in your refrigerator so it doesn’t spoil. When you want to use the cream, gently massage a small amount into your skin and keep it on overnight. Then, wash it off in the morning with warm water. To learn how to make whitening cream with almonds, read on!
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