Tan No More: Easy DIY Remedies to Remove Sun Tan at Home
Tried various home remedies to remove sun tan but failed? The internet can be frustrating at times.Many women love their tanned skin. Not me though! Somehow, my skin doesn't tan evenly and leaves me with a blotchy, uneven skin tone.Hence, I did a lot of research and tried various DIYs to get rid of tan. I get a lot of queries for it on my Instagram and hence, decided to write this post and share the information with everyone.
Removing sun tan is quite easy if you take care of it early. As soon as you start treating it, the process will be faster and easier.
The key to removing both face and body tans is gentle exfoliation of the skin. When you get rid of the topmost layer of dead skin that is tan, your skin will appear brighter and more even-toned.
What causes sun tan?
Due to our obsession with fair skin tones, we all see suntan as an unwanted side-effect of staying in the sun for too long. But, what if I told you that tanning actually protects your skin from sun damage?Amazing, right! Human skin color is determined by the amount of melanin produced by melanocytes in our epidermis. When the sun's ultraviolet rays penetrate our skin, it triggers the melanocytes to produce more melanin. This is our body's natural defense mechanism to avoid sunburn.
How to easily remove sun tan naturally at home?
1. Vitamin C Serum
Ascorbic acid or Vitamin C is an amazing antioxidant that not only brightens your skin but also protects it from UV-induced photo damage. Adding a vitamin C serum to your skincare routine will help you maintain a brighter and clearer skin tone.
2. Alpha hydroxy acids
Chemicals like glycolic acid and lactic acid exfoliants help remove dead skin cells and lighten sun tan. You can buy an exfoliating toner or serum and use it 2-3 times a week to get an even-toned complexion.
3. Ubtans/ face masks
There are many face and body scrubs as well as ubtans available in the market that aim to remove tan. It is formulated with skin brightening herbs and botanicals that can easily remove suntan without causing irritation.
Home Remedies to Get Rid of Sun Tan
Licorice root (mullethi)
Licorice root powder is a natural alternative to hydroquinone – a popular skin lightening ingredient. It contains an active ingredient called 'glabridin' which inhibits the enzyme tyrosinase required for melanin production.
curd
Yogurt is rich in lactic acid, an alpha-hydroxy acid that helps exfoliate and brighten the skin. Use it to activate your powder cleansers/face scrubs and masks or mix it with besan (chickpea) flour and use it daily to naturally reduce tan.
Orange peel powder
Orange peel is rich in vitamin C which helps the skin to achieve an even complexion. The slightly coarse texture also makes it useful as a gentle exfoliator to remove dead skin.
Papaya
Papaya is another popular home remedy used for exfoliation and suntan removal. It contains an enzyme called "papain" that helps remove dead skin cells and gently lighten sun tan lines.