Forgot to put sunscreen before stepping out in the sun and now the tanned skin is bothering you. The chances of getting tanned in summers is quite high as the excessive exposure to UVA rays stimulates your skin to produce melanin pigment. Also, heat dehydrates your skin, and your skin becomes dull and tanned.
Skin tan may also be accompanied with burning or itching and leaches your skin’s natural glow. But do not worry at all as there are economical home remedies readily available in everyone’s kitchen to remove tan.
Home Remedies To Remove Tan
- Honey and papaya- Papaya is known to make skin light and radiant. It has exfoliating properties, and it renews the skin. On the other hand, honey has hydrating properties. It keeps skin moisturized, makes skin supple and soft. Being anti-bacterial honey also prevents infection in cases of sunburns.
What To Do
Mash a few pieces of ripe papaya and add two teaspoon honey to it. Apply the face pack and leave it for 20-30 minutes. Wash it off with warm water. Repeat this 2-3 times in a day.
- Rice flour– Rice flour is used in skin care since ages. It soothes and softens the skin, lightens pigmentation and removes tan.
What To Do
To 4 teaspoon of rice flour add two teaspoon tomato juice, a pinch of turmeric and sufficient amount of rose water to make a paste. Apply the paste to your skin and face and let it dry. After 10-15 minutes rinse it off.
Apply this pack to your face two times in a day.
- Egg white– Egg white removes dead skin cells and impurities. It heals and whitens the skin.
What To Do
Mix egg white of an egg and add a tablespoon honey and half teaspoon lemon juice to it. Mix the ingredients to make a paste and apply the paste to your face after cleansing your face. Also, apply the paste to hands and other sun tanned part of the body. Leave it for 15 minutes and then rinse it off. Pat dry and moisturize your skin. Repeat this once in a week.
- Lemon juice– Lemon juice is rich in acetic acid and has bleaching properties. It reduces But lemon juice alone may cause the skin to dry so better use it with other ingredients.
What To Do
Cut lemon into two halves. Take one half of the lemon and sprinkle sugar over it. Rub it gently over the tanned area for a minute. Rinse the tanned area with water.
Alternatively, mix a tablespoon lemon juice, a tablespoon rose water and a tablespoon of fresh cucumber juice. With the help of a cotton ball apply the concoction to the tanned skin. After 10-15 minutes rinse it off.
- Oatmeal- Oatmeal scrub is an excellent home remedy to remove sun tan. Oatmeal is anti- It effectively controls itching and burning. Being anti-inflammatory it reduces inflammation, soothes sunburn and moisturises the skin. It is an exfoliator and removes dead skin cells.
What To Do
To half cup oatmeal, add a sufficient amount of buttermilk to make a paste. Massage the affected area with this paste in a circular motion. After a few minutes rinse it off. Use this scrub two times in a week.
- Tomato juice– Tomato juice has depigmentation Use it regularly to get rid of tan. It has skin toning property, and you can apply it directly to the skin without the fear that your skin will get dry.
What To Do
Extract the juice of tomato and apply to your face. After 15 minutes rinse it off.
Alternatively, to 2 tablespoons tomato juice add a tablespoon yoghurt and a tablespoon lemon juice Mix the ingredients and apply to the tanned area. Leave it to dry and then rinse it off with normal water.
- Curd and almond- Almond is rich in vitamin E. Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant. It fights free radical damage and prevents the signs of ageing. Curd makes your skin hydrated and fresh. It removes dead skin cells and whitens the skin tone.
What To Do
To 4 tablespoon of curd add a tablespoon of ground almond powder. Mix and apply the mixture to your skin. After 20 minutes wash it off with warm water.
- Milk and strawberry– Strawberries are amazing exfoliator and is rich in vitamin C. It removes dead skin cells, moisturizes and lightens the skin.
What To Do
Crush a few strawberries and add four teaspoons milk to it. Mix the ingredients and apply to the tanned area. After half an hour rinse it off.
- Potato- Potato is rich in minerals and vitamins such as vitamin C, vitamin B, magnesium, potassium, phosphorous and zinc. It has bleaching properties and lightens the It treats sunburn, dark spots, pigmentation, tan and blemishes.
What To Do
Boil potato with skin. Peel the skin and mash the potato. Add a teaspoon almond oil to it and add a tablespoon raw milk to it. Blend all the ingredients and make a smooth paste. Apply the paste to your face and after 15 minutes rinse it off with warm water.
Alternatively, crush a potato and extract its juice. Add a tablespoon lemon juice to potato juice. Mix well and apply to your face with the help of cotton swab. After half an hour rinse it off.
- Plain yoghurt- Yoghurt contains natural enzymes that are anti-tanning. Also, yoghurt moisturizes the skin and makes it soft.
What To Do
Apply plain yoghurt to your face. Leave it for 20 minutes and then wash it off.
To increase the effectiveness, you may also add a few drops of lemon juice and teaspoon honey to the yoghurt.
- Pineapple– Pineapple is rich in bromelain. It promotes the collagen synthesis and makes your skin flexible and firm.
What To Do
Mash a few pieces of pineapple and papaya and make a paste. Apply the paste to tanned skin and leave it for 20 minutes. Rinse it off with water.
Alternatively, you may also mix a tablespoon honey to mashed pineapple pulp and make a pack. Apply the pack to your face. After 15 minutes wash it off.
- Ice– Ice is one of the most effective home remedies to get rid of a sun tan. It reduces itchiness and burning.
What To Do
You should never apply ice directly to the skin, or it may cause chilblains. Wrap a few pieces of ice in cheesecloth and apply it to the affected area for a few minutes. Repeat this twice in a day.
- Sandalwood- Sandalwood is a natural It is anti-inflammatory and lightens the skin tone. Sandalwood cools the skin and is a natural soother.
Take two tablespoons of sandalwood powder and add sufficient amount of rose water or coconut water to make a smooth paste. Apply the sandalwood paste to tanned skin and leave it to dry. Once it dries, rinse it off.
Repeat this three times in a week.
- Aloe vera- Aloe vera is a cooling It is anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial and soothes burn, acne and removes tan.
What To Do
Extract the gel of fresh aloe vera and apply to the affected area. After 15 minutes rinse it off. Repeat this three times in a day.
- Turmeric– Turmeric has been used since ages to get a smooth and radiant skin. It is antiseptic and heals the skin.
What to do
Add a pinch of turmeric to a tablespoon raw milk. Milk exfoliates the skin. Mix both the ingredients and apply to your face with the help of a cotton ball. Once it dries, wash it off. Repeat this every alternate day.
Alternatively, to two tablespoons of Bengal gram add a pinch of turmeric and tablespoon rose water. You may also add tablespoon milk to it. Mix well the ingredients to make a paste and apply the paste to tanned areas. When the pack dries, moisten it with a few drops of water and scrub it gently to remove it. Wash your face, pat it dry and apply regular moisturizer.
- Cabbage leaves– It is one of the simplest home remedies to get rid of a sun tan. Cabbage leaves are anti-inflammatory and is rich in vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin K.
What To Do
Put cabbage leaves in the refrigerator for 20 minutes and then place the cabbage leaves over the affected area for 15 minutes. Repeat this as needed.
Home remedies to remove tan nourishes and gives your skin a healthy boost. Try them out and get your glowing skin back.
*Even though home remedies to remove tan are the best option still for severe tanning better consult a dermatologist to rule out sunburn.
A recurrent sun tan may lead to skin cancer and so better take preventive measures discussed below.
- In summers during the peak time of the sun (11 to 4) avoid outdoor activities.
- Wearing bright coloured clothes provide more protection against the sun,
- Wear full clothes and a scarf or hat.
- Apply a sunscreen that offers SPF more than 30 to avoid tanning.
- Drink lots of water and keep your skin