How to Lighten Skin With Natural Ingredients

Dark spots and uneven skin tone are an unfortunate part of the aging process and evidence of free radical damage. But what if you could reverse the damage caused by too much stress, sun worshipping, harsh chemicals, or just simply genetics? You most certainly can.

In response to the growing trend of women seeking a lighter, more balanced skin tone, there is an abundance of skin lightening cream on the market. Unfortunately, most are laden with chemicals that can lead to long-term damage. Not very appealing.

There are safe, non-toxic skin lightening solutions with natural ingredients that yield beautiful results. Whether you have a darker skin tone on your neck compared to your face that you want to even out, acne scarring, or your goal is to lighten the color of a birthmark, a natural skin lightener can reveal a remarkably brighter, more youthful complexion without exposing yourself to harmful substances.

But, more on that in a minute. Let’s first explore what causes skin pigmentation issues and what you can do about it.

What causes dark skin?

Hyperpigmentation occurs when the body produces too much melanin, which is the pigment produced by melanosomes in cells called melanocytes. The enzyme found inside melanosomes, which is responsible for the production of melanin by oxidation, is called tyrosinase.

Melanin gives color to hair, eyes, and skin. How much of it your body produces is determined by genetics, so those with more melanin have a darker skin. It’s your body’s built-in protection from damaging UV rays, which is why people in hot climates have deeper skin tones.

The sun stimulates melanocytes to produce more melanin by activating tyrosinase enzymes triggering an increase in the distribution of melanin in the skin. Overexposure results in tanning, freckles, age spots, or areas of uneven skin tone. In addition, hyperpigmentation can also be caused by acne blemishes, cosmetic treatments, rosacea, or wounds. Regardless of how it occurs, the root cause can be traced back to dysfunctional regulation of melanin production.

How to lighten dark skin

If you start to notice dark areas on your skin, this is not something you want to ignore. Discovery is the first step to preventing further damage. We offer a natural skin lightening cream to help brighten dull or damaged skin. Abbey’s St Clare’s FADE Skin Brightenerr is a botanical-based skin lightening cream that reduces the color of darkened areas anywhere on the body. As the name implies, it gently fades the look of uneven skin tones and areas of concentrated melanin using plant extracts and other ingredients provided by nature.

How skin lightening treatments work

The goal is to reduce the overproduction of melanin using a 3-fold process:

Step 1: Interrupt the tyrosinase production using flavonoids (natural chemical compounds in plants), which inhibit the production of melanin.

Step 2: Break down existing melanosomes.

Step 3: Exfoliate surface skin cells that contain excess melanin.

Active ingredients in our natural skin lightener

Abbey St Clare products are plant-based, chemical-free, and meticulously formulated. In fact, over 100 alpine plants were tested for their ability to lighten skin, of which only 15 were selected based on how effectively they inhibit tyrosinase activity. It was found the combining multiple botanicals creates a synergistic effect and increases potency. I have included the following 10 extracts in this skin lightening cream: marshmallow, peppermint leaf, primrose, lady’s mantle, veronica, melissa, yarrow, hops, rosemary, sage, ginseng root. Other natural additives and tyrosinase inhibitors have been used to round out this formula. To say this skin lightener packs a punch would be an understatement, and here’s why:

• Bellis perennis, which is derived from blossoms of wild daisies, is one of the most efficient skin lighteners available and known for its ability to reverse pigmentation issues by blocking and binding the transfer of melanocytes.

• Resveratrol, an anti-aging antioxidant, decreases melanin production and protects against damaging UV radiation.

• Hyaluronic acid and squalane are hydrating actives that enhance suppleness, tone, and characteristics of healthy skin.

• Alpha arbutin is a pure water-soluble, biosynthetic active that is commonly extracted from bearberry bush leaves. It naturally decreases melanin production to further reduce darks spots and lighten skin tone.

• Aloe barbadensis alleviates hyperpigmentation and restores skin to its natural tone. Aloe vera’s cooling effect promotes cell regeneration and aids in rebuilding damaged tissue.

• Niacinamide belongs to the vitamin B family and has anti-oxidative properties. It prevents melanin pigments from spreading to deeper skin layers and enhances the lightening effect. Niacinamide is said to perform nearly as well as hydroquinone with fewer side effects. (Hydroquinone is a chemical compound that is commonly used in skin lightening products and celebrated for its effectiveness, concerns over its safety have arisen, which is why I avoid using it in my formulations.)

• Oligopeptide is a small peptide molecule consisting of 13 amino acids that is considered one of the safest and most effective non-hydroquinone skin lighteners.

How to use a natural skin lightening cream

Careful application is advised to ensure even coverage. Always apply after thoroughly cleansing and using a toner, both in the morning and evening. Use your fingers to gently feather into the surrounding skin to make it look as natural as possible. If applying to hands, blend all up the arms to avoid looking like you are wearing gloves.

Best results for lighter, brighter skin are achieved after 4-6 weeks of regular use. For severe hyperpigmentation, it may take longer.