5 Ways to Remove Suntan Using Natural Ingredients at Home

Sheetal Rawal, Founder, Apsara Skin Care

Left: Sheetal Rawal, scientist (human genetics) & founder of Apsara Skin Care

By: Sheetal Rawal

While many of us love to get tanned to add color to our skin, for others that are blessed with a bronze complexion already, a tan can be a bit unwelcome. As in many things in life, we like to have the opposite of what we are born with. Very light skinned ones love a nice, deep tan, while those with darker skin would love for it to be a few shades lighter. It is like a curly haired girl wishing her hair were straight and vice versa. I can go on and on, but I know you got the point. The grass appears greener on the other side. But coming back to the topic of skin tan, one thing that stands true in all situations is that it could make the skin appear dull and lackluster. Continue reading to find out why this might be the case.

Let’s discuss the top 5 natural ingredients that are well known to remove or reduce the appearance of a tan. I will also teach you easy methods to use these ingredients at home. My aim in bringing these remedies to you is to convince you that natural ingredients work beautifully and effectively and that we really do not have to use harsh chemicals in our personal care. My hope is that you either already have a complete skin care routine that is natural, or that you are considering making a switch to natural personal care products very soon. Indeed a switch in all areas of your lifestyle would be awesome, for us as well as the environment.

“...You turned a skeptic into a believer...I bought two of your serums, just the serums, the [Rosehip & Citrus serum] and the [Sweet Almond & Wheatgerm serum]. They made this [pigmentation] go away."

Alright, back to the topic. Before going into this list of tan removing ingredients, let me say that tanning of skin is a completely natural process. When skin is exposed to direct sunlight it protects itself by producing more melanin, which is the pigment that gives skin its color. Ever wondered why tanned skin looks duller? The main reason could be the dehydration and dryness that is caused due to sun exposure, which gives rise to a tan in the first place. Top layers of our skin tend to be duller than the ones underneath; when dryness enters the scenario, our skin can further lose its luster and glow on the outside.

Ok, now the ingredients and how to use them to remove suntan at home:

Pineapple: This fruit is the source of an enzyme call bromelain, which has superior skin

Pineapple for suntan

exfoliation properties. It encourages a speedy removal of the top layers of the skin, which means a reduced appearance of a tan. Mix together 1 tsp. of fresh pineapple juice with 1 tsp. of aloe vera gel. Now add in enough oat flour to make a thick paste. Apply on your skin and wash with lukewarm water after 12-15 minutes. Always follow with serum and lotion. An anti-pigmentation serum is a perfect choice to further remove a tan.

Jaggery: This is a beautiful ingredient commonly used as a sweetener in Indian cooking (also called gur). It is the closest you can get to plain sugarcane juice. So it goes through very little

Jaggery for suntan

processing, which is great news for many reasons. One is that it retains a good level of the natural glycolic acid, which is an alpha hydroxy acid. Natural alpha hydroxy acids are wonderful to exfoliate the skin and remove a suntan. They are also very useful to significantly reduce hyperpigmentation of skin. To 1 tsp. of powdered jaggery add 1/2 tsp. of instant coffee, 8 drops of fresh lemon juice and enough almond milk to form a paste. Then apply on the skin. Wash off in 15 minutes and follow with serum and lotion for your skin type. Don’t know your skin type. Don’t you worry! Read this page for help.

Want to know another use for jaggery? Watch this video to learn how to use jaggery to create a face mask for glowing skin. Enjoy and don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel!

Orange Juice: Amazingly high in vitamin C as well as the alpha hydroxy acid called citric acid. I already explained how alpha hydroxy acids help with removing excess suntan. How does vitamin C

orange for suntan

help though? Does it? Yes, it does. Vitamin C is a well known antioxidant. Excess tanning of skin is a result of long exposure to sunlight, which also causes free radical damage to the skin. Antioxidants can reverse and keep under check free radical damage to the skin. A few signs of free radical damage are pigmentation, dark spots, early line & wrinkles and dullness. To 1/2 tsp. of orange juice add 1 tsp. of rosewater and 10 drops of vegetable glycerin. Mix well and dab this liquid mask on your skin. Wash in 12-15 minutes and always follow with serum and lotion.

Potato Juice: Now this might seem like an unusual ingredient to some of you. Others might be

Potato for suntan

familiar with the fact that this ingredient is part of many Ayurvedic home remedies to help with excess tan and also to reduce hyperpigmentation of skin. How exactly does it work? We do not know. In scientific language, we might say we do not know its mechanism of action (FYI: that is actually also true for many modern medications). In any case, it has been used for centuries with successful outcomes. The caution that goes with using potato juice on your skin is that it can leave your skin dry. So using your serum and lotion is a must. Pound or grind a few slices of potato juice to get enough juice. Now to one tsp. of potato juice, add 3 drops of vinegar (and no more) and 1 tsp. of aloe vera juice. Mix well and dab on your skin. Wash in 10 minutes and follow with serum and lotion.

Coffee: Well coffee in itself cannot be said to speed up dead cell removal. It does have some awesome antioxidant and skin tightening properties though. But yes there is a way to use coffee to help remove excess suntan. When used as a scrub. Here is how. To 1 tsp. of ground coffee (not instant), add 1/2 tsp. of powdered brown sugar, 1/4 tsp. of nutmeg powder and plenty of jojoba oil to make a paste. Now use this to scrub your skin for 3-5 minutes using gentle pressure. Wash with lukewarm water and your cleanser. Then follow with toner, serum, and lotion. This loosens up the upper dead layers of the skin and brings fresh and glowing skin to surface. Hopefully with a much-reduced suntan as well. CAUTION: Do not scrub your skin if you have active acne.

Hope you found this information useful. Questions? Comments? Use the comments field below.

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