Organic Ways to Remove Dark Spots

Spots, pimples, blemishes, or any mark that appears on the face is not visually appealing, and that’s a fact. Our skin color comes from melanocytes or skin cells that are responsible for the pigmentation of our skin. In some cases, the presence of these pigmented skin cells are higher in some parts of our body compared to other areas. These areas become darker than other areas or get spots that are dark and black.

There are plenty of reasons behind the appearance of dark spots on your skin:

Hormonal imbalance

more often than not, these dark spots appear on the face and different parts of the body because of blood vessel deformities.

Too much sun exposure

this is actually the most common reason behind the appearance of dark and black spots on the face. When you stay under the sun for hours, you invite skin conditions such as sunburn, age spots, and dark spots because the sun has a negative effect on the skin’s melanocytes.

There are plenty of cosmetic products such as azelaic acids, tretinoin cream, and hydroquinone cream that you can use to treat dark spots as prescribed by your dermatologist. There are also cosmetic treatments such as intense pulsed light therapy and chemical peel that can help you get rid of or lessen the appearance of dark spots. Note, however, that these products are still chemicals so there’s a risk that they’ll cause side effects.

Those who want to stay away from chemicals and expensive cosmetic treatments, we have some good news. Below is a list of natural treatments that you can do at home to get rid of dark spots:

Oatmeal and Lemon Juice Mask

The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties present in oatmeal helps relax the skin. If you have skin that’s prone to pimples and acne and if you’re suffering from dark spots because of this, then you just found yourself another reason to do this treatment. Oatmeal gets rid of the oil from your skin while exfoliating the outer layer to remove dead skin cells. As a result, you lose the dark spots.

You will need:

• Three to four tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
• Half a cup of rolled oats

Here’s how:

• Put the oats in a bowl and grind them until you get the powder.
• Put in some fresh lemon juice and mix thoroughly until it has a paste-like consistency.
• Use your fingers to apply the lemon juice and oatmeal paste on your face. As much as possible, use circular strokes to keep the skin from sagging. Linger for a few minutes on the areas that have dark spots. Leave the paste on your face for a few minutes.
• Rinse your face with warm water once the paste is dry.
• If the oatmeal sticks on your skin, wet a clean cloth with warm water and use it to remove the oats.
• Do this treatment twice a week to remove the dark spots.

Onion Juice Remedy

The acidic nature of onion juice makes it a natural bleaching agent which is excellent for skin lightening remedies. Some people opt to use apple cider vinegar with onion juice to increase its effectivity in removing dark spots.

You will need:

• One to two pieces of onion

Here’s how:

• Grate one or two onions to get the pulp.
• Squeeze the onion pulp to extract the juice.
• Use a clean cotton ball to apply the onion juice on the area of your skin that has dark spots.
• Let the onion juice stay on your skin for five to ten minutes.
• Rinse with warm water.
• For best results, do this daily until the dark spots are no longer visible.

Note: If you can sense a stinging sensation while using fresh onion juice, add some honey before applying it on your skin.

Aloe Vera Remedy

If there’s one plant that all human beings should be thankful for, it’s aloe vera. Its analgesic, skin soothing, and anti-septic properties make it an excellent natural skin moisturizer. It’s packed with nutrients that can treat different skin conditions such as sun tan, skin pigmentation, premature aging, skin rash, pimples, dry flaky skin, acne scars, and different types of skin blemishes. You can use the aloe vera gel directly on the dark spots or you may opt to mix it with some of the ingredients we listed below so you can use it as a facial mask.

Aloe vera – Tomato Mask

If your dark spots are caused by pimples and acne, you will definitely benefit from using this mask.

You will need:

• Two tablespoons of tomato juice
• A tablespoon of aloe vera gel

Here’s how:

• Put the tomato juice and aloe vera gel in a clean bowl. Mix thoroughly.
• Using the tip of your fingers, scoop the mixture and apply it on your face.
• Massage your face gently for two to three minutes. Linger for a few more minutes on the areas that have dark spots.
• Let the mixture stay on your face so the skin can absorb the nutrients.
• After twenty minutes, rinse your face with warm water.
• Do this twice or thrice a week for the first few weeks. Once you notice that the appearance of dark spots has decreased, you may opt to do this treatment once a week.

Orange, Lemon, and Aloe vera Mask

You will need:

• A tablespoon of lemon juice
• Two tablespoons of aloe vera gel
• A tablespoon of powdered orange peel

Here’s how:

• In a clean bowl, mix the powdered orange peel, aloe vera gel, and lemon juice until it has a paste-like consistency.
• Use the tip of your fingers to apply the paste on your face.
• Leave the paste on your face for fifteen minutes to half an hour.
• Rinse with cold water.

Papaya-Aloe vera Mask

You will need:

• Two tablespoons of papaya pulp (ripe)
• Two tablespoons of aloe vera gel

Here’s how:

• Blend the aloe vera gel and fresh papaya pulp in a clean bowl. Mix until you have a homogenous mixture.
• Use your fingers to scoop the paste and massage it on your face for two to three minutes.
• After the massage, put some more of the papaya-aloe vera paste on your face and leave it there for fifteen to twenty minutes.
• Rinse with cold water.

Honey-Aloe vera Mask

You will need:

• A tablespoon of honey
• Two tablespoons of aloe vera gel

Here’s how:

• Combine the honey and aloe vera gel until it becomes a homogenous mixture.
• Wash your face and make sure it’s clean before applying the aloe vera and honey mixture on your face.
• Massage your face gently for two minutes.
• Leave the mixture on your face for fifteen minutes.
• Rinse with warm water.

Parsley Face Mask

Believe it or not, parsley extracts are used in cosmetic products and treatments dedicated to curing skin discoloration. This is because parsley contains high levels of vitamin C which stimulates the production of collagen and helps treat blemishes to make your skin tone even. Parsley is also a good source of vitamin K which is essential in maintaining or improving the elasticity of your skin. The vitamin A and vitamin C present in parsley produces antioxidants that help fight off skin damage from free radicals. This is essential when the appearance of dark spots on your skin are caused by acne scars. As a matter of fact, parsley has the ability to put an end to acne breakouts because of its anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. Below is a recipe where you can use parsley, honey, and lemon juice. Fresh lemon juice will help lighten your skin while honey will help heal your skin.

You will need:

• A teaspoon of fresh lemon juice.
• A medium-sized head of parsley
• Two teaspoons of raw honey

Here’s how:

• Use warm water to wash and thoroughly clean the parsley.
• Chop the parsley and then crush it using a mortar and pestle until you get the paste.
• Put the paste in a clean bowl.
• Add the honey and fresh lemon juice. Mix thoroughly.
• Make sure that your face is clean and dry before applying the paste. Make sure that the paste doesn’t get in your eyes.
• Leave the paste on your face for fifteen minutes.
• Rinse with warm water.
• Use a gentle moisturizer.
• Do this remedy once or twice a week.

Note: If you have dry scaly skin, use only half a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice. Skip the lemon juice if you have sensitive skin.

Buttermilk Remedy

Buttermilk is made from churned butter or curd and is a good source of lactic acid which is commonly used in chemical peels and other cosmetic procedures specifically for skin lightening. Lactic acid exfoliates the skin and removes dead skin cells to lessen dark spots.

You will need:

• Two teaspoons of fresh tomato juice
• Four to five teaspoons of buttermilk

Here’s how:

• Get a clean bowl and combine the fresh tomato juice and buttermilk. The bleaching properties of fresh tomato juice will boost the skin lightening properties of buttermilk.
• Use your fingertips to apply the mixture on your face.
• Leave the mixture on your face for fifteen to twenty minutes.
• Rinse with warm water.

Papaya Remedy

Papain, an enzyme present in papaya, helps exfoliate and remove dead skin cells from the surface of the skin. It also stimulates the growth of new skin cells and lightens the skin. Papain prevents the production of tyrosinase which is used by melanocytes to produce melanin. Although green or raw papaya has more papain compared to ripe papaya, both are still effective in removing dark spots.

There are Two Ways to Use Papaya as a Remedy for Dark Spots:
Ripe Papaya Facial Mask

You will need:

• Ripe papaya pulp

Here’s how:

• Get a clean bowl and put the ripe papaya pulp in it.
• Mash thoroughly.
• Scoop the mashed papaya pulp and massage it on your face.
• Leave the ripe papaya mask on your face for about twenty minutes.
• Rinse with warm water.
• Do this everyday.

Green Papaya Mask

You will need:

• Lemon juice
• Green papaya (raw)

Here’s how:

• Grate or use a blender to extract the paste from the green papaya.
• Put the paste in a clean bowl and add some fresh lemon juice.
• Mix until it becomes a homogenous mixture.
• Apply the paste on the area of your skin that has dark spots.
• Leave the paste on that area for about fifteen to twenty minutes.
• Rinse with warm water

Turmeric Remedy

For years, turmeric has been used in India and other countries because of its nutritional and skin care benefits. It contains curcumin, an active ingredient that provides turmeric’s antioxidant properties. These antioxidants are essential in keeping your skin healthy and protecting it from further damage such as age spots and premature aging caused by free radicals that were formed because of oxidative stress.

You will need:

• A few drops of fresh lemon juice
• One to two tablespoons of milk
• A teaspoon of turmeric

Here’s how:

• Put the turmeric in a clean bowl and drizzle some milk. Make sure that the amount of milk you put in the bowl is enough to form a paste.
• Add a few drops of fresh lemon juice to the mixture.
• Use your fingertips to apply the mixture on your face. Concentrate on the areas with dark spots.
• Leave the paste on your face for fifteen to twenty minutes.
• Rinse with warm water. You may opt to use a gentle facial wash to thoroughly remove the paste.
• Be cautious when using turmeric because it leaves hard to remove stains.

Almond Oil Remedy

One of the oils that are effective in treating skin conditions such as dark spots is almond oil. It contains vitamin E, vitamin B6, vitamin B2, vitamin PP, unsaturated fatty acids, phytosterols, and minerals. These nutrients work together to remove dark spots, blemishes, and to give you an even skin tone. Almond oil also shields your skin from the harmful rays of the sun.

You will need:

• Two to three drops of fresh lemon juice (optional)
• One to two teaspoons of sweet almond oil

Here’s how:

• Use a double boiler to heat the almond oil. If you don’t have a double boiler, you can put the almond oil in a small stainless steel bowl and then out it in a bigger bowl with warm water. The almond oil will heat up in a few minutes.
• Apply the warm almond oil on your face. Massage gently for five to ten minutes.
• Do this everyday for two weeks.

To boost almond oil’s capacity to remove dark spots, you may add a few drops of fresh lemon juice before application.

Watermelon Rind Remedy

Hold up before throwing the watermelon rind: set it aside and use it to treat those dark spots. Watermelon contains vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, moisture, and fiber that can help reduce the appearance of dark spots. The soothing and cool watermelon pulp helps heal the dark spots caused by severe sun damage.

You will need:

• Watermelon rind

Here’s how:

• Use the inner side of the watermelon rind and gently rub it on your face. Keep doing this until you have watermelon juice on your skin.
• Rinse with cold water.
• Do this two to three times a week.

Rosehip Oil Remedy

Rosehip oil can get rid of dark spots and age spots naturally. It has high levels of vitamin A which is essential in skin rejuvenation. It also contains vitamin C which is very important in improving your skin pigmentation to lessen the appearance of dark spots. It is a natural moisturizer and emollient that can give you skin that’s hydrated, soft, and smooth.

You will need:

• Rosehip oil

Here’s how:

• Apply the oil directly on the area of your skin that has dark spots.
• Massage for two to three minutes.
• Rinse with warm water.

Rosehip oil can easily penetrate your skin. It can nourish your skin at the cellular level and help you get rid of dark spots, pimple scars, and blemishes that appear not just on your face but also on other parts of your body. Do this remedy two times a day for two months. You may also opt to add carrier oils like jojoba oil or almond oil before application.

Potato Remedy

Yes, your favorite French fries are packed with essential fatty acids, minerals, vitamins, and phytochemicals like polyphenols and carotenoids that do wonders for your skin. It also has vitamin B-complex, vitamin C, and plenty of minerals such as magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, and calcium that can help stimulate elastin and collagen synthesis. This gives you an even skin tone and reduces the appearance of dark spots. Most of the starches, sugars, and natural enzymes present in potatoes work together to exfoliate the skin, get rid of dead skin cells, and remove dark spots.

You will need:

• Half to one teaspoon of honey
• Two to three potatoes
• Three to four drops of fresh lemon juice

Here’s how:

• Use a sieve or a clean cloth while grating the potatoes to extract the juice.
• Put the juice in a clean bowl and add some honey and fresh lemon juice.
• Mix thoroughly.
• Apply the mixture on your face and massage gently.
• Leave the mixture for twenty minutes.
• Rinse with warm water.

Hummus Remedy

We’ve had it wrong, ladies and gentlemen. We underestimated the power of hummus! While it’s more popularly known as a spread or food dip made from Garbanzo beans, it is actually an effective remedy for dark spots! Garbanzo beans, which are also known as gram flour or chickpea, are commonly used in Indian and Middle Eastern cooking. The gram flour also happens to be an effective natural exfoliating agent. It removes marks, spots, and dead skin cells to give you an even skin tone. We included the recipe for basic hummus which is an important ingredient for this remedy:

How to Make Basic Hummus

You will need:

• Water
• A quarter cup of tahini
• A cup of garbanzo beans

Here’s how:

• Put the garbanzo beans in a pot.
• Cook for a couple of minutes.
• Put the cooked garbanzo beans in a food processor to get the paste.
• Put the paste in a clean bowl and then add some tahini.
• Add some water to the mixture until you have a thick pudding-like consistency.

There are Three Ways to Use Hummus to Remove Dark Spots

Lemon-Hummus Paste

You will need:

• A cup of hummus
• Fresh lemon juice
• Water

Here’s how:

• Slice one whole lemon in half. If you’re using one cup of hummus, mix it with the juice of one whole lemon. If you’re using half a cup, then use the juice of ½ lemon.
• Mix thoroughly.
• Gently apply the lemon-hummus mixture on your face and massage gently.
• Leave the mixture on your face for fifteen to twenty minutes.
• Rinse with warm water.

Onion-Hummus Paste

You will need:

• One onion
• A cup of hummus
• One to two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar

Here’s how:

• Extra the juice of one onion and mix it with one cup of hummus.
• Add some apple cider vinegar.
• Mix thoroughly.
• Apply the mixture on your face.
• Leave it there for thirty minutes.
• Rinse with warm water.

Garlic-Hummus Paste

You will need:

• Five to six garlic cloves
• Hummus

Here’s how:

• Crush the garlic cloves until you get the paste.
• Add some hummus to the garlic paste.
• Mix thoroughly.
• Apply the paste directly on the areas with dark spots and leave it there for half an hour.
• Rinse with warm water.

Lemon Juice Remedy

Lemon juice contains citric acid that can help keep your skin healthy. Citric acid helps remove dead skin cells and stimulates the production of new cells to lighten your skin. This helps cure various skin problems such as wrinkles, acne scars, age spots, uneven skin tone, and texture. Be warned, however, that lemon juice can give you temporary, tingling, and burning redness. Before doing this remedy, test it on a small part of your body to see if your skin can tolerate the acidity. If nothing happens to that part of the skin after eight to twelve hours, then you’re good to go.

You will need:

• A clean cotton ball
• Fresh lemon juice

Here’s how:

• Slice a whole lemon in half and squeeze to extract the juice.
• Soak a clean cotton ball in the fresh lemon juice.
• Directly apply the fresh lemon juice on the area of your skin that has dark spots.
• Leave the fresh lemon juice on your skin.
• Once the juice is dry, rinse it with warm water.
• Apply a gentle moisturizer.

Avoid sun exposure after doing this remedy because the skin becomes sensitive to the sun’s harmful rays after the application of fresh lemon juice.