Natural Ingredients for Even Skin Tone

One of the things that bugs many of us as we age is stubborn changes in the way your skin tone looks. Even if the skin is healthy, past exposure or medications can leave marks on the skin in the form of age spots and darker patches.

This sort of discoloration can be particularly resistant to targeted applications, which can lead many people to desperation. Some of you may have succumbed to treatment with hydroquinone, which does lighten skin, but also increases sensitivity to sun damage, leading to more dark spots down the road, and can accelerate the look of aging.You don’t have to live with an uneven skin tone. There are many natural ingredients for even skin tone that may help reduce the appearance of uneven skin tone. Let’s discover how to get even skin tone naturally at home.

What Causes Uneven Skin Tone on the Face?

Excess melanin production leads to dark areas on your face, resulting in spots and splotches due to melanin clumping, affecting your skin’s overall tone. Several key factors increase melanin production and result in darker skin:

• Sun Damage: Unprotected exposure to harsh sun is one of the leading causes for discoloration and aging, making dark spots more prominent.
• Aging Skin: Common in mature skin and can show up as dryness, dullness, and age spots, all contributing to unevenness.
• Clogged Pores: Neglected pores can lead to  uneven appearance.
• Skin Picking: Picking at the skin can result in scarring and the look of discoloration.
• Temporary Irritation: Often seen in sensitive or dry skin, it can cause temporary redness and uneven skin tone.
• Hormonal Imbalances: Can result in skin issues, such as acne and dark spots.

14 Natural Ingredients for Even Skin Tone

Here are our top natural ingredients for even skin tone that will help you have a better skin care routine at home.

1. Vitamin C for Even Skin Tone

Vitamin C is a great ingredient for skin care for so many reasons, and one of them is to even the look of your skin tone. Vitamin C is also a powerful antioxidant and can protect skin from environmental stressors. You can find Vitamin C in many products designed for brightening, including our nourishing Citrus Stem Cell Serum.

Some report experiences of skin staining after using vitamin C, which can seem confusing, especially since vitamin C is known to brighten your complexion. However, this is due to oxidization during application. If you ever come across this problem while incorporating vitamin C, here are a few tips to address skin staining from vitamin C.

We personally love incorporating vitamin C in the form of serums & elixirs, but there are many different types, such as vitamin C powders. Curious about the benefits of vitamin C powders for skin care? Check out our latest article that delves into this form of vitamin C.

2. Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) for Skin Care

Niacinamide is a biologically active form of niacin (vitamin B3) found in many root vegetables and yeast. In addition to giving you a more firm, toned look, it is also believed to help even skin tone as well.

3. Kojic Acid Skin Care

Derived from fungal species, this ingredient can help brighten your look. Kojic acid is also an antioxidant, so it can help protect from environmental stressors.

4. Kiwi Skin Care Benefits

Like kojic acid, kiwi fruit extract has been found to help even skin tone as well as reduce the appearance of under eye dark circles. Like most fruit extracts, kiwi is also rich in protective antioxidants.

5. Sophora Root for Skin

Sophora is a genus of trees and shrubs that have showy flowers and useful roots. Long used in traditional healing, some recent studies have found that compounds isolated from sophora can help even your tone.

6. Licorice Root Extract Skin Benefits

Related to beans and peas, licorice root produces an extract that helps to naturally lighten your look. It contains an active compound called “glabridin.” All three of our facial oils contain this ingredient.

7. Green Tea Natural Skin Care

We never seem to come to the end of the list of benefits provided by green tea. In addition to all its health-promoting antioxidants, green tea was also found to help even skin tone. Apply cooled tea bags to the dark areas of skin and leave for 15 minutes or so, or make your own mask by mixing cooled tea with a banana, a little kiwi juice, or some rice flour. We love using green tea in our products!

8. Alpha-Arbutin for Dark Spots

Extracted from a number of plants, alpha-arbutin helps too. It may also be found in cranberries, blueberries, and pears, but one of today’s preferred sources is the bearberry or  uva ursi plant. We use this ingredient in our Citrus Stem Cell Serum to help reduce the appearance of dark spots.

9. Lemon Juice to Lighten Skin

It’s naturally acidic, so applying it to your skin can help exfoliate and brighten skin tone. Apply the juice directly to the skin, let sit for a few minutes, and then rinse off. If you have sensitive skin, be careful, as lemon can be irritating to some people. Make your own skin lightening mask at home with a recipe from our recent post on making you own anti-aging facial masks.

10. Skin Care with Turmeric

A newly rediscovered super spice, turmeric is native to Southern Asia and India and is commonly used in Indian cooking. Newer research has discovered that in addition to being a powerful antioxidant, it can also even out skin tone. You can make your own mask by mixing turmeric with lemon juice—or for more sensitive skins, almond oil. Leave on skin for 10 minutes or so before rinsing off.

11. Witch Hazel

Witch Hazel,derived from Hamamelis Virginiana leaves, is a key ingredient in many cosmetic products due to its toning and balancing properties. Consider using a facial cleanser with witch hazel or a homemade mask with 2 teaspoons of witch hazel mixed with lemon juice or almond oil.

12. Rosehip Oil

Rosehip oil is rich in fatty acids and vitamins A and C. It helps moisturize, soothe dry skin, and aids in revitalizing the skin. Its additional skin-brightening properties are effective against the look of dark spots and discoloration.

13. Honey

Honey, one of the best ingredients for evening skin tone, is a natural humectant that hydrates, brightens, and softens the skin. Its antioxidants combat unevenness and protect against environmental stressors. Apply raw honey to your skin, leave it for 10-15 minutes, and then rinse off.

14. Aloe Vera

Aloe vera has cooling properties and enzymes that help reduce temporary redness and naturally exfoliates for a brighter complexion. A tip for evening skin tone is to  simply cut open an aloe vera leaf and apply a thin layer of the gel to darkened areas of the skin, then rinse after 20 minutes.

Conclusion

Those are some natural solutions that offer effectiveness without the side effects of harsh, toxic chemicals. Regular use of these natural alternatives can significantly improve skin tone and texture, leading to a healthier, more even-toned complexion. Adopting a skin care routine incorporating these methods can yield visible results, providing a sustainable and gentle approach to skin care.

Read Next:

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DIY: How to Do an At-Home Facial

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Uneven Skin Tone Permanent?

No, uneven skin tone is not always permanent. With a proper skin care routine and the right products, you can significantly improve or even get rid of uneven skin tone. Factors like the environment, hormonal changes, and skin disorders can cause unevenness, but there are ways to achieve brighter, clearer, and smoother skin with the right approach.

How Long Does It Take To Even Skin Tone?

The time it takes to even skin tone varies depending on the cause and severity. Typically, with consistent skin care practices and applications aimed to get rid of uneven skin tone, noticeable improvements can be seen within a few weeks to months. Patience and regular care are essential.