Homemade Bleaches

Image via Wikipedia

I severely dislike using bleaches for facial skin.

The chemicals used in these bleaches when mixed results in formation of Hydrogen Peroxide (h2o2) which is unstable and breaks down rapidly into water (h20) and a free oxygen radical. This free oxygen radical is like wild animal that has been let loose and will rush about taking electrons from skin cells to stabilize. This causes damage to collagen and elastin, acclerating aging.

Regular monthly exposure to radical generating chemicals can be harmful in the wrong run.

A better alternative is using homemade bleaches to exfoliate dead skin as well as to lighten sun tans.

Some important points to keep in mind before making your own homemade skin bleach:

• Always clean your face skin thoroughly before bleaching and wait for 20 minutes before bleaching.
  
• Avoid applying skin bleach to your eye area or eye lids;
• If you are bleaching your face skin, you should also bleach your neck.
  
• If this is your very first time using a homemade skin bleach, always do a 24 hour elbow patch test before face application.
• Natural bleaching agents are a little slow in their action, hence you may have to repeat an application for upto a week before you see results

Image via Wikipedia

1. Lemony Curd Bleach: add 5 drops of lemon juice to 2 spoonfuls of curd. Mix well. Apply to face and rub it in gently for 10 mins. Let it dry naturally. Once it has dried, remove by rubbing off the dried flakes. Wash with warm water.

Lemons are natural bleaching agents, rich in citric acid. Curd is rich in lactic acid. Both these belong to alfa hydroxy acid group.

2. Citrus Blast Face Bleach: Blend together juice from two squeezed lemons, a few slices of peeled cucumber, 2 large (but thin) peeled slices of potato and the juice of a whole orange or sweetlime. Add around 4 heaped table spoons of gram flour after blending and apply to face & neck for 20 minutes and wash off. For greater efficacy leave this bleach on overnight (in which case I suggest you replace the gram flour with half a spoon of glycerine)

Image via Wikipedia

Cucumbers are rich in minerals. Along with Potato they have a bleaching effect on the skin. Citrus fruits contain citric acid. Gram flour is a gentle exfoliator. Glycerine is a natural humectant.

3. Sandalwood Face Bleach: Mix a spoonful of sandalwood powder with two spoons of tomato plup. Add a few drops of milk cream if you have dry skin. Smear on face & neck and wash off when dry.

4. Apple Face Bleach: Blend a small peice of apple (with peel) into a paste. For every spoonful of paste, add 2-3 drops of lemon juice and 1/4th spoonful of honey. Mix well. Scrub face and neck for 20 mins.

Apples are rich in malic acid (alfa hydroxy acids)

5. Sweet Grape Face Bleach: Blend 5-6 green grapes (tartaric acid) with half a cup of sugarc

Image via Wikipedia

ane juice (glycolic acid) and half a spoonful of aleo vera gel. Apply generously to face. Wash off after 30 minutes.


**Glycolic acid, lactic acid and citric acid, on topical application to photodamaged (sun-tanned) skin, have been shown to produce increased amounts of mucopolysaccharides and collagen and increased skin thickness without inflammation.