Tan is a dark layer which forms over individual’s skin due to excessive exposure of sun rays. Sun tan stays in possibility when you are exposed to sunlight in the mid day say after 12 noon or in Nav tappa which we usually have in Nagpur.
Sun Tan Mechanism:
All of us have melanin on our skins. It is melanin that gives our skin the color. Dark-skinned people have a higher concentration of melanin, while light-skinned people have less of this. Cells in the human body that are called melanocytes produce this melanin through melanogenesis.
The human body creates melanin for protecting the skin’s deeper layers from damage. When you have been exposed to the Sun’s harmful UV rays for too long, your skin will make more melanin to prevent any damage. This is the skin’s defense mechanism. This overproduction of melanin changes the skin color. Those who are dark-skinned will turn darker brown, and those who are light-skinned will turn red. Besides burning or tanning, many individuals will also develop uneven color patches on their skins.
Home-Made Face Packs for removing Sun Tan
Cucumber, lemon and rose water pack for summer tan:
Lemon consists of acidic property that acts as natural bleach in removing tan and fighting pimples. Cucumber juice is widely used for skin brightening and whitening and rose water acts as cooling agents for soothing the damaged skin. Take a table spoon of each lemon juice, cucumber juice and rose water in a bowl. Mix them well and apply with cotton on tanned areas. After 10 minutes wash your face with cool water.
Papaya and Honey Face Pack:
Papaya is a good source of Vitamin A and papain. The enzyme in papaya is known for skin renewal, whitening, exfoliation and restoration. Papaya helps in skin hydration. Honey helps in moisturizing and softening the skin. For this pack, take ½ cup of papaya pulp and mash it well, add a table spoon of honey to it and mix well. Apply on clean face and dry for 20 minutes. Rinse off with water.
Tomato, Yogurt and Lemon Juice Face Pack:
This pack works wonders in removing dark spots and pigmentation from sun tanned skin. The citric property of tomato, yogurt and lemon juice works as natural bleach. In addition, tomato juice works as a natural toner to shrink open pores, protects us from free radicals, help in cell repair, gives glowing skin, and reduce oiliness of skin. In order to prepare this pack mix 2 table spoon of tomato pulp, 1 Table spoon of lemon juice and 1 table spoon of yogurt in a bowl and apply on face. Let it dry for 30 minutes. Wash with cold water. The tomato juice may cause a sensation of itchiness in the beginning, but it will mellow down with regular application.
Oat Meal and Butter Milk Pack:
Butter milk helps in healing blisters, soothing and cleaning skin and skin color. Oatmeal has the best amino acid balance among all cereal grains and high silica content. Oatmeal also acts as a natural scrub that exfoliates skin, removes blackheads and dead cells. Mix 2 table spoon of oatmeal with 3 tablespoons of butter milk and 1 table spoon honey (optional) apply on face. Gently massage in circular motion. Let it stay for 15-20 minutes and rinse with cool water.
Pineapple and Honey Face Mask:
With its tangy and fresh flavor, Pineapple is the king of tropical fruits. Pineapple juice is good for fair skin complexion. The enzymes in pineapple help in removing dead cells from tanned and burnt areas. Pineapple juice is the storehouse of vitamin C, bromelain and antioxidants, which are extremely beneficial in the treatment and prevention of acne, fine lines, sun damaged and uneven skin toning, etc. Mix 2 table spoon of pineapple pulp with one tablespoon of honey and apply on face, wait for 3-5 minutes and wash thoroughly with water.
Wheat Flour Face Pack:
Applying wheat flour on the skin can help in improving skin tone, fade away dark spots and uneven skin tone. Make a paste using 2 table spoons of wheat flour and water and apply on face. The paste should not be too thick. Leave it for 15 minutes and wash off with water. Additionally, a wheat flour mask can make your skin more supple and give it a beautiful glow.
Sugar and Lemon Face Pack
Sugar is a very good cleansing agent and so it will surely remove the skin tan from your face. Sugar is a natural humectant, meaning it draws moisture from the environment into the skin. So when you apply products with sugar or sugar derivatives, they’ll actually help hydrate your skin and keep moisture within. Prepare a face pack with sugar and see the difference it makes. To have better and quicker results, take 1 table spoon white powdered sugar, 1 drop of olive oil, 2 – 3 drops of lemon juice, mix all three gently and apply the same on your face and leave it for 15 minutes. Rinse off with cool water.
–Aliakbar Maimoon
