10 Methods To Brighten Skin Naturally At Home

Revive your skin's natural glow by taking cues from our curated list of amazing tips.

Medically Reviewed by Dr. CP Thajudheen, MD
By Arshiya Syeda

Everyone has skincare troubles, and we all wish for bright and glowing skin. Most of us would have also searched for instant skin whitening tips online. But how many of them worked? Your skin becomes dull and lifeless due to several factors, including dust, sun exposure, pollution, and other skin issues, causing skin darkening. So what if we tell you the solution is available in your pantry? Wondering how? This article will help you find out the 10 easy ways to get instant fairness with the ingredients available in your kitchen. Read on.

10 Natural Treatments For Instant Fairness

  1. Banana
  2. Baking Soda
  3. Gram Flour
  4. Lemon
  5. Multani Mitti
  6. Papaya
  7. Tomato
  8. Turmeric
  9. Ubtan
  10. Aloe Vera

How To Get Instant Fairness Naturally At Home

1. Banana Face Pack For Instant Fairness

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need

  • 1 Ripe Banana
  • 1 tsp Lemon Juice
  • 1 tsp Honey
  • Towel

Prep Time

2 minutes

Treatment Time

15 minutes

Treatment

  1. Blend all the ingredients together until you get a smooth mixture.
  2. Wash your face with a mild cleanser and pat dry with a towel.
  3. Apply the banana mixture onto your skin and leave it on for about 15 minutes.
  4. Rinse your face with lukewarm water and pat dry.

How Often Can You Do This?

Twice a week.

Why This Works

Bananas are packed with vitamins A, B, and E. It is also an abundant source of the mineral Potassium (1). These nutrients help even out rough skin while also lessening the appearance of dark spots and blemishes. It improves skin elasticity while lightening it and preventing aging (2). The vitamin E content helps prevent oxidative damage while also building your skin’s defense against the harmful rays of the Sun (3).

2. Baking Soda For Instant Fairness

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need

  • 1 tbsp Baking Soda
  • 1 1/2 tsp Water
  • Towel

Prep Time

2 minutes

Treatment Time

5 minutes

Treatment

  1. Combine the baking soda and water until you get a smooth paste.
  2. Wash your face with a mild cleanser and pat dry with a towel.
  3. Gently massage the paste onto your face in circular motions. Leave it on for about 5 minutes.
  4. Rinse your face with lukewarm water and pat dry.

How Often Can You Do This?

2-3 times a week.

Why This Works

Baking soda is a gentle exfoliant that also helps neutralize the pH of your skin (4). It has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antifungal properties which help clear acne from your skin(5), (6). It may also help unclog your pores while removing the damaged and darkened skin from the top layers, revealing fair and healthy skin. But people with dry and sensitive skin or open wounds should not try this.

3. Gram Flour For Instant Fairness

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need

  • 2 tbsp Gram Flour
  • 4 tbsp Rose Water
  • Towel

Prep Time

2 minutes

Treatment Time

20 minutes

Treatment

  1. Combine the ingredients until you get a smooth mixture.
  2. Wash your face with a mild cleanser and pat dry with a towel.
  3. Apply the mixture onto your skin as you would a face pack. Ensure to avoid the delicate areas around your eyes and mouth.
  4. Leave it on for about 20 minutes.
  5. Rinse off with lukewarm water and pat your skin dry.

How Often Can You Do This?

2-3 times a week.

Why This Works

The gram flour helps control the oil production in your skin while also maintaining its pH levels. It helps remove grime and toxins to leave your skin looking fair and radiant. It is also a gentle exfoliant, helping remove dead skin cells while encouraging the healthy production of new skin cells (7).

4. Lemon For Instant Fairness

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need

  • 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 1 tbsp Honey
  • Towel

Prep Time

2 minutes

Treatment Time

15 minutes

Treatment

  1. Combine the ingredients until you get a smooth mixture.
  2. Wash your face with a mild cleanser and pat dry with a towel.
  3. Apply the mixture onto your skin as you would a face pack. Ensure to avoid the delicate areas around your eyes and mouth.
  4. Leave it on for about 15 minutes.
  5. Rinse off with lukewarm water and pat your skin dry.

How Often Can You Do This?

Twice a week.

Why This Works

Lemon’s rich vitamin C content helps lighten pigmentation and dark spots, evening out your skin tone (8). It is also rich in antioxidants which help prevent oxidative damage (9). This face pack purifies and refines your pores while also killing off harmful bacteria that can cause breakouts. The combined bleaching properties of lemon and honey help control melanin production, lightening your skin color.

5. Multani Mitti For Instant Fairness

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need

  • 5-6 Peeled Cucumber Slices
  • 2 tsp Multani Mitti
  • 1 tbsp Rose Water
  • Towel

Prep Time

5 minutes

Treatment Time

15 minutes

Treatment

  1. Blend the ingredients together until you get a smooth mixture.
  2. Wash your face with a mild cleanser and pat dry with a towel.
  3. Apply the mixture onto your skin as you would a face pack. Ensure to avoid the delicate areas around your eyes and mouth.
  4. Leave it on for about 15 minutes.
  5. Rinse off with lukewarm water and pat your skin dry.

How Often Can You Do This?

2-3 times a week.

Why This Works

The cucumber juice combined with the multani mitti in this face pack helps lighten your skin tone while helping fade discoloration (10), (7). The rose water adds an instant pink glow to your skin. Multani mitti is also rich in minerals that help nourish your skin. It has strong bleaching, cleansing, and oil-absorbing properties which work to lighten your skin while keeping it clean and healthy (11).

6. Papaya Face Pack For Instant Fairness

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need

  • 1 Papaya Slice
  • 1 tsp Lemon Juice
  • 1 tsp milk

Prep Time

2 minutes

Treatment Time

20 minutes

Treatment

  1. Blend the ingredients together until you get a smooth mixture.
  2. Wash your face with a mild cleanser and pat dry with a towel.
  3. Apply the mixture onto your skin as you would a face pack. Ensure to avoid the delicate areas around your eyes and mouth.
  4. Leave it on for about 20 minutes.
  5. Rinse off with lukewarm water and pat your skin dry.

How Often Can You Do This?

1-2 times a week.

Why This Works

Lemon juice is one of the most popular treatments for fair skin. In combination with papaya, it can give you amazing results. This is because both lemon and papaya have bleaching properties that can help lighten your skin tone and leave it with a radiant glow (12), (8). If you have dry skin, you can add a little milk to this mix to make it more hydrating.

7. Tomato For Instant Fairness

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need

  • 1 Ripe Tomato
  • Towel

Prep Time

2 minutes

Treatment Time

20 minutes

Treatment

  1. Blend the tomato to a puree consistency.
  2. Wash your face with a mild cleanser and pat dry with a towel.
  3. Apply the tomato puree onto your skin as you would a face pack. Ensure to avoid the delicate areas around your eyes and mouth.
  4. Leave it on for about 20 minutes.
  5. Rinse off with lukewarm water and pat your skin dry.

How Often Can You Do This?

Every day

Why This Works

Tomatoes are a rich source of vitamins A, B, and C. They also contain calcium, magnesium, and potassium (13). While the minerals help heal your skin and keep it hydrated, the vitamins prevent premature aging and boost healthy cell production. Tomatoes also have bleaching properties that help lighten your skin while their lycopene content protects your skin from the harsh UV rays of the Sun (14).

8. Turmeric For Instant Fairness

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need

  • 1/2 tsp Turmeric
  • 1 tsp Milk
  • Towel

Prep Time

2 minutes

Treatment Time

1 hour

Treatment

  1. Combine the ingredients until you get a smooth mixture.
  2. Wash your face with a mild cleanser and pat dry with a towel.
  3. Apply the mixture onto your skin as you would a face pack. Ensure to avoid the delicate areas around your eyes and mouth.
  4. Leave it on for about 1 hour.
  5. Rinse off with lukewarm water and pat your skin dry.
  6. If your skin looks yellow, dip a cotton pad in some milk and rub this on your face for a couple of minutes.
  7. Proceed to rinse your face again.

How Often Can You Do This?

Thrice a week.

Why This Works

Milk has excellent cleansing properties which help get rid of grime, dead skin, and other impurities from your skin (15). In combination with turmeric, it makes for an amazing treatment for acne scars, pigmentation, acne, and dark spots (16). Turmeric also helps inhibit melanin production with its curcumin content. Curcumin helps block the production of ACTH, a hormone that triggers excessive melanin production (17), (18).

9. Ubtan For Instant Fairness

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need

  • 1 tbsp Gram Flour
  • 1 tbsp Rice Flour
  • 2 tsp Lemon Juice
  • 2 tsp Milk

Prep Time

2 minutes

Treatment Time

25 minutes

Treatment

  1. Combine the ingredients until you get a smooth mixture.
  2. Wash your face with a mild cleanser and pat dry with a towel.
  3. Apply the mixture onto your skin as you would a face pack. Ensure to avoid the delicate areas around your eyes and mouth.
  4. Leave it on for about 20 minutes.
  5. After 20 minutes have passed, wet your hands and gently rub the dry mask on your face as you would a scrub.
  6. Rinse off with lukewarm water and pat dry.

How Often Can You Do This?

1-2 times a week.

Why This Works

Homemade Ubtan face packs are usually used by Indian brides to help add a glow to your skin while improving its health (19). The use of multiple ingredients in an Ubtan makes it an effective skin health-boosting face pack. This pack contains the goodness of gram flour, milk, lemon juice, and rice flour.

10. Aloe Vera For Instant Fairness

Image: Shutterstock

You Will Need

  • 1 Aloe Vera Leaf
  • Towel

Prep Time

2 minutes

Treatment Time

10 minutes

Treatment

  1. Slice an Aloe leaf in half and scoop out its gel.
  2. Blend the gel to bring it to a smooth consistency.
  3. Wash your face with a mild cleanser and pat dry with a towel.
  4. Apply the gel onto your skin as you would a face pack. Ensure to avoid the delicate areas around your eyes and mouth.
  5. Leave it on for about 10 minutes
  6. Rinse off with lukewarm water and pat your skin dry.

How Often Can You Do This?

Twice a day

Why This Works

Aloe vera contains about 150 nutrients which include enzymes, lignins, salicylic acids, sterols, saponins, amino acids, minerals, and anthraquinones (20). About 96% of the gel is water which makes it extremely hydrating on the skin (21). It contains minerals like magnesium, zinc, and selenium which repair and protect the skin from damage-causing factors such as chemicals, the harsh rays of the sun, and pollution. The vitamins and minerals in this ingredient also help inhibit melanin production, lightening the color of your skin (22).

Home remedies are a safe, natural, and organic way to lighten and brighten your skin. These easy home remedies for fair skin are perfect for a weekend of skin-pampering activities. Although they work a bit slowly, these home remedies for lighter skin produce results when used regularly or at least once or twice a week for 2-3 months. Rather than opting for dangerous treatments that promise you the world and flawless skin, look around your house for all of these natural substances. You will be more than pleased with the results if you incorporate simple home remedies for fair skin into your daily routine. Also, without sun protection, these home remedies are not going to work even if you use them regularly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What drinks make your skin glow?

Detox drinks and juices of vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables may make your skin glow.

Is coffee good for skin?

Coffee helps protect the skin from oxidative stress and photoaging and reduces hyperpigmentation (1).

Can we apply lemon juice to the face directly?

Yes, you can apply lemon juice directly to the face if your skin is not sensitive. Those with sensitive skin may need to dilute the juice with water or rose water before applying.

Can we apply coffee to the face overnight?

Yes, there is no problem in applying coffee to the face overnight. You can make a coffee overnight face pack, apply it before bed, and rinse it off the next morning. However, always do a patch test before applying.

Sources

Articles on StyleCraze are backed by verified information from peer-reviewed and academic research papers, reputed organizations, research institutions, and medical associations to ensure accuracy and relevance. Read our editorial policy to learn more.

    1. Bananas raw
      https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1846/2
    2. Plant Fortification of the Diet for Anti-Ageing Effects: A Review
      https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC7601865/
    3. Effects of a Fruit and Vegetable-Based Nutraceutical on Biomarkers of Inflammation and Oxidative Status in the Plasma of a Healthy Population: A Placebo-Controlled Double-Blind and Randomized Clinical Trial
      https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC8231220/
    4. Scaly skin and bath pH: Rediscovering baking soda
      https://www.jaad.org/article/S0190-9622(09)00493-9/fulltext
    5. Antibacterial activity of baking soda
      https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11524862/
    6. Antifungal activity of sodium bicarbonate against fungal agents causing superficial infections
      https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22991095/
    7. In-House Preparation and Standardization of Herbal Face Pack
      https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320900643_In-House_Preparation_and_Standardization_of_Herbal_Face_Pack
    8. Natural skin-whitening compounds for the treatment of melanogenesis (Review)
      https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC7271691/
    9. Effects of lifelong intake of lemon polyphenols on aging and intestinal microbiome in the senescence-accelerated mouse prone 1 (SAMP1)
      https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC6403313/
    10. Inhibitory Effect of Cucumis sativus on Melanin Production in Melanoma B16 Cells by Downregulation of Tyrosinase Expression
      https://www.researchgate.net/publication/23473835_Inhibitory_Effect_of_Cucumis_sativus_on_Melanin_Production_in_Melanoma_B16_Cells_by_Downregulation_of_Tyrosinase_Expression
    11. Short Communication Multani Mitti -Is it more than a placebo?
      https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336868352_Short_Communication_Multani_Mitti_-Is_it_more_than_a_placebo
    12. A review on medicinal properties of Carica papaya Linn.
      https://www.researchgate.net/publication/264386483_A_review_on_medicinal_properties_of_Carica_papaya_Linn
    13. Bioactivities of phytochemicals present in tomato
      https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC6045986/
    14. BIO-REMEDIES TO CURE PREMATURE AGING AND FOR HEALTHY SKIN
      https://www.researchgate.net/publication/333682458_BIO-REMEDIES_TO_CURE_PREMATURE_AGING_AND_FOR_HEALTHY_SKIN
    15. Study on the protective effect of an innovative cow milk-based product against some human skin-bacterial pathogens
      https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326148981_Study_on_the_protective_effect_of_an_innovative_cow_milk-based_product_against_some_human_skin-bacterial_pathogens
    16. Potential of Curcumin in Skin Disorders
      https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC6770633/
    17. Curcumin Inhibits ACTH- and Angiotensin II-Stimulated Cortisol Secretion and Cav3.2 Current
      https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC2853174/
    18. Physiology Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH)
      https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK500031/
    19. Evaluation of Ubtan – A traditional indian skin care formulation
      https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27416804/
    20. ALOE VERA: A SHORT REVIEW
      https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC2763764/
    21. In Vivo skin hydration and anti-erythema effects of Aloe vera Aloe ferox and Aloe marlothii gel materials after single and multiple applications
      https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC4078333/
    22. Extract combinations of Curcuma zedooria and Aloe vera inhibit melanin synthesis and dendrite formation in murine melanoma cells
      http://www.iscd.it/files/Extract-combinations-of-Curcuma-zedoaria-and-Aloe-vera-inhibit-melanin-synthesis-and-dendrite-formation-in-murine-melanoma-cells.pdf
    23. Skin photoprotection and consumption of coffee and polyphenols in healthy middle-aged Japanese females
      https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25041334/
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Arshiya Syeda is an editor at StyleCraze. Prior to that, she was a content writer and combined her writing and... more

Dr. CP Thajudheen

(MD)
Dr. CP Thajudheen has over 20 years of experience in various lasers, light-based devices, and other advanced equipment. He was... more

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