Age is one of the main causes for our youthful skin to become dull and damaged. But, other factors such as your lifestyle and diet are also responsible. A healthy diet and lifestyle are crucial to achieve and maintain healthy-looking skin. Even then, your flawless, glowing skin can lose its beauty because of a hectic lifestyle, exposure to harsh chemicals, pollutants, and the scorching sun.
The only way to rejuvenate dull skin is to nourish it internally and externally. Other practices that benefit your skin include consuming fruits, vegetables, eating healthy, exercise, adequate sleep, and stress-free living. Here are simple home remedies to brighten up dull skin.
1. Honey
Honey is rich in antioxidants and contains antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and skin lightening properties. Honey is widely used in the cosmetic industry in numerous skin care products.1
Apply equal portions of honey and lemon juice on your skin to get rid of unwanted facial hair that makes your skin look dull. Leave for 10 minutes and then wash with warm water. Lemon serves as a bleaching agent and honey soothes the skin, making it radiant.
Alternatively, you can brighten up your dull skin with a honey-oatmeal face mask. Mix an egg yolk with two tablespoons of honey and three tablespoons of finely powdered oats to prepare a thick paste. Apply it on your skin gently and wash it after 20 minutes. Do this twice a week for best results.
2. Yogurt
Yogurt is a natural sunscreen and cleansing agent that makes the skin smooth and silky. You can consume yogurt for healthy skin or even use it for topical application to make your skin radiant.2 Prepare a face mask by mixing a teaspoon each of yogurt and honey with half a mashed banana. Applying this paste on your face and washing after 15 minutes rids your skin of suntan.
3. Almond
Almonds are full of moisturizing and nourishing properties. Applying sweet almond oil or almond butter regularly can enhance your skin complexion and help retain its natural glow.3 Prepare a face pack at home by removing the almond skins and grinding the almonds into a smooth paste with a little milk.
Apply this paste on your face and neck every morning, leave it for 15-20 minutes and then wash it off with cool water. Besides external application, even eating a handful of almonds every day can rejuvenate your skin internally and keep it healthy.
4. Walnuts
Walnuts have a variety of properties that not only benefit your skin but also improve your brain and heart health. Daily intake of walnuts can help you get glowing skin. They are loaded with essential fatty acids that help in retaining the skin’s moisture.
The iron and zinc content in walnuts help retain collagen while their omega-3 fatty acids make the skin supple. Use walnuts in your cooking wherever possible to avail its richness. Its hard exterior shell can be ground into a powder and mixed with papaya pulp and lemon juice to make an effective face exfoliating agent to remove dead skin cells.
5. Sugar
Although sugar is bad for your waistline and leads to many health conditions, its rough, sandy texture makes it an excellent exfoliating agent. Just mix a tablespoon each of brown and white sugars with a little water to make a coarse paste. Apply the paste on your face, gently massage in circular motions to exfoliate the dead cells and then wash it away with lukewarm water to get rid of skin dullness.
6. Aloe Vera
For great looking skin, make it a practice to drink a cup of pure aloe vera juice, without sugar, every morning on an empty stomach. Aloe vera has antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-aging, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory properties, which together protect your skin from premature damage and prevent skin problems.4
If your skin dullness is caused because of excessive oil secretion, an aloe vera-honey face mask can be an effective way of treating your skin. Remove the thorns and steep a handful of aloe vera leaves in water for 10 minutes and grind it into a smooth paste. Mix a couple of teaspoons of honey to this paste, gently apply it on the face and wash it once the paste dries. Doing this once a week can reduce the oily appearance of your skin.
7. Lemon
Another fruit that works wonders on your skin is lemons. They are a rich source of the antioxidant vitamin C, which prevents premature skin aging.5 Lemons are also great for removing blemishes and contain skin whitening properties. Washing your face with lemon juice has powerful antiseptic and anti-inflammatory benefits.
Many beauty products and natural remedies use lemon to treat dull skin. Lemons are not only good for topical application but also go well with numerous dishes. A fantastic way to start your day is to drink a glass of lemon juice, which helps your body to flush out the toxins. Even lemon peels can be rubbed on your face and neck to remove dark spots and tighten the pores.
8. Cucumber And Orange
The cool cucumber is very effective in hydrating your body and is commonly used in most beauty treatments.6 Applying cucumber juice on your skin every night helps lighten dark spots. Just like lemon, even oranges are packed with antioxidants and have many skin-improving properties. When you combine cucumber with orange, the result is a fantastic fusion that almost guarantees healthy skin.
Mix two teaspoons each of orange and cucumber juices with one tablespoon of rice flour to make a scrub that exfoliates the dead skin cells, revealing a radiant skin. Alternatively, you can apply grated cucumber or orange juice separately on your face and wash it with cool water after 15 minutes to cure skin dullness.
9. Coconut Oil
In India, the coconut tree is revered for its tremendous usefulness and coconut oil is widely used from cooking to skin care and everything in between. The high levels of nutrients in coconut oil promote healthy membranes, which retain your skin’s natural glow.7 Coconut oil enriches dehydrated skin and makes it radiant.
Massage lukewarm coconut oil on your skin every day to keep it moisturized. Mix two tablespoons each of coconut oil and honey to prepare a face pack. Apply it on the face and wash it after 15 minutes with lukewarm water. The coconut oil’s antioxidant and antibacterial properties heal damaged skin and prevent it from premature aging, making the skin soft and radiant.
10. Chocolate
The child within you must be smiling after reading this one. Dark chocolate is great for your skin whether you choose to eat it or smear it all over your face like a baby. For eating, consider the ones without added sugars. Dark chocolates are loaded with antioxidants that naturally help in skin healing.8
Applying a cocoa mask can prevent skin dryness and dullness. Mix half a tablespoon each of cocoa powder and honey with a teaspoon of powdered oats and two teaspoons of coconut milk. Massage this paste gently on your face and wash it with cool water after 15-20 minutes.
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