An uneven skin tone can be harrowing when you want to flaunt a beautiful dress or wear cut-sleeves. The dark skin on your knees and elbows may often make you want to rethink such wardrobe choices. These parts of the body often become very dry and the protein keratin, which protects the outer layer of the skin, may build up in excess to cause dark patches. Discoloration in these areas due to excessive exposure to the sun is also a common occurrence. A daily regimen using ingredients available at home alongside adequately moisturizing and exfoliating the skin in these dark areas can help a great deal.
Here are 7 ways you can lighten the dark skin on your knees and elbows at home.
1. Use A Lemon Juice And Baking Soda Paste
Both lemon juice and baking soda are believed to have bleaching properties, making the combination a great choice for skin lightening.1 These ingredients are also said to get rid of dead skin cells, giving your knees and elbows an even skin tone.
How To Use
- Make a paste using baking soda and lemon juice in equal quantities.
- Scrub the paste on your knees and elbows to remove the hardened, dead skin.
- Then, rinse thoroughly with some water. Remember to moisturize well after rinsing.
2. Try An Aloe-Based Mask
Besides keeping the skin hydrated and improving skin elasticity, aloe vera is also said to lighten dark skin. A combination of yogurt and aloe vera gel is great for moisturizing, exfoliating, and brightening the dark skin on your knees and elbows.2
How To Use
- Mix 1/2 a cup of yogurt with 2 tbsp of aloe vera gel that is freshly extracted from an aloe leaf.
- Spread this mask on your knees and elbows.
- Leave it on for 15–30 minutes and then rinse off with water.
Alternatively, you can try an aloe and milk mask. Milk whitens and moisturizes the skin and is particularly helpful for dry skin that is cracking and flaking.3
- Combine 1 tsp of milk, 1 tbsp of honey, and 1 tbsp of aloe vera gel.
- Apply this mask generously on your knees and elbows.
- Leave it on for at least 10–15 minutes and then rinse off with warm water.
3. Apply Turmeric Paste
Turmeric, which is an age-old remedy for a number of skin problems, is also believed to make your skin glow and even out your skin tone. This makes it a great home remedy for lightening your dark elbows and knees.
How To Use
- Mix a small amount of turmeric powder with 1 tsp of milk cream to make a paste.
- Massage your knees and elbows with this paste.
- Leave it to dry for a few minutes and then rinse it off with warm water.
4. Try Gram Flour Paste
Gram flour has been used in homemade face packs as a brightening agent for the longest time. Using it in combination with lime juice, whose high vitamin C content gives it bleaching properties and revives your dull knees and elbows. Not just that, this mask is also great for cleansing pores and removing dead skin cells.4
How To Use
- Mix 1.5 tsp of gram flour, a pinch of turmeric powder, 1 tsp of olive oil, 1 tsp of whole milk, and 1/3 tsp of fresh lime juice.
- Apply this paste to your knees and elbows.
- Leave it on for about 15 minutes and then rinse thoroughly with warm water.
5. Use A Sugar Scrub
If you’re looking for an inexpensive, easy way to exfoliate and lighten your knees and elbows, look no further. A sugar scrub is an ideal choice for a home exfoliant. The crystalline texture of sugar granules helps in removing dead skin cells, getting rid of dullness and giving your skin a gorgeous glow. For best results, exfoliate using this scrub once a week.
How To Use
- Combine equal amounts of sugar and either olive or almond oil to get a scrub-like consistency.
- Apply this scrub to your knees and elbows in circular motions.
- Leave it on for a few minutes.
- Then, wash off the scrub and follow with a dab of the oil used to moisturize.
6. Apply A Honey-Based Mask
Organic, raw honey is loaded with antibacterial properties, which makes it excellent for the skin. When used in combination with egg white and oatmeal, it cleanses and possibly lightens the skin without scrubbing and causing damage.5
How To Use
- Mix 1 tbsp of honey, 1 egg white, and 1 tsp of glycerine with some oatmeal to make a paste.
- Apply this paste to your knees and elbows.
- Leave it on for 30 minutes and then wash thoroughly.
7. Soak In A Warm Bath With Essential Oils
The skin on your knees and elbows is especially dry, dark, and scaly. Soaking in warm water with essential oils is said to brighten and moisturize your skin, creating a luminous glow and leaving your skin soft.
How To Use
- Add a few drops of an essential oil of your choice to a warm bath and soak in it. Sandalwood, lemongrass, and carrot seed oil are the best choices.
- Then, gently rub your elbows and knees with a damp washcloth.
- You could also follow this up with a homemade scrub to exfoliate.
Try these simple remedies and get rid of your dark knees and elbows at home.
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