Essential oils are nothing new – cultures all over the world have been using them for centuries to treat a wide range of skin, hair, and health conditions. No matter what you may be dealing with, chances are that there’s an essential oil out there that’s capable of helping.
However, the difficulty lies in matching up the right essential oils to the problems that you’re currently facing. Today, we’re going to talk about how to tackle hyperpigmentation, dark spots, and an uneven skin tone with the use of essential oils.
Which oils are best for lightening the skin and, most importantly, how do you use them in a safe manner? Read on to find out!
Contents
Why Use Essential Oils for Lightening Skin Tone & Tightening Elasticity?
So, why use essential oils in the first place, especially when there are so many effective skin lightening products already available on the market?
The answer to that is simple. In addition to lightening the skin, essential oils offer up so many other skin benefits too.
They’re packed with antioxidants that repair skin cell damage, therefore turning back the clock on skin aging.
Essential oils can also help to improve skin hydration, locking moisture deep into the skin’s layers.
Many essential oils also have a gorgeous aroma to them, which natural ingredients often lack.
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The Importance of Mixing Essential Oils With a Carrier Oil
Essential oils may be packed with skin-boosting properties, but the majority of them should never be used pure on the skin.
This is because essential oils are highly potent – use them on their own and they’ll likely lead to irritation and sensitivities, which will make your skin look even more uneven and dull.
To counter this, essential oils should always be mixed with carrier oil. Not only will a carrier oil dilute the essential oil, making it safe for topical use, but many carrier oils also offer up their own range of skin-lightening and skin-nourishing benefits.
Some of the best carrier oils to use with essential oils are coconut oil, jojoba oil, avocado oil, olive oil, and almond oil.
What Oil Brightens Skin? Here are the Best Skin Toning Oils Out There
There are hundreds of essential oils to choose from, but not all of them have skin-brightening properties. If your main goal is to lighten, tighten, and tone your skin, then these are the best oils to use:
Lemon Oil Has Natural Bleaching Properties
Lemons are one of the most revered natural ingredients for lightening the skin. Why? Because they’re packed with citric acid, an alpha-hydroxy acid that has been proven to whiten and brighten the skin tone, fading dark spots, and hyperpigmentation [1].
Even better, a lemon essential oil also has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, and boasts a zingy citrus fragrance too!
Simply mix some lemon essential oil with an equal amount of carrier oil before dabbing the mixture onto darkened or dull areas of the skin. Leave it on for about five minutes before rinsing it off.
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Turmeric Oil for Black Spots on the Face & Body
Turmeric offers up a number of different skin benefits. For starters, it’s packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation, giving the skin a bright and radiant glow.
It’s also a powerful anti-ager – its nutrient content is able to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, giving the skin a smooth and firm finish.
Simply mix turmeric oil with a carrier oil and then apply this blend to your skin. If you suffer from acne, go ahead and apply the oil directly to your breakouts too, as well as any acne marks or scars that you may have.
Its astringent and antiseptic properties will help to leave your skin looking clearer once again.
Rosehip Oil for Sagging Skin That Needs to be Lightened
If you’re trying to lighten your skin while also tackling the visible signs of aging, rosehip oil is what you need. This oil is loaded with vitamins, particularly vitamins A and C, which are two of the most-loved anti-aging ingredients out there.
However, in addition to firming up sagging skin, those two vitamins are also capable of brightening the skin tone, while reducing excess melanin production to prevent new dark spots from appearing.
Unlike many other essential oils, rosehip oil doesn’t need to be mixed with a carrier oil – it can be applied directly to the skin. You don’t need to rinse it off either – use it at night before bed, just like you would a night cream, and wake up to a radiant glow.
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Eucalyptus Oil for Fair, Glowing Skin
The antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of eucalyptus oil make this a great ingredient for ridding the pores of impurities.
This instantly gives the skin a brighter appearance.
Studies have also found that eucalyptus oil is capable of increasing ceramide levels in the skin [2].
As a result, the skin is better able to keep itself moisturized, giving it a plump, smooth, and rejuvenated appearance.
Simply mix it with a carrier oil and then apply it to problem areas on your skin, before rinsing it off after a few minutes.
FAQ:
Q: Which essential oil is best for skin lightening?
Lemon essential oil is one of the best oils for skin lightening.
Q: How do I use essential oils to lighten my skin?
Simply mix your chosen essential oils with an equal amount of carrier oil, before dabbing this onto your skin. Leave it on for about five minutes and then rinse it off.
Summary: Choosing the Best Oil for Skin Whitening
As you can see, essential oils vary quite a bit when it comes to the different benefits that they deliver to the skin.
For best results, choose essential oils that are able to target your main skin concerns and then use them regularly, incorporating them into a wider skincare routine that also contains other skin-lightening ingredients.
References
[1] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281436622_Citrus_Flavonoids_with_Skin_Lightening_Effects_-_Safety_and_Efficacy_Studies
[2] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21696405/
