There is a big difference between a healthy tan and an excessive tan. A healthy tan is when you have little exposure to the sun. It gives your skin a beautiful golden look. But when you get too much exposure to the sun, it will lead to dark and dull skin. Your skin tends to lose its natural glow.
There are a lot of products claiming to remove tan in the most effective and natural way, but the truth is that most of them are loaded with chemicals that can damage your skin. Well, fret not. Natural home remedies come to your rescue in the form of DIY tan removal face packs. These Ayurvedic face pack recipes will not only keep your tanning under control but also enhance your skin's health.
Read on to discover 20 effective DIY tan removal face packs to remove tan and to prevent your skin from getting tanned this summer.
Also read - How To Remove Tan – 10 Effective Home Remedies
Tan removal face packs help in getting rid of all the unwanted and uneven suntan that has been settled on your skin while brightening your skin tone. They are made from the ingredients available right in your kitchen. The following are the 20 best face packs you can create at your home while not compromising your skincare.
Tomatoes have skin-lightening properties. It also helps in protecting the skin from sunburn and photodamage. Tomatoes also help in nourishing, soothing, and rejuvenating dry skin while effectively reducing pimples. (1)
Enough amount of Tomato pulp.
Try this face pack once a week for better results.
Aloe Vera is an excellent source of aloesin. Aloesin works fantastic to lighten skin and treat pigmentation. The anti-inflammatory properties will relieve burns, wounds, and Eczema. (2) Honey, another main ingredient of the face pack, imparts a natural glow to the skin while keeping it moisturized. It also helps reduce acne and pimples (3). Turmeric is rich in Cuminoids, which are best known for their abundance of skin-lightening, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, turmeric can reduce hyperpigmentation and fight early signs of aging like wrinkles and fine lines (4).
Repeat the process once a week for the best results.
Read - How To Use Aloe Vera for A Glowing Face and Clear Skin?
Presenting you the amazing milk pack with a bit of help from another brilliant skincare ingredient, turmeric, to get rid of your summer tan. The face pack not only works wonders to get rid of the suntan but also helps in evening out the skin tone while imparting an instant brightness.
You can use this DIY tan removal face pack once a week, preferably before going to bed.
Alternatively, you can also use Kama Ayurveda’s Haldi Chandan Face Pack. It has skin-brightening ingredients such as Turmeric, Sandalwood, Multani Mitti and Orange Peel that help get rid of tan naturally.
Lemon and Sugar are the two readily available ingredients in all our kitchens. The vitamin C components and the citric acid in Lemon work great to remove your tan. Sugar is a natural exfoliator that makes sure to remove all the dead and tanned skin cells and reveal the brighter skin beneath.
For best results, apply this face pack twice a week.
Turmeric and Curd face pack is yet another simple recipe to get rid of your suntan in a jiffy. This pack is also great to combat any kind of pigmentation and lighten dark spots to have smoother and even-toned skin.
Apply this mask on alternate days for better results.
Read - Turmeric For Skin – How Is It Beneficial and How To Use It?
Fuller's Earth, also known as Multani Mitti, makes your skin radiant and glow from within. It also helps in soothing irritated and inflamed skin. Multani Mitti, when combined with Aloe Vera gel, will remove tan, excess oil, dirt, and dead cells from the skin.
Use this face pack once a week.
Alternatively, you can also use Kama Ayurveda’s Haldi Chandan Face Pack. It has skin-brightening ingredients such as Turmeric, Sandalwood, Multani Mitti and Orange Peel that help get rid of tan naturally.
Tanned skin gets dark and dull. Saffron in this face mask will help lighten the skin tone and make it glow. Fresh cream on the other side will moisturize and nourish the skin deeply.
You can use this face mash once a week for better results.
Did you know Strawberries can shield your skin from harmful UV rays and reduce the signs of aging? It is also said that it has a bleaching effect on the skin that can remove tan visibly. (6) (7)
Use the face pack once a week.
Potato juice helps in reducing excess oil and acne breakouts. It also helps soothe minor sunburns while also acting as an anti-aging agent (8). Lemon, on the other hand, has antioxidant properties that help remove tan and lighten skin tone.
Use it once a week.
The lactic acid and AHAs in Yogurt keep the skin soft and glowing. (10) The Tomato is a skin lightening agent, and the Lemon has antioxidant properties to help remove tan and other impurities from the skin.
Try this mask once every week for the best results.
Did you know that aloin in Aloe Vera can reduce the melanin production in your skin? Tomatoes can lighten your skin's complexion and add a natural glow to your skin. Red Lentils, also known as Masoor Dal, help in brightening the skin while making it soft and smooth.
For better results, apply this face pack once a week.
Oatmeal is a great exfoliator. It effectively removes dead skin cells and improves uneven skin tone (11). Buttermilk, with its abundance of emollient properties, helps in soothing the skin (12).
Try to apply this face pack once a week.
Orange is a great source of hesperidin which is rich in antioxidant properties. These properties help reduce melanin production, making your skin less prone to suntan. Yogurt helps in moisturizing and brightening your skin. It enhances your skin's elasticity.
You can apply this DIY face pack once a week for better results.
Cucumber has a bleaching effect on the skin. It helps reduce melanin production, regulate sebum production and enhance the natural moisture level of the skin. Rosewater is a great source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce the photoaging effects. (14)
You can apply this face pack once a week for better results.
Read - 5 Secrets About Kama Ayurveda Rose Water
The antioxidant properties of Lemon lighten the skin tone. Sugar granules work great to exfoliate skin and clear dead cells making it soft, smooth, and glowing.
You can try this face mask once a week.
The pulp of papaya works great to unclog pores, clear pimples and acne, and reduce excess oil. It is also best known to reduce tan and other pigmentation issues (15). Honey is a natural moisturizer. Honey also helps impart a natural glow to your skin instantly.
For best results, apply this face pack once a week
Orange peel powder contains hesperidin which helps in reducing the melanin production of the skin. The powder is also rich in antioxidant properties, which help prevent free radical damage to the skin.
For better results, repeat the process once a week.
Coffee is rich in antioxidants and has skin-lightening properties. It also works wonders to prevent fine lines, wrinkles, tan, and discoloration. Turmeric fights against the signs of aging, treats pigmentation and enhances skin elasticity. It is also just perfect to reduce uneven skin tone and dullness caused by tanning. The lactic acid and other alpha hydroxy acids in curd help moisturize and exfoliate the skin. It makes skin soft and radiant. (16)
Try to use this DIY face pack once a week.
Besan, also known as Gram Flour, helps in removing tan effectively. It lightens skin tone and reduces excess oil, and prevents pimples.
Apply this face pack every week for the best results.
Milk powder gives deep and long-lasting nourishment to dry and rough skin. It can lighten blemishes, dark spots, fight hyperpigmentation, and prevent acne effectively. Honey has moisturizing properties; it imparts a natural glow to the skin. The antioxidant properties of Lemon reduce excessive melanin production.
Repeat the process once a week.
The following are a few effective tips that help you have fun in the sun without getting tanned.
The only way to protect yourself from exposure to the harmful UV rays of the sun is by avoiding it. Usually, the sun will be at its peak between 11 am and 4 pm in India. During this time, the temperature is hottest, and hence the damage is worse. So whatever may be the weather or the temperature, it is always best to spend as little time as possible outside during these hours.
When you are out, find a sun-safe place to prevent skin damage. When you are at a beach, look for a shady spot as the water and the sand reflect the sun's rays, increasing sun tanning.
Wear clothes that can cover your hands and legs completely. Use a scarf to cover your face. Keeping your skin covered is the best way to prevent tanning.
Sunscreen is like your bodyguard; it is the essential step in your skincare to avoid any damage by the harmful UV rays. So, choose a sunscreen above 21 SPF and apply it to all the exposed areas of skin 20 minutes before stepping out. If you have to stay in the sun for long hours, re-apply the sun protection cream once every 3-4 hours.
Have you tried Kama Ayurveda's Natural Sun Protection yet?
Do you have dark or dull lips? Chances are that the culprit is the sun. So, it is always advisable to use a natural lip balm when stepping out. You can also look for lip balms with added SPF for UV protection.
Your under-eye skin is the most sensitive area. So, we always recommend you wear UV-protected sunglasses when you step out. Choose the sunglasses with the lens size that covers your entire under-eye area.
Always apply a moisturizer in the daytime as it gives your skin enough moisture. And instead of cream-based makeup, opt for mineral-based ingredients. Never use perfumes as they can make your skin sensitive to the heat.
Last, but the most essential tip that can help reverse the effects of tanning is keeping yourself hydrated. You need to drink at least 12 to 15 glasses of water a day to avoid getting dehydrated. Well hydrated skin is also less prone to sun damage and tanning.
Shreya Dalela is a certified Yoga instructor and a professional dancer trained at The Danceworx. She’s passionate about Ayurveda and holistic living with over 6 years of experience in doing extensive research and content creation in the domain.
Certified Ayurvedic Doctor (Central Council of Indian Medicine) working in Kama Ayurveda as an Assistant Training Manager.