How To Lighten Dark Lips: Using Home Remedies?

People develop dark lips gradually due to a myriad of factors including lifestyle, medical, etc. It can also be the result of hyper-pigmentation. Excess of melanin generally causes this typically harmless condition. Some of the factors associated with causes of dark lips include; excessive exposure to the sun, lack of hydration, smoking, allergies to lipsticks, toothpastes, etc., excessive caffeine intake and lip sucking. While lifestyle factors can be easily dealt with like by using sunscreen, limiting caffeine consumption or changing toothpaste brands, there are medical factors that can be harder to resolve like chemotherapy, anemia, vitamin deficiency or excessive fluoride usage. It’s also a good idea to stick to organic lip care products rather than chemical products in order to avoid any harmful effects of chemicals.

There are cosmetic treatments available for hyperpigmentation, like laser treatments and chemicals like Kojic acid and hydroquinone that work by inhibiting an enzyme that produces melanin. However, if your risk aversion makes you paranoid about using such cosmetic treatments there are certainly organic lip care products around that you can get your hands on. The best part, you won’t have to pay an extra dime to get a hold of these natural lip lightening remedies since these are items that you’d generally be able to find in your kitchen.

When Life gives you Lemons:
It’s as the saying goes, “when life gives you lemons, make a lip lightener!” You probably haven’t heard that one before but studies suggest that citrus peel may act as a melanin inhibitor. You can use lemons daily before going to bed. Just cut a fresh lemon in half and gently rub the juicy part over your lips. The next morning just rinse with cold water. Repeat this routine at least for a month and voila! Say goodbye to dark lips. Alternatively, you can also cut a lemon wedge and dip it into sugar. Then rub it on your lips and rinse with lukewarm water the next morning.

Lime and honey
The next citrus fruit on our list is lime. It also may have anti-melanin properties. The recipe is as follows: Mix together 1.5 teaspoons of lime juice, 1 teaspoon of honey and 1 teaspoon of glycerin. Gently apply the mixture on your lips before going to bed. Wash your lips the following morning when you wake up.

Turmeric:
Turmeric is also said to have anti-melanin properties. All you’ve gotta do is take small bowl and mix together 1 teaspoon of milk with enough turmeric to make a paste. Rub this paste on your lips with a wet fingertip and leave it for 5 minutes. Gently rinse your lips with cool water and apply a moisturizer after drying your lips.

Aloe:
A compound in Aloe Vera is said to inhibit melanin production. Just apply a layer of fresh Aloe Vera gel on your lips daily and rinse it off with warm water once it’s dried.

Pomegranate:
According to research, pomegranate extracts are linked to lightening skin hyperpigmentation. This remedy can be made by mixing; 1 tablespoon pomegranate seeds, 1 tablespoon rose water and 1 tablespoon fresh dairy cream. The paste formed by mixing these ingredients can then be applied and massaged on your lips for 3 minutes. Afterwards, you can rinse your lips with cool water.

There are several other home remedies that have been used historically but the data for their efficacy towards melanin inhibition or lip lightening is limited. However, you can try these out since these natural remedies have been around for long and they do not have any side effects.

Coconut Oil:
Just dip your fingertip in a few drops of coconut oil and gently massage it over your lips. You can repeat this several times a day or before going to bed.

Rosewater:
Take two drops of rose water and six drops of honey. Mix them together and apply the mixture on your lips three to four times daily. You can also repeat this before going to bed

Olive Oil:
Just take a few drops of olive oil and massage it on your lips before sleeping.