How to lighten dark lips? (10 DIY Home remedies That Works)

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Rosy, pink lips! Isn’t that the dream for most girls? But all of us would have been through a phase where we’re anxious about our lips darkening.

Did you know your lips say a lot about your health? Dry lips mean your skin isn’t hydrated, while pale or dark lips foreshadow an underlying health condition.

Lips darken for numerous reasons like the repetitive licking of lips, sunlight exposure, caffeine, smoking, allergic reaction, etc. Sometimes, it’s due to underlying health conditions like vitamin or iron deficiency, heart or liver diseases, and even melanoma.

 

This article discusses a few DIY remedies and provides tips for healthy lips.

 

Home remedies to lighten dark lips

There are clinical treatments, chemical peels, laser treatment, and OTC creams to make your lips luscious, but did you know there are a lot of home remedies as well?

 

Let us look at a few of them.

 

 1. Toothbrush method to exfoliate

Before hitting the bed, apply some petroleum jelly or olive oil to your lips and gently massage. The next day, you can exfoliate your lips with the help of a toothbrush. Gently rub with the toothbrush in a circular motion for 3 minutes and wash with lukewarm water.

 

Remember only to use a toothbrush with soft bristles for this. Instead of a toothbrush, you can opt for a soft, damp cloth. This improves blood circulation, removes dead skin, and keeps your lips fresh and plump. Do this only ONCE a day.

 

 2. Lemon

Lemon

It is known that lemon has bleaching properties due to its citric acid content. Certain studies show that lemon juice or even its peel act as a melanin inhibitor, i.e., it slows down melanin production (excess melanin content causes hyperpigmentation – dark lips).

 

How to use lemon?

  • Every night before going to bed, cut a slice of lemon and gently massage it onto your lips.
  • Alternate scrub combo – lemon and honey or lemon and sugar.
  • Add a few drops of olive oil as it acts as an antioxidant and is rich in vitamins E and K.
  • You can rinse your lips for 15 to 20 minutes with lukewarm, or you can leave it overnight.
  • Repeat until you see the results.

 

Note – Lemon is acidic, which can cause sight burns or irritation when applied over minor cuts or wounds. Avoid this method if you have cracked lips (or are sensitive).

 

 3. Berries

Strawberries

Apart from being rich in antioxidants and vitamin C, berries like strawberry, blueberry, and raspberries can lighten your dark lips. There are multiple ways to make a berry scrub – 

  • Make a paste with your berry. You can either crush it or blend it for a smoother paste.
  • Mix the blended paste with aloe vera and a few drops of honey. Some other combinations include berries with 2 teaspoons of baking powder or a few olives or coconut oil drops.
  • Apply this mixture and leave it for fifteen minutes.
  • Wash with lukewarm or cold water and gently pat dry.

 

 4. Pomegranate 

Pomegranate 

Like lemon, pomegranate also helps reduce hyperpigmentation. This is done by reducing tyrosinase activity, i.e., it reduces the production of melanin content in our body.

 

Like the berry scrub, pomegranate is easy to use.

  • Take one teaspoon of pomegranate juice and mix it with one teaspoon of beetroot juice.
  • You can also combine it with one teaspoon of rose water or fresh dairy cream.
  • Gently massage it onto your lips and leave it for five minutes or so.
  • Wash with lukewarm water and tap dry.
  • Use pomegranate scrub regularly to see the best results.

 

 5. Rose petals

Rose petals

Apart from giving a rosy pink hue to your lips, the rose is rich in vitamins A and C, has antioxidants, and is known to be good for dry skin. If you don’t have roses at home, substitute rose petals with rose water. Rosewater has many healing abilities and makes your lips soft, pink, and pulp.

 

Given below are the steps to make a rose lip scrub –

  • Crush or blend the rose petals. If you are using rose water, add a few drops of rose water.
  • Mix it with milk cream and make a smooth paste.
  • You can also add a few drops of honey as it acts as a mild exfoliator and a moisturizer.
  • Leave this paste on for 10 to 15 minutes 3 to 4 times a day, or you can even leave it overnight.
  • Then, wash it off with milk and afterward with water.

 

 6. Coconut oil 

Coconut oil

We know coconut oil acts as a natural moisturizer for our hair and skin, but it is also beneficial for our lips as it helps to soften and nourish them. There isn’t any limited time when you should apply coconut oil. Instead of choosing a branded colored lip balm, opt for this natural moisturizer whenever you feel you have dry lips.

 

 7. Turmeric

Turmeric

Like lemon juice, turmeric helps control melanin production and acts as an inhibitor. Apart from this, it also contains curcumin, a nutrient that rejuvenates your skin and brings back its natural skin color.

 

To make turmeric paste –

  • Mix turmeric powder in milk and stir till it is free of lumps.
  • You can also substitute milk with rose water to reap the benefits of both.
  • Gently massage the paste onto your lips and leave it for 3-5 minutes.
  • Rinse with cold water.
  • Repeat twice a week to get the best results.

 

Note – Make sure that the turmeric you use is natural. Certain synthetic ones use chemical dyes and added fillers like sawdust and chalk powder which can cause severe skin problems.

 

 8. Almond oil

Almond oil

Almond oil is another option you can try at home. It makes your lips soft and smooth by removing the dead cells. Almond oil provides a protective layer against harmful ultraviolet rays, which can be one of the causes of darker lips.

 

Mix a few drops of lemon juice with almond oil. Incorporate this into your bedtime routine. Leave it on for the entire night. This provides nourishment and makes your lips lighter too. You can substitute lemon juice with honey but make sure you leave it only for 20 minutes.

 

 9. Aloe vera  

Aloe vera 

Aloe vera has a lot of healing and soothing benefits, and it can also make your dark lips look lighter and healthy. Aloe vera contains components like aloin that can remove pigmentation. 

 

You can either buy aloe gel or use a leaf from the plant you have at home (if you have one at home). After removing the latex

  • Scrape the pulp into a clean bowl.
  • Apply the gel onto your lips and let it dry.
  • Wash it off with cold water.
  • Repeat two to three times a week

 

 10. Vitamin E

Vitamin E

Vitamin E boosts circulation, acts as an antioxidant, keeps skin hydrated, and helps in the regeneration of cells. It also helps protect us from harsh sunlight. Applying vitamin E is easy – take a Vitamin E tablet, cut it open and apply it to your lips. This makes your lip softer and nourished.

 

Remember the following – 

While homemade remedies help, we should also give importance to a few things. Some of them are listed below –

 1. Protection against UV rays

Like the harmful UV rays damage your skin cells and cause health difficulties, they can also damage your lips and make them darker. Overexposure to sunlight can cause hyperpigmentation in your lips, thus resulting in dark lips. Make sure that the lip balm you choose has an SPF (15 or above) ingredient in it.

 

 2. Quit smoking

Quit smoking

Smoking, in general, is terrible for your health, but it also contributes to dark lips. The nicotine and tar negatively affect your lips and reduce blood circulation when you smoke. It affects the amount of melanin released in your lips and leads to uneven hyperpigmentation. So, QUIT SMOKING!

 

 3. Stay hydrated and moisturize your lips.

Stay Hydrated

Drink a lot of water as it makes your lips look nourished and fresh. Ensure you get at least 8 glasses of water each day.

It is equally important to moisturize your lips like you moisturize your skin. Dry lips lead to discoloration. So, when choosing a moisturizer for your lips, check if it contains ingredients like beeswax, cocoa butter, natural oils, lanolin, shea butter, and so on.

 

 4. Use good quality cosmetics

Be careful while choosing cosmetics since some of these lipstick and lip balms contain a chemical that can cause hyperpigmentation and make your lips dark. Avoid fragrance-based lip balms. Instead, make use of homemade lip balms.

 

How to make homemade lip balms?

 

You can do it in four different ways.

 

Method 1 –

In a double boiler, heat a tablespoon of beeswax, coconut oil, and a few drops of honey. Turn the heat off and mix it with 2 vitamin E capsules. Transfer it into a small container and let it cool so that it thickens.

 

Method 2 –

Take four teaspoons of beeswax and melt it using the double boiler method. Then, add two teaspoons of cocoa powder and mix well. Add two teaspoons of carrier oils. Transfer it into a small container and let it cool so that it thickens.

 

Method 3 –

Double boil a tablespoon of beeswax, then mix it with half a tablespoon of coconut oil or olive oil. Mix a tablespoon of shea butter, a tablespoon of Geranium oil, and a few drops of vanilla extract (or essence). Let it cool in a small container.

 

Method 4 –

You can use carrot and beetroot as your lip balm ingredients as it has moisturizing and bleaching benefits. Wash and peel the vegetables. Grate about half a cup of it and collect the juice in a clean bowl by squeezing it. Add ½ tablespoon of honey and olive or coconut oil. Mix well and pour it into a lip balm container. Refrigerate it and let it set.

 

 5. Remove your makeup

Remove makeup

Always remove your makeup before going to bed. Leaving your lipstick on for an extended period can darken your lips and dry them out. You can remove your makeup using a cotton ball with a bit of almond oil or olive oil.

 

Takeaway – 

Lip care is just as important as skincare! We can always go for clinical treatments to lighten dark lips, but why go through all that trouble and pain when we have home remedies? Some of them include coconut oil, almond oil, aloe vera, vitamin E, turmeric, etc. Use these home remedies to take care of your lips and say bye-bye to dark lips.

 

Did you find the article helpful? Do you know of any other DIY remedies for lightening dark lips? Please let us know in the comment section below.

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