What is Sun Tan?

Sun tanning is the effect of the sun on the skin which makes the skin colour get darker than its usual tone. Even though exposure to the sun is important for deriving Vitamin D, getting suntanned does not look attractive.

The darkening of skin colour or tan lines happens due to excessive exposure to the ultraviolet radiation of the sun which increases the melanin content of the skin and makes it darker. Excessive exposure to the sun can also lead to sunburns which leave painful red spots on the body.

Ingredients :

• A pinch of Turmeric
• 2 tablespoon Gram Flour
• 1 tablespoon Rose Water or raw milk.

Mix all the ingredients. Apply the pack on cleansed area and leave it for 15-20 minutes. Once the pack is dry, moisten the skin with few drops of water. Then gently remove the pack by scrubbing.

For the best result use this mask in alternate days.
Turmeric removes tanned skin layer and adds a nice glow to your face. Not only does turmeric remove suntan, but also soothes the sunburn. Turmeric helps to make the skin youthful and radiant.

(2) GRAM FLOUR

Ingredients :

• 2 tablespoon of Gram Flour
• 1 tablespoon of Curd
• Few drops of Rose Water.

Mix the ingredients. Apply the pack on cleansed area and leave it for 15-20 minutes. Once the pack is dry, moisten the skin with few drops of water. Then gently remove the pack by scrubbing.

For the best result use this mask in alternate days.

Gram Flour is one of the best ingredient to lighten the complexion. Using this remedy in alternate days will help in remove excess oil from your skin while retaining your skin's natural moisture.

(3) YOGURT  :

• 2 tablespoon of Curd
• 1 tablespoon of Honey.

Yogurt has many nutrients that are good for the skin. It also contains lactic acid which has bleaching properties. This pack will also helps keep your skin soft and supple.

Use it daily for the best result.

(4) HONEY  :

• 2 tablespoon of Honey
• 1 tablespoon of Lemon Juice

(5) LEMON  :

• 1 tablespoon of Lemon Juice
• A pinch of turmeric.

Mix the ingredients well and apply it gently on the skin. Leave it for 10-15 minutes. Then rinse it off with cold water. This will definitely lighten your skin complexion.

The acidic properties in lemon works as natural bleaching agent for the skin and the high amount of Vitamin C in them encourages new cell growth, which helps in lighten skin complexion.

Do this daily for the best result.

(6) ALOE VERA  :

• An Aloe vera leaf/ aloe vera gel

Cut the outer layers of an Aloe vera leaf. Squeeze out the thick jelly like  substance. Apply the gel thoroughly on our skin. Wait for 15-20 minutes, then rinse it. Aloe vera can alleviate hyper-pigmentation and restore you skin's original colour. By applying aloe vera you can get rid of your tan in just 1 month. But for this you have to use it twice daily.

If you don't have aloe vera plant then you can use any Aloe vera gel from any good brand.

• 2 tablespoon of Red Lentil
• 1 tablespoon of curd
• Few drops of Rose Water.

• 1 tablespoon of Potato Juice
• 2 tablespoon of Rice Flour

Mix together the rice flour with all the juice to make a thick paste. Apply the pack on the face and body. Leave it on for 15-20 minutes till it dries off. Gently wet the face when it dries and scrub the face lightly in circular motions. Wash off the face with water.

Potato juice helps to removes the tan and dark spots from the body. The Rice Flour helps to scrub the dead skin cells from the skin and bring out the underlying natural glow of the skin.

• 2 tablespoon of Wheat Flour
• 1 tablespoon of Rose Water

Mix the ingredients well and make a paste. Apply it as a thick layer on your face. Leave it on for 15 minutes and then rinse. If improving your skin tone along with fighting sun tan sounds like a bargain to you, than it is time you included wheat flour in your skin care regimen. You will be amazed at the results- soft and glowing skin.

(10) TOMATO  :

• 2 tablespoon of Tomato Pulp
• 1 tablespoon of Gram Flour 
• A pinch of Turmeric.

The citric properties of Tomato act as a natural tan remover. If you wish to reduce pigmentation and dark spots, this pack is worth a try. The tomato extract works on spots and pigmentation.

• 2 tablespoon of Orange Peel Powder
• 1 tablespoon of Sandalwood Powder 
• 2 tablespoon of Raw Milk
• Few drops of Rose Water.

Mix all the ingredients together and make a paste. Apply it as a thick layer on your face or body. Leave it for 15-20 minutes till it dries off. Gently wet the face or body when it dries and  scrub that area lightly in circular motion. Then wash it off.

Orange Peel Powder contains Vitamin C, which is the most important ingredient for skin care. Orange have bleaching properties that can lighten your skin tone. It will remove your tan in just 2 weeks.

Use it twice for the best result.

(12) PAPAYA  :

• 4 tablespoon of ripe Papaya
• 1 tablespoon Honey

Mash the Papaya  and add honey to it. Mix them well. Apply the pack on your face or body. Massage that area for 4-5 minutes. Then leave it for 10-15 minutes. Then rinse it off with cold water. It will remove your tanning in just 2 weeks. 

For the best result use it twice or thrice a week. 
Papaya is a rich source of minerals and vitamins for your body. Every time you eat it try to save a few cubes and use it on the skin to help fight with tan naturally. It aids in removing tan faster and naturally!

Prevention is always better than the cure. It is always better to take preventive measures for tanning rather than spending the time to treat it.

Here are some tips to effectively prevent sun tanning-

• You should avoid scheduling outdoor activities during the peak time of the sun.
• Wearing bright coloured clothes provide better protection against the sun.
• Avoid getting too much skin exposed to the sun by wearing full clothes.
• Always use a sunscreen offering a higher SPF than 30. Reapply your sunscreen after every 4 hours.
• Sunglasses and hats provide extra protection against the sun.

                                                                                           

Applying sunscreen is the easiest way of protecting the skin from sun damage. SPF (sun protecting factor) 30 or higher is considered to be best for Indian summers. While buying sunscreen don't forget to check for ingredients that might be harmful for the skin. Chemicals like Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A Palmitate), Homosalate and Octocrylene commonly found in sunscreens can mess with the hormones and damage the cells in the body.

Apart from those, ensure to pick a sunscreen with no paraben preservatives as these are associated with allergic reactions, hormone disruption and reproductive toxicity. Also, parabens are linked to incidence of breast cancer.

I hope you found this article helpful. If you have any queries then reach out to via email beyourself00loveyourself gmail.com .