How to lighten your skin and keep it light!

Living in Asia, it seems like everyone is after white skin.  Movie stars in Asia are often the fair-skinned and so naturally this light skin is sought after by the regular person.  There are whitening agents in most body lotions, healthy beverages that promise lighter skin, even pills that one can take to achieve lighter skin.  I thought I would share with you the routine I use to keep my skin its lightest.


1. Use an exfoliate such as a loofa or a scrub while showering.  This helps to remove old dead skin and reveal newer brighter skin. Remember not to scrub to hard, you may cause irritation.

I use this loofah with soap inside.  If you don't live in Thailand you can find it on e-bay.

  
2.  Follow up your shower with a whitening body lotion.  There are many different brands to choose from and most can be purchased at the local store, probably even your nearest 7-11 (if you are in Asia).  Brands I have tried are Johnson's Naturally White Daily UV lotion, Nivea UV Whitening Cell Repair & Protect, and Citra Purely White UV.  These lotions all have mild skin lightening agents and if used daily will keep your skin moisturized and looking radiant.  I Suggest using after a shower or before bed.
Some whitening lotions may irritate your skin, so you may want to try a bit on the inside of your wrist before applying it all over your body.  I had a skin allergy to Citra Purely White UV, so now I stick to using Johnson's or Nivea's whitening lotion..although there are many other brands out there to choose from.

3.  Always apply sunscreen before going outside! Protect your skin from damaging UV rays.  Any SPF 30+ should be more than sufficient.  Make sure to apply liberally to all exposed areas about 30 minutes before you plan to go out doors.  I recommend Nivea 's sunscreen because it's not sticky and doesn't have a strong smell.

4.  Eat foods that protect your skin from the inside out!  Tomatoes actually act as a sunscreen, so by eating them you are providing more protection to your skin as well as feeding your skin vitamins.  Make sure to eat plenty of fruits and veggies.

Me on the left with very white skin, my twin sister on the right.  I live in Thailand and she lives in Canada and yet I still manage to stay more fair skinned than her. 

Alternatives to my above routine:


1.  If you have really dark skin, you may want to consider glutathione pills available at stores like GNC.  "Glutathione is found in most cells and is an important part of the body’s internal antioxidant defense system and functions as a potent antioxidant and supports the activity of the antioxidant vitamins C and E" according to GNC. Many people start seeing results slowly after a month of taking them and they come in different doses.


2.  For faster results you might consider glutathione injections such as "mixing white."  Friends of mine that have taken these told me they saw results after 2 weeks and their skin had a beautiful glow to it.  The mixing white also cleared up their acne.  I'm considering trying Mixing White, but currently don't have the money.