The fascination with white skin definitely predates us. It goes way back to ancient times with techniques developing over years and centuries.
But we are not here to talk about the latest skin whitening products and procedures – instead we are going to focus on ancient skin secrets that our faraway ancestors relied on. You might be surprised to found out that sometimes old is better than new.
There are a bunch of traditional skin lightening secrets that have been passed on generation to generation that actually work – a reason for their enduring popularity.
And that’s what we’re going to share with you today. Go through our list and you might just switch out your holy grails for some of these old school skin lightening remedies.
Rice water
The habit of using rice water for the face is believed to have originated in Ancient China. Ancient Chinese women made use of unpolished rice water to keep their skin light and beautiful. Rice water was also used very early in other places such as Japan where women would soak rice in water until the color of the water changed to white to produce an effective natural skin lightening toner.
Rice water contains the vitamins B, C, E, and minerals that improve the appearance of skin. It is so effective that it has endured the test of time and women (and men) of today still use it as a skin whitener, among other uses.
Try it for yourself by soaking a clean wash cloth in rice water then gently massaging onto your face and other areas of the body. Let it sit for around 15 minutes before rinsing off with either the remaining rice water or just water.
Or simply use the rice water instead of plain old tap water to wash your face. No need to rinse it off.
Another option, of course, is to get yourself a bag of already finely-ground rice powder and use it as a skin whitening, brightening exfoliant.
Pearl powder
Pearl powder is simply crushed pearls and it's been used as medicine and as a beauty aid since 2000 years ago in Ancient China and India.
Pearl powder was largely used as an ingredient for treating eye diseases, tuberculosis, and preventing heart attacks. When it comes to its history for being a beauty aid, it is said that Empress Wu Ze Tian (625 AD – 705 AD) regularly used pearl powder and cream on her skin. Her beauty was legendary with her skin always radiant even at the age of 65 when she ascended the throne.
Ancient Chinese medical books state that pearl powder can stimulate new skin growth and removal of sun damage which makes it effective for skin whitening.
In Europe, pearl powder became popular around two centuries ago in the 1800s but more as a cosmetic to achieve a temporary fairer complexion.
The fascination with pearl powder as a skin whitening agent and for other uses lives on until today and is backed with scientific claims. Research has shown that it can stimulate the skin’s fibroblasts, regenerate collagen, improve skin tone, and heal skin conditions such as burns. It contains amino acids, protein, calcium, and 30 more essential minerals.
You can try using it for yourself by either taking it internally - Moon Juice's Beauty Dust contains a lovely concoction of pearl powder mixed with superfoods like Goji Berry - or using it topically by getting yourself some pearl powder.
Once you have the powder, you can use it in so many ways - for starters, make a mask by making a paste out of pearl powder mixed with water. Apply this paste onto your skin and leave on for about 30 minutes before rinsing off with warm water. Using this regularly will improve your skin’s complexion and health.
Your can even blend the pearl powder in with your makeup for instant whitening and to reduce excess oil and make your pores look smaller.
Skullcap
It may have a scary sounding name but this handy little plant is bursting with skin benefits. Baikal skullcap is a member of the mint family and is a purple flowering plant native to East Asia. For over 2,000 years, its root extract has been used as a traditional herbal medicine used in treating acne, eczema, and psoriasis. And when taken internally, it was popularly used for treating inflammation, infection, and even cancer, among other ailments.
In modern times, it has gained popularity as a skin enhancing agent due to its antioxidant and anti inflammatory effects. It is also used for skin whitening because of its ability to inhibit melanin and to protect skin from sun damage. So how do you use it? You can find it in sunscreens like Amarte's Ultra Veil Sunscreen Fluid or in creams like Estée Lauder's Cyber White Full Spectrum Brightening Moisture Creme.
Pomegranate
Ancient Greeks, Romans, ancient people of China, India, and the Middle East have all revered the pomegranate fruit since the dawn of recorded history. It has been considered blessed, used as a powerful symbol, used as traditional medicine, and as a beauty aid, among other things. Today its popularity still remains with its skin whitening effects widely known.
Drinking pomegranate juice everyday helps in lightening the skin due to the presence of the vitamin A, E, and C, along with zinc. Pomegranate juice also stimulates cell regeneration and prevents hyper pigmentation.
Using pomegranate topically also helps in achieving a lighter complexion. You can try this for yourself by adding 2 tablespoons of pomegranate peel powder, 1 tbsp of lemon juice, and 1 tbsp of honey together to form a smooth paste. This paste can be applied on your face and other areas of the skin you wish to lighten. Leave on for around 15 minutes before rinsing off with lukewarm water.
With all its uses and nutrients, it is no wonder that pomegranate has long been called the “fruit of heaven”.
Saffron
Today saffron is widely used as a spice, making its way into more and more dishes over time. But in the past, it was more popular as a medicine and beauty aid. It’s been used for at least 3,500 years and one of its most famous advocates is Cleopatra herself. Known for her enduring beauty – among other accomplishments of course – the last pharaoh of Ancient Egypt used to take warm baths with a quarter cup of saffron every day.
According to nutritionist Neelanjana Singh of Heinz Nutri Life Clinic, "It’s a natural beautifying agent that not only helps when used topically with scrubs or face packs but also when consumed with milk”. Another beauty expert Meenakshi Dutt says that saffron is a powerful home remedy for various beauty woes including skin tone and radiance.
You can try it for yourself by creating a face pack with saffron powder and milk to naturally lighten your complexion. Wash your face with cold water and then pat dry before applying the paste in soft circular motions. Let it sit for around 20 minutes before rinsing off with water.
Don't want to fork over the money for high quality saffron powder - we feel you, this stuff's expensive. There are a host of saffron-containing skin lightening products. Our favorites are the Saffron Skin Whitening Cleansing Cream and Auravedic's Skin Lightening Oil, which contains saffron as well as other natural skin lighteners.
Turmeric
Turmeric is another popular spice that has long been multi-tasking as a traditional skin whitening ingredient. It is still very common among beauty regimens today and has widely shown to be effective in lightening the skin. Turmeric helps in reducing the production of melanin through the antioxidant curcumin.
You can try using it at home by going for a ready-made turmeric mask like Juara's Turmeric Antioxidant Radiance Mask or for a cheaper option, simply get yourself some turmeric powder.
That way, you can make your own face mask by adding 5ml of turmeric powder with 15ml of lemon juice to form a paste. Apply it on areas of the skin you wish to lighten and let sit for around 20 minutes before rinsing off with water. It is safe enough to use every day and in a few weeks you’ll be soon be saying hello to a lighter complexion.
Sandalwood
Sandalwood has long been used as an ingredient for skin whitening. The most common is by creating a mask out of it added with other ingredients to cure skin problems including tans and sun spots.
You can easily try this one out at home. There are many ways to go about it and this includes adding 1 teaspoon of sandalwood powder with milk to create a smooth paste. Apply this paste onto your face and let it sit for around 15 minutes before rinsing off.
Alternatively, you can switch out milk with other ingredients such as honey, orange peel powder, apple, aloe vera, and turmeric, or even get a pre-mixed sandalwood face pack.
Find out which one suits you best.
Ancient skin secrets like the above have endured the test of time when it comes to popularity for a good reason – their effectiveness. Despite all the new products and procedures that seem to pop up left and right promising to give you lighter skin, sometimes the best way to go is still to rely on old and all natural tricks that have been tested by time.
