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There are plenty of commercial skin bleaches and whitening creams on the market for achieving a lighter shade of skin; natural remedies are also plentiful and are less harsh. Many cultures employ the use of skin-lightening agents such as lemon juice to achieve a fairer shade, or even to diminish the look of age spots or redness and blotches.

Combine the ingredients in the mixing bowl, and mix them into a paste with the spoon. Add some water if necessary to make the paste into the consistency of pancake batter.

Apply the paste to your arms and legs so that all of your skin is covered.

Wash the paste off with warm water after 15 to 20 minutes.

Repeat daily until the desired color is attained. Afterward, repeating weekly will maintain lighter coloring.

Tip

To make potato juice, simply grate a potato and squeeze the grated pulp, collecting the juice that comes from it in a receptacle. This juice contains a mild, natural bleaching agent.

This paste is also safe for application on the face.

Turmeric is used in a paste to lighten the skin of a bride in an Indian sub continental ceremony called the ‘Ubtan’—so named after the turmeric paste.

Lemon juice can be used alone on the skin for a lightening effect.

A larger batch can be made and kept in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Warning

Avoid leaving the mixture on the skin for longer that 20 minutes, as the turmeric can stain the skin yellow.

Take out the turmeric from the ingredients if you already have fair skin, as it can leave a yellow stain that may take some scrubbing to be rid of.

Always apply a test patch to the skin first to make sure no adverse reaction takes place from any ingredients.