Get Rid Of Tan!

Welcome to That Weird Girl Next Door

Hello my lovelies! 
If I put it bluntly, I am not a summer girl and neither do I love getting tanned (don't judge me!). To be honest, my favorite seasons consist of Autumn and Spring because the temperate is normal enough for me and my skin to survive. Since Summer ended a while back I believe it would only be thoughtful of me if I did a post about how to scrub of the hideous summer tan that for god sake is not even smooth and uniform. And thus the birth of this post!

I grew up with grandparents who treated chemical products as a curse (and with that I mean every product that is sold inside a plastic wrapper with a plastic label in a plastic bottle), and so I was raised in the thick of fresh dairy milk, handmade butter and home remedies. Do I love it? Yes, ma'am! Home remedies take a longer time to work on your skin but they only do wonder. They will not show you result as instant as the 15 minutes fairness bleach but they are hundred times better and healthier. I would be talking about five home remedies that I learned from the grand-mum to get rid of tan. So...let's start!

• Gram Flour (Besan)

This is what every second person in my family does to de-tan, from me to my mum, to my cousins and their mums. My neighbor does too!

Now, you know who a day before marriage the bride is caked with turmeric (haldi). gram flour and milk to get that glow, well you will get that exact glow plus your tan would grow dim. You can skip the turmeric (I personally don't use turmeric since it gives a yellowish tinge to the skin and I end up looking like I took a dip in Holi colors). Make a paste of besan and milk (you can add turmeric as well, but I am warning you) however, do not make it too watery nor too thick. The besan has a tendency of drying fast and in my grand-mum's words, 'you do not want to have more wrinkles than you already have love' and I have never quite forgotten this line (what do I say, she loved me so!) Once the besan and milk pack has dried, use a sponge and luke-warm water to take it off.

• Cucumber (khera)

Oh you know cucumber, the good old friend. It is good for your stomach, for your eyes and also for your skin! You can make a pack by taking cucumber, rose water and curd (only if you have dry skin). Cucumber is a soothing agent so this will actually help your skin chill. A regular application of this for 10-20 minutes (twice a week minimum) will moisturize your skin and also take off the tan, plus your skin would be glowing too.

• Potato 

I came to know about this beauty bae through my cousin sister when she said that this is a better bleach than the plastic ones out there in the market and I just stared at her as though she is talking crazy but then I used it out of curiosity (and a great nudge from her) and I saw the results. If you go online and just read about potatoes, you would know that it is a natural bleacher and has properties that will help lighten that stubborn tan of yours that you got in return of wearing a cute cut-sleeve outfit to market. 

Making this pack is really simple. Just peel the potato and grate it. You can directly apply it or you can add some rose water (it can be used on its own and it would work just fine). Leave it on your face or the tanned area and wash it after 10-15 minutes.

• Lemon

As much as lemon juice soothes your throat in summer, lemon would help you get rid of the same summertime tan. I saw my mum scrubbing her face with the lemon piece once she had squeezed its juice to make lemonade for us. I laughed at her for looking funny when the tiny lemon specks would stick around her nose, forehead and around her mouth, but I soon realized why she did that. My mum had tiny freckles on her cheeks and this helped lighten them. 

You can directly apply the juice of lemon on your skin (It does irritate a little in the beginning, or at least my face did, but don't mind that because it is a sign that it is working on your skin). You can also mix honey or glycerin in it to make a better pack (I do not do that because I have really oily skin and my skin feels heavy and uncomfortable). This will lighten your skin, your freckles even and get off the tan if you vow to us it regularly.

• Aloe Vera

I have seen an aloe vera plant in our kitchen garden from as long as I could to say 'plant' (I am not kidding). This is the plant that needs least maintenance and yet its the best cure for a tanned face. To make the pack, dissect the leaf and scrape off the gel from it. You can mix lemon extract in it (or rose water) and apply it on your face till it dries. Mind this, it has a bad odor (try to resist a vomit). This is also one of the best natural thing to apply if you are having zit. Massage well on your face and wash off when dry. You will see result with regular use.   

This is it! I hope this helped and you liked these home remedies. My family carries these as a heritage and if you have any remedy of your own do not hesitate to share it with me, I would love to hear!

Cheers xx

-a

PICTURE COURTESY: INTERNET