GETTING RID OF DARK LIPS…

Visually, what is the first image that you get at the sound of the word “LIPS”? Yes, the most common image that every other person would get is –Soft, Rosy, Pink, Velvety lips! It’s a standard that has been maintained by a lot of women! Infact, its every woman’s’ dream to have soft and pink rosy lips! However, not everyone is lucky to have such lips naturally!

Having darker lips can sometimes be a reason of humiliation for some people, especially women! Let us first have a look at the whys and wherefores for having darker lips-

1. Can be genetic
2. Extreme consumption of tobacco and caffeine
3. Excessive direct exposure to sunlight and UV Rays
4. Excessive habit of smoking
5. Irregular eating habits
6. Allergic reactions
7. Use of low quality cosmetics
8. Hormonal imbalances
9. Disproportionate use of fluoride
10. Humid temperatures
11. Low blood circulation
12. Inappropriate removal of lip make-up
13. Stress-Yes, you read that correct!
14. Chemotherapy
15. Indecorous lifestyle habits

In social outings and parties, hundreds of eyes will check out your dress, your purse and then your face.
While focusing on your face, your lips would be center of attraction. However, to make them look attractive, you cannot keep wearing lip make-up all the time, is it? It’s tedious as well as harmful for your lips. Hence, let’s have a look at the various easy-home-remedies to lighten your dark lips and make them more gorgeous, eye-catching, conspicuous and appearing!

LEMON: Due to its natural bleaching properties, lemon is found to be one of the best skin and lip lightening agent. We all know that it has a high “anti-oxidant” property due to the presence of its acids – citric acid and alpha hydroxy aicd. That’s the reason they are highly used in all skin care cosmetics! Remember, lemon has mild exfoliating effects that helps to peel off the dead
cells and make way for the new ones to appear! This give a new tone to your lips.

Ways to use Lemon:

• Squeeze in a lemon and apply its fresh juice on your lips every night before you sleep. Make sure you don’t apply lemon juice on charred lips as that will give an irritating sensation to your lips.
• Lip Scrub- in a bowl, mix 1 tsp of lemon juice and coconut oil. To this mixture, add 2 tsps of granulated sugar and stir well till you get a thick consistency (add more sugar, if required). Store this mixture in a container. It does stay well for a week in the fridge. Apply a little of this scrub on your lips and massage in a circular motion. Use a small, soft bristle toothbrush to gently massage your lips- this will eliminate all your dead cells of the lips. Rinse your lips with warm water and apply a home-made lip balm of your choice.
• Take a thin slice of lemon, sprinkle sugar on it and rub this on your lips. It will exfoliate your dead cells, giving a fresh, new look to your lips!
• Mix half a tsp each of lemon, honey and glycerine. Apply this mixture daily before you go to bed.
• Mix lemon juice and almond oil and apply this mixture overnight on your lips. Almond will moisturize your lips, making them softer and pink!

ALMONDS: Being one of the richest source of antioxidants, vitamin B2, B16, omega-3 and omega -6 fatty acids, almonds prove to be extremely beneficial for dark lips. They are a good moisturizer to the lips!

Ways to use almonds:

• Take powdered almonds in a bowl. Stir in milk in sufficient quantity to make it as a paste. Apply this paste on your darkened lips and leave it for some time. Then, rinse your lips in order to remove the paste thoroughly. Repeat this daily for soft and pink lips!
• Mix almond oil and honey in a bowl. Apply this mixture on the lips and leave it for some time. Do this daily to get a relief from dark lips!
• Take equal quantities of almond oil and castor oil in a bowl. Apply this mixture on your lips and gently massage it for 2-3minutes. Do this daily till you get a lighter shade of lips.

ROSE: Rose is well known for its beautifying and embellishing properties. That’s the reason we find this as the main ingredient in a massive range of beauty products! Rose petals, rose oil rose water, etc are well used as a remedy for dark lips.

Ways to use Rose:

• Blend few rose petals with 2 tsp of butter in a blender. Apply this mixture on your dark lips and massage them for about 3 -4 minutes. Rinse it off. Repeat this daily till you get the desired rosy-pink tone of your lips.
• Rose Petal Scrub: Make a paste of the rose petals by crushing them and adding water to it. Take 1 tsp of this paste and add a tsp of butter, honey and milk cream to make it as a thick paste. Apply this on your dark lips and gently scrub it for 4-5minutes. This will exfoliate all the dead cells and will give a refreshing look to your lips. Repeat this scrubbing at least thrice in a week.
• Apply a mixture of rose water and honey on your lips, atleast 3-4 times in a day to get rid of your dark lips.
• Add glycerine and castor oil to crushed rose petals and make it as a paste. Apply this paste on your lips and gently scrub them for 2-3 minutes. Repeat this daily to until you get pink and rosy lips.
• Apply a mixture of rose water and mint juice to your lips daily to get rid of dark lips.

BERRIES: Chain smokers usually have a darkened and rough lip texture. Strawberries and raspberries are one of the best remedies for such lips. They are loaded with antioxidants and minerals that make sure to get the lip tone and texture back!

Ways to use berries-

• Crush 3-4 strawberries and make a pulp of it. Add 1 tsp of baking soda to this pulp and apply it on your lips overnight. Let it dry on its own and rinse it off in the morning with warm water.
• Apply strawberry juice on your lip with the help of a cotton ball. Let it dry for 5-10 minutes and then rinse it off. Do this every night to give a light pink tone to your lips!
• Strawberry lip balm: Mix 1 tbsp of strawberry juice with 2 tsp of petroleum jelly. You can use this blend and apply it as a lip balm daily for glossy pink lips!
• Mix half a tsp of raspberry juice with little aleovera and honey. Apply this mixture on your lips and scrub gently.
  Leave it for 5 -210minutes and rinse it off with lukewarm water. Repeat this atleast 3-4 times a week.

OLIVE OIL: Olive oil is extensively used to make your lips vibrant! Olive oil moisturizes your dark lips, making them softer and beautiful.

Ways to use olive oil:

• Massage little extra virgin olive oil on your dark lips daily at night. This will give a pink and rosy shade to your lips.
• Mix little olive oil with 2 tsp of sugar. Apply this mixture on your lips and leave it for few minutes. Repeat it at least twice a week for better results.
• Mix olive oil and lime essential oil in a bowl. Apply this mixture on your lips and leave it for 30-45minutes. Rinse it off with cold water. Repeat this atleast 3-4 times a day, on a daily basis, till you get a lighter tone of lips.

CUCUMBER: It is also used as a skin lightening agent. Simply rub a slice of cucumber on your lips so that its jice is well absorbed. Leave it for sometimes and then rinse it off. Repeat this for 5minutes each day for a lighter shade of lips.

HONEY: Honey naturally, softens your lips and brings a natural glow to it! Apply honey on your lips at night and let it dry. Do not wash it off. Rinse off the next morning.

ICE CUBES: Massage your lips with ice cubes. This will keep them well-hydrated, moisturized and nourished throughout the day. However, just knowing about these home remedies is not enough! I would suggest, why not prevent our lips from getting darker day-by-day? Hence, read the following precautionary measures and note them down in your memory!

1. Limit your caffeine intake
2. Avoid too much direct exposure to sunlight OR UV Rays.
3. Drink enough water throughout the day. Keep your lips well hydrated and moisturized.
4. Use approved cosmetic products of a decent brand. Avoid excessive use of cheaper brands that would char your lips and make them darker, too.
5 Use a natural lip scrub to exfoliate our lips, at least once every week. After which, use a soft toothbrush and rub gently to remove dead cells.
6. Do not suck your lips as sucking leads to dehydrated and wrinkled lips.
7. Avoid excessive use of chlorinated water.
8. Maintain a well-balanced healthy diet with a perfect combination of all the major and minor nutrients throughout the day.
9. Avoid too much stress in your daily life. Involve yourself in stress-busting activities.
10. Remove your lip make up appropriately after each use of lipsticks.

So, go ahead and enjoy these remedies and precautionary tips in order to get fuller, rosier and pinky lips!
Make your lips the most attractive asset on your face!