We live in a world where everything revolves around beauty.

We have all become obsessed with making sure we appear perfect – from perfect hair to perfect makeup and even the perfect skin tone.

If people weren’t so obsessed with their physical appearance, we wouldn’t have so many cosmetics and skincare products in the market promising different degrees of magic.

When we were born, we had soft skin – like milk – however, life humbled everyone.

There are various forces contending with your beauty: sun rays, acne breakouts, skin discolouration, eczema, pimples, wrinkles and the lots – even products you innocently use to overpower these forces. Before you know it, your one single skin has multiple colours.

It’s definitely mission impossible trying to get back your childhood skin, but you can change some aspects of your lifestyle that will contribute to the enhancement of your skin and help you develop an even skin tone.

One major cause of uneven skin tone is the excess production of melanin in the skin. Although melanin plays a big role in the body by keeping ultra-violet rays of the sun from penetrating into the skin, many people are not accepting that as an excuse to mess up their skin.

Other causes can be dietary deficiency, age, dehydration, stress, medical condition, “beauty products” your skin hates, etc.

Uneven skin tone can be as a result of dark spots, sunburn, sensitivity, redness, acne scarring, etc.

Below are useful tips that will help you develop an even skin tone in less than 2 months.

 

• Drink lots of water

  

When you drink water, you don’t just hydrate your body; you also cleanse your skin from the inside out, flushing out toxins in the body.

Drink lots of water every day – 8-10 litres daily will do. Make water the primary source of fluid in your body, instead of alcohol or sugary drinks.

Alcohol and soda have negative effects on the skin. The chemicals in sugary drinks lead to a build up of oil in the body, while alcohol sucks out moisture from your skin, and leaves you with a premature aging appearance.

If drinking water regularly becomes boring, add a slice of cucumber or lemon to it for a change in taste.

• Regular use of sunscreen

  

One of the major causes of uneven skin tone is sun rays. To counter this, use a minimum SPF15 (Sun Protection Factor) daily or better still, an SPF 30. Use only those with both UVA and UVB protection.

Most facial moisturizers and foundations contain sunscreen. If you’ve read the label of yours and it has no sunscreen, don’t hesitate to wear sunscreen under your makeup.

Also, avoid staying too long in the sun and stay away from tanning beds.

• Exercise regularly

  

Exercising doesn’t only help you lose weight; you also generate new skin cells. This keeps your skin looking young and fresh.

Keep in mind that you don’t need heavy workouts to have a good looking skin, just focus on the little that will give you a free flow of blood throughout the day.

You could go for a brief walk, do the “downward facing dog”, Yoga, lift to lift circulation, etc.

Be sure to have a good bath after the workout to wash away the oil and sweat from your body before it gets trapped in your pores.

• Eat fresh foods

  

It’s a general rule that eating healthy promotes good health –and promotes good complexion. If you can’t totally avoid consuming junk food, then limit it. Instead, take more fresh fruits and vegetables especially tomatoes.

Tomato is rich in antioxidants and is a natural skin bleaching property; it helps in maintaining a youthful look as it naturally brightens and lightens the skin tone.

• Exfoliate

  

Over time, you’ll develop dead skin cells on the skin surface, which leaves you with wrinkles, and a premature ageing appearance.

Exfoliation helps you get off those dead skin cells to reveal a younger and revitalised skin complexion.

You can exfoliate your skin twice daily, but in case of sensitive skins, once is enough.

Exfoliation doesn’t have to cost much and it can be done at home with natural ingredients such as mixture of sugar and honey or oatmeal and honey.

Gently rub it into your face in a circular motion. Be careful not to rub too hard to avoid inflicting injuries on yourself.

Afterwards, rinse off with warm water to wash off dead skin cells.

However, if you don’t trust yourself with the homemade exfoliator, then go for a ready-made exfoliator which can be gotten from a local drugstore.

• Face mask

A face mask will reduce redness on your skin, even out your complexion and soften the texture of the skin on your face.

You can get a quality face mask from a local beauty store. You can also make a natural face mask at home by mashing up banana and honey to form a thick paste.

Apply it on your face and let it sit for ten to fifteen minutes. Then, rinse with warm water and pat your face dry. Apply a bit of moisturizer afterward.

• Chemical peels

Chemical peels are also known as a face mask or gel that use healthy acids to dissolve dead skin cells.

This helps in removing the top layer of the skin with scars or discolorations, revealing the younger and fresher one beneath.

When time is up (10- 15 minutes), wash off the peel with warm water so you don’t overdo it.

In case of eczema or rosacea, do not use the face peel as the condition might even deteriorate deeper.

• Spot removers

Spot removers are products that help in breaking up unwanted pigmentation caused by sun damages. They come in form of facial cleansers. A little amount should be applied on the cotton wool and used on the face.

For best result, use when about to go to bed.

• Moisturizers

After exfoliating, it’s important to use a mild moisturizer, to avoid dry skin and keep your skin smooth at all times.

Choose your moisturizer based on the skin you have – oily or dry.

It’s advisable to go for moisturizers high in Vitamin E and antioxidants and those containing Sun Protection Factor (SPF).

• Facials

  

Facials enhance skin clarity and complexion and often differ, depending on the kind of skin problem you have. They can be quite expensive, but it’s better to pay for something of high quality and sure results than look for cheap and dangerous ways out of a problem.

The above are some of the many ways through which you can get an even skin tone in a short period of time. There’s still the microdermabrasion session, laser treatment and use of fruits like lemon.

• See a dermatologist

  

 

If you’re too lazy or scared to carry out any of the above, then see a dermatologist and talk to them about your skin issues.

It is after this discussion the dermatologist will prescribe medications to help even out your skin problem.

You might be given pills to help in controlling the hormonal imbalances causing the uneven skin tone or medicated creams to apply to the affected area of the skin area.

However, if you’ll like to go under the laser power of the dermatologist, that’s a good choice too. It’s faster than other options, but scary to most.

Following any of these religiously will give you a fresher and younger look in less than 2 months.