The Thing About Whitening: Tips for Better and Fairer Skin

(pic from zsgod.com)

I was born white. I grew up white and I still am white. With a yellow undertone, that is. The Chinese got through my bloodstream and inserted some fried rice, perhaps. Joking. Yes, I have Chinese blood. Anyway, I'm generally white/fair, and, needless to say, several girls envy this skin tone. In this article, I'm going to teach you how to have it, keep it and maximize it.

Although I naturally have fair skin, I still need "maintenance" so it can look its best. I steer clear from whitening superpowers like Glutathione and Kojic Acid but I still dabble in some whitening products because fair skin is only beautiful when it looks as natural and as healthy as it should be. So here are my tips:


1. Exfoliate - Everyday, we need to shed off dead skin cells. If we don't, our skin will look dull. For skin on the face, this could even lead to acne (sebum + dead skin cells = acne). Exfoliate at least twice a week so your skin looks vibrant. With this, you make way for the newer skin underneath, and it also helps for that extra clean feeling. For this you can use bath salts, loofah (also recommended for better blood circulation) or bath stones. After you put on soap/ shower gel, exfoliate. Scrub-a-dub in a circular motion for at least 3 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with water.

Tip: I personally love the cheap bath salts sold in most department stores and in Watsons. A P200 bottle could last me more than 3 months of use so you really have no excuse in skipping exfoliation. Most of them smell good too!

2. Sun Protection - Aside from the fact that you can preserve your whitening efforts for longer when you religiously protect from the sun, it is also a good way to take care of your skin's over all health. Sun damage accounts for 95% of one's wrinkles, faster death of skin cells and uneven skin tone. Some even incur sun spots and freckles which last for a lifetime. (The horror!) Use at least SPF 25 for your face, and SPF20 for your body, for daily use. If you expect a harsher exposure, esp. when you're at the beach or out participating in a rally, reapply every 3 hours.

3. Rejuvenate -  Okay, so now your fair skin just got fairer. However, if it doesn't look healthy, if it lacks that quintessential "glow", then it's still not maximized its beauty potential. Moisturize your skin properly. In the morning, use a moisturizing lotion with SPF, and on some nights, put on body butter (preferably during the nights after you exfoliated).

4. Get Even - There are a lot of Pinays who, when they whiten, they don't get even. Some faces look fairer than the neck, body, and elbows, underarms and knees still lack enough whitening care. To remedy this, make sure that you pay extra attention to the parts where it really darkens. For me, I apply whitening creams to these areas (underarms, elbows) at night. For the rest of my body, I don't apply whitening anymore.


Try out these 4 easy steps with whatever whitening regimen you got on! Surely you'll be inching your way to becoming the "fairest of them all"! <3