How To Remove Tan - Natural DIY Remedies

November 25, 2021 by Arjun Singh

Table of Contents

Introduction

From the long, leisurely days on the beach to all the touristy day activities; that little vacation seemed oh-so-perfect until you were back home with your skin looking two shades darker! It is easy to forget that unlike us on holiday, the sun never goes languid and your skin ends up becoming an unwilling host to a bad sun tan!

While that tan will gradually fade out over the next few weeks, if you’re in a hurry and are currently on the lookout for answers to- ‘How do you get rid of tanned skin?’ Then you can use Forest Essentials tan removal cream, We also covered expert-recommended home remedies for skin tan removal treatment.

holiday tanning

What causes the tanning of skin?

Tanning of the skin happens when we are exposed to the sun for an excessive amount of time. The skin darkens due to heightened melanogenesis which is the increase in a dark brown pigment called Melanin. This is our body’s natural way of curbing the UV ray penetration into our cells and protecting the skin from burning. As a result of this triggered increase in Melanin production, the skin gets darker and that we call a ‘tan’.

Inordinate exposure to the sun can also cause several other skin problems like hyperpigmentation and stripping the skin of its moisture content which further leads to dullness.

How to remove tan from the face?

Sandalwood Tanning

When it comes to skin tan removal treatment, Tomato and Lemon Juice have proven to be effective natural way. These are natural astringents that suit all skin types and brighten the skin instantly, leaving it gleaming. Here are two DIY face packs that you can whip up in your kitchen of these juices will need to be mixed with the relevant ingredients for each skin type for optimal effect:

Remedy 1 | Tan removal home remedy for dry skin

For dry skin, mix 2 tablespoons of Sandalwood powder with 2 teaspoons of Rose Petal powder. Add this mix to 3½ a teaspoon of Tomato juice and ½ teaspoon of freshly squeezed Lemon juice, blend these ingredients together till you have a fine paste. Use this as a face masque for smoother, brighter skin.

Insider Tip: Switch the Tomato juice with Honey, for very dry skin.

Remedy 2 | Tan removal home remedy for oily skin

For acne-prone and oily skin, add 3 tablespoons of Fuller’s Earth or Multani Mitti to 4 teaspoons of Tomato juice and ½ a teaspoon of freshly squeezed Lemon juice. Mix well and use this daily to cleanse your skin.

sandalwood ubtan

Multani Mitti not only works as a transformative herb for acne-prone skin but also does wonders in treating uneven skin tone, dark patches and hyperpigmentation. It helps fade the tan whilst effectively soothing sunburns.

How to remove tan from the body?

Tan removal with Sandalwood

If your gnarly tan is not fading away, Sandalwood is your ingredient! With its light and dry physical qualities, cold potency and clarifying properties, it works wonderfully as a de-tanning agent. It helps soothe sunburns and brightens sun-tanned skin.

Remedy 3: Mix 2 tablespoons of Coconut powder with 2 tablespoons of Sandalwood powder and add some Tomato juice to this. Apply this body scrub on all affected areas and leave it on for 15-20 minutes, rinse off with cold water. This works exceptionally well for sunburnt skin as it heals irritable and patchy skin.
Remedy 4: Mix 2½ a teaspoon of Tomato juice and ½ teaspoon of freshly squeezed Lemon juice with fresh curd and some Sandalwood powder. Apply the paste on all tanned areas and leave it on for about 10 minutes, rinse it off with cold water.
Remedy 5: Take 3 tablespoons of Sandalwood powder and blend it into a paste using fresh Tender Coconut Water. Apply it on the tanned skin and wash it off with water after about 20 minutes. You may replace Coconut Water with Rosewater or mix it with the juice of Cucumber instead.
Remedy 6: Our Mysore Sandalwood & Nagkesar Facial Treatment Masque encapsulates the wondrous benefits of Sandalwood and makes for the perfect skin tanning treatment. It is infused with Sandalwood, Rosewater, Turmeric, and potent Ayurvedic herbs to hydrate the skin. Here’s how you can use it to remove tan. Cleanse your face and open the pores with a hot towel, for a few minutes. Apply the masque all over the face and neck, avoiding the eye area, and allow it to semi-dry. Rinse well with cold water; tone and moisturise as usual.

Tan removal with Aloe Vera

aloe vera gel

Aloe Vera extract is immensely beneficial for your skin when you are looking to treat a dark tan. It also soothes sunburn patches and replenishes the skin’s natural moisture. If applied every day to the affected area, it can lighten the skin in as little as a week.

Remedy 7: Take a broken Aloe Vera leaf and rub it directly onto the tanned areas of the body. Leave it on for 15 minutes and wash it off with water. For those who are always on the go and would like to try off-shelf products, the Forest Essentials Light Hydrating Facial Gel Pure Aloe Vera is also a great pick for this remedy. Made with a blend of naturally hydrating pure Aloe Vera, fresh Cucumber extracts, and Glycerin that stimulates skin cell renewal and helps fade the tan quickly.
Remedy 8: Blend together 2 tablespoons of fresh Aloe Vera juice and 2 tablespoons of pure Rosewater with 4-5 mashed pieces of ripe Papaya. Take a small amount of this paste into your hands and massage it onto all tanned areas of the body. Leave it on for 15 minutes and rinse off with cold water in the shower. Pat dry with a soft towel and moisturise to finish.

You may also use the Forest Essentials Aloe Vera Juice for this remedy. It is purely made from organic Aloe Vera plants that are grown in the Himalayan region and lends the same extraordinary benefits to this recipe as the freshly squeezed Aloe juice.

Tan removal with Lemon

lemons

A squeeze of Lemon juice comes in handy for a host of your summer woes, one of them being- sun-tanned skin. This citrus fruit has natural bleaching properties and is rich in antioxidants and Vitamin C that helps to lighten skin by naturally exfoliating the epidermis and removing skin cells that are darker pigmented due to the tan.

Remedy 9: Squeeze some fresh Lemon juice into a bowl, sprinkle in a little sugar and a generous spoon of Honey. Mix well till you have a spreadable consistency and apply it to all affected areas. Leave it on for 20 minutes to let it dry. Next, step into the shower and allow the steam from the hot water to envelop your body. After 3-5 minutes, scrub the Lemon-Honey-Sugar mix in circular motions and rinse off with lukewarm water. You can use it body or face scrub.

Tan removal with Orange Peel

orange peel

Oranges are another incredible source of Vitamin C which is renowned for its skin brightening and excellent tan removal properties. The best way to use Oranges for their lightening and brightening benefits is to use their rind or peel.

The Forest Essentials Body Ubtan Turmeric, Orange Peel & Sweet Basil, and Facial Ubtan Narangi & Nagkesar are packed full of these benefits. Enriched with sun-dried and hand-ground Orange Peel, these are Ayurvedic preparations of fresh herbs, leaves and dry fruits, which improve skin texture and help with skin tan removal. Use these on their own as daily cleansers or whisk them into detanning masques.

Remedy 10: Mix 2-3 tablespoons of the Ubtan with fresh Tomato juice and apply evenly as a masque on all tanned areas. Leave it on for 20 minutes and rinse off whilst gently scrubbing your skin in circular motions.

FAQs

Is tan skin healthy?

Although many consider a tan to be a bronzy, healthy glow, ‘Safe tan’ or a ‘healthy tan’ is a beauty myth! Inordinate exposure to the sun leads to an increase in Melanin which further leads to the tanning of the skin. This change in colour is in fact a sign of damage and your body’s attempt to protect the skin from further harm. Voluntary or involuntary, the penetration of dangerous ultraviolet (UV) rays into the skin is when the tanning process actually begins- and that can never be healthy! Moreover, there is an added risk of burning, which can further lead to skin cancer.

Is skin tanning permanent?

A natural skin tan is not permanent and usually fades away completely over a span of 1-2 weeks. Through this blog we have discussed some expert-recommended home remedies which can help fade the tan faster by catalysing the skin’s natural process of replenishment, thus bringing it back to its innate colour.

What is best for tan removal treatment?

Treating skin tan at the earliest is imperative to prevent further damage and the best way to do that is to use natural ingredients that have skin brightening and lightening properties. Skin tanning treatments available in the market have toxins that can cause further harm and aggravate existing skin concerns like allergies and acne. Therefore, using Ayurvedic herbs and fresh botanicals like Sandalwood, Fuller’s Earth & Vitamin C rich fruits ensures that the tan is treated without causing more chemical damage and providing perennial benefits to the skin.

The benefits of these wonder ingredients are encapsulated in Forest Essentials Skin Tan Removal Selection–

detaning range

For Face:

Facial Treatment Masque Nourishing Sandalwood & Nagkesar

Hand-pounded Organic Fruit Scrub

Revitalizing Kashmiri Walnut Gel Scrub

Facial Ubtan Narangi & Nagkesar

For Body:

Body Polisher Sandalwood & Turmeric

Body Polisher Hydrating Sea Salt & Crystal Rose

Body Ubtan Rose Petal, Vetiver & Sandalwood

Body Ubtan Turmeric, Orange Peel & Sweet Basil

Conclusion

While these indulgent, at-home rituals will help fade away the tan in no time, do not forget to be diligent with your SPF even when you are staying indoors.

Natural sun screens infused with Yashad Bhasma– an Ayurvedic preparation of SPF made with Zinc Metal & Aloe Vera extracts are great natural alternatives to SPF that protect the skin from UVB/UVA rays. These work exceptionally well specially when you’re still recovering from a tan or sunburn as this is softer on the skin and also provides lasting nourishment.

These were a few quick and easy ‘How to remove tan’ tips from us for your skincare routine that will help you get through the worst of the holiday sun with youthful and glowing skin. You can also explore products for skincare at forest essential which might help in your skin related concern.

References:

Martin, Jo M et al. (2009) ‘Changes in Skin Tanning Attitudes. Fashion Articles and Advertisements in the Early 20th Century’, American Journal of Public Health vol. 99,12: 2140-6. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2008.144352

Ranjan, R. (2017) ‘Easy Natural Remedies To Remove Sun Tan’ Femina [online] Available at: <https://www.femina.in/beauty/skin/5-natural-home-remedies-to-remove-sun-tan-34035.html> [Accessed: 25 November 2021]

Iyer, S. (2015) ‘Homemade Face Packs For Tan Removal’ Times Of India [online] Available at: <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/beauty/homemade-face-packs-for-tan-removal/articleshow/46107678.cms> [Accessed: 25 November 2021>

Chadha, H. (2020) ‘How To Remove Skin Tan: 6 Natural Ingredients That Work Like Magic’ NDTV Food [online] Available at: <https://food.ndtv.com/beauty/how-to-remove-skin-tan-6-natural-ingredients-that-work-like-magic-1636880> [Accessed: 25 November 2021]

Written By:

Forest Essentials Luxurious Ayurveda

India’s leading beauty brand with products offering a sensorial journey with the purest natural ingredients and traditional Ayurvedic formulations, bringing timeless beauty rituals to the forefront of your self-care routine.

Reviewed By:

Arjun Singh Senior Ayurveda Expert

Arjun is a marketing professional turned Ayurveda Expert. After the completion of his post-graduation in 2008, he started his journey in the beauty industry. He has since worked with several global luxury beauty brands including DIOR & Estee Lauder. With now more than 12 years of experience, he is driven by the idea of making Skin Care, ‘simple’ and ‘accessible’ for all and help clients transform their lifestyle and skin with solutions rooted in his extensive understanding of Ayurveda. A Senior Ayurveda Expert at Forest Essentials, he carefully curates Ayurvedic remedies and is continuously working towards bridging the gap between time-honoured skin care solutions and the modern consumer of the fast-paced world.

Disclaimer

The content provided in this blog is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.