How We Can Fade Dark Marks & Scars

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Most of the articles I read about getting rid of dark marks and scars give advice like “stay out of the sun.” We’ve all been told this before by an overly concerned mother or aunty for concerns other than sun damage. So I refuse to take this as “beauty” advice for so many reasons.

Below are some (tried and tested) solutions that actually work for us… and also let you leave your house.  

++ FRESH SKIN

Exfoliants: Exfoliants eat away dead skin. Less dead skin = faded dark marks. Go-to ingredients to look for in exfoliants are cherry juice and glycolic acid.

  1. Cherry juice is packed with vitamins that can help lift pigmentation off stubborn spots. A powerhouse peel is the Naturopathica Sweet Cherry Brightening Enzyme Peel, which also has salicylic acid to fight hormonal breakouts. If you’re looking for a budget friendly route, mashing up some cherries with a little turmeric and honey is an awesome DIY version.

  2. Glycolic acid also lifts away dead skin leaving the skin looking brighter. A miracle mask is the Caudalie Glycolic Peel which instantly brightens your skin. Also, the cult favorite Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment has glycolic acid as well as activated charcoal to further lighten spots.

  3. Another great beauty hack is incorporating apple cider vinegar into your routine as a toner. Soak a cotton ball in the vinegar and dab it on dark spots to accelerate skin regrowth and surface fresher skin.

++ HYDRATED SKIN

Oils can help lighten marks without drying out your skin.

  1. Vitamin E is pure magic. It’s also cheap - you just cut Vitamin E capsules and squeeze out the oil. If you’re not sure if you should add this to your beauty routine, check out brown beauty angel goddess queen Jasmine Tookes who swears by using Vitamin E oil before bed every night. If that’s not motivation…  

++ FAST RESULTS

  1. Try the PCA Skin pigment gel. This is a harsher alternative and can be drying but is definitely effective. PCA Skin has a pigment gel that is hydroquinone free that works wonders on marks and generally on uneven skin tone. They have one with HQ but it’s best to avoid putting harsh chemicals on your skin.

And if you’re actually worried about sun exposure, go with Katonya Breaux’s sunscreen called Unsun. Reason #1: It’s amazing for dark skin because it doesn’t leave a white residue and Reason #2: She is the mother of Frank Ocean. That’s unrelated but just cool.

WHERE TO SHOP:

  1.  Naturopathica Sweet Cherry Brightening Enzyme Peel: https://www.naturopathica.com/products/sweet_cherry_brightening_enzyme_peel
  2. Caudalie Glycolic Peel: https://www.sephora.com/product/glycolic-peel-P395618
  3. Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment: o    https://www.sephora.com/product/super-mud-clearing-treatment-P376409
  4. PCA Skin pigment gel: §   https://www.pcaskin.com/pigment-gelr-hq-free.html
  5. Unsun SPF30: https://www.unsuncosmetics.com/collections/unsun/products/unsun-spf30-tinted-mineral-sunscreen
Manasa ReddyComment