Having beautiful pink lips is a dream for many of us, and dark lips are a nightmare. We all have a set routine to care for our skin, but once the harsh weather hits, lips are the first to get affected and neglected too. The home remedies for dark lips mentioned in this article will naturally give you the insight to lighten dark lips.
Lips being the thinnest and most sensitive part, you need to have a particular routine in your skincare regimen to maintain its beauty. You don’t have to worry if your lips become dark; all you have to do is start using these home remedies.
Causes Of Dark Lips:
Here are some of the factors that may cause dark lips.
- Exposure to the sun may cause pigmentation since it can increase the production of melanin in your skin.
- Smoker’s melanosis is a type of pigmentation that is caused by excessive smoking (1).
- Hyperpigmentation in your lips can be an allergic response to certain products like lipstick, toothpaste, etc.
- Several therapies for medical conditions can affect your lips, causing them to look dark, such as Jeghers syndrome and Laugier-Hunziker syndrome.
How To Lighten Dark Lips?
Here are some of the home remedies for dark lips you can follow for effective results.
1. Coconut Oil For Dark Lips:
The moisturizing and emollient properties of coconut oil (2) prevent your lips from getting dry and dark by keeping them soft and supple. It also keeps your lips hydrated, avoiding the formation of darkness.
Ingredients:
- A few drops of extra virgin coconut oil.
How To Apply:
- Dip your index finger in a little bit of extra virgin coconut oil.
- Gently apply the oil to your lips evenly.
- Leave it on your lips.
- You can use this remedy once or twice a day.
[ Also Read: Unknown Benefits of Coconut Oil for Skin ]
2. Olive Oil For Dark Lips:
Olive oil works well in protecting your lips from the damage caused by sun damage. It reduces discoloration since it is packed with vital vitamins, including A, K, E, and C (3). Using this home remedy regularly to get rid of dark lips resulting in lips that look beautiful and soft.
Ingredients:
- Few drops of olive oil.
How To Apply:
- Dip your index finger into a little olive oil.
- Gently rub the oil to your lips before you go to bed.
- Use this remedy every day to get effective results.
3. Lemon And Honey For Dark Lips:
The skin-lightening properties of lemon are legendary and therefore widely used in home remedies (4). When you combine the effectiveness of lemon with honey’s goodness, you can remove dark lips along with softening them naturally.
Ingredients:
- One tbsp of honey.
- One tbsp of lemon juice.
How To Apply:
- Take a tablespoon of honey and lemon juice in a bowl.
- Mix the contents thoroughly.
- Apply the mixture to your lips gently.
- Leave it on the lips for about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Use water to wash it off.
- Use this remedy once a day for effective results.
Caution: Do a patch test before trying this remedy since lemon juice can cause a stinging sensation.
4. Almond Oil For Dark Lips:
Almond oil helps lighten your lips by replenishing them naturally (5). The natural bleaching properties of lemon lighten the pigmentation in your lips. The combination of almond oil and lemon juice makes your lips naturally pink and supple by locking in the natural oils present in the lips.
Ingredients:
- One tbsp of almond oil.
- A little squeeze of lemon juice.
How To Apply:
- Take one tbsp of almond oil and squeeze a little bit of lemon juice into it.
- Mix the contents well.
- Gently apply the mixture to your lips.
- Leave it on your lips until it gets absorbed.
5. Lemon And Sugar Scrub For Dark Lips:
The lemon and sugar scrub can be a perfect way to lighten dark lips naturally. Sugar eliminates the dead skin cells by acting as a gentle exfoliator, whereas lemon lightens your lips since it is a natural bleaching agent.
Ingredients:
- Half a slice of lemon.
- One tbsp of sugar.
How To Apply:
- Slice a lemon in half and spread some sugar on it.
- Gently rub the sliced and sugared lemon to your lips for about three minutes.
- Use this remedy once every three days for effective results.
Caution: Avoid this remedy if you have chapped lips or a burning sensation.
6. Tea Tree Oil For Dark Lips:
Tea tree oil is an essential oil that has been a part of the beauty industry because of its benefits. It has components that effectively lighten your dark lips and moisturize them naturally (6).
Ingredients:
- Few drops of tea tree oil.
How To Apply:
- Dip your finger into a little bit of tea tree oil.
- Gently apply the oil to your lips before you go to bed.
- Use this remedy every day for efficient results.
7. Cocoa Butter For Dark Lips:
Cocoa butter is a rich source of natural plant compounds called phytochemicals and fatty acids that form a protective barrier over your lips (7). It also keeps your lips well-hydrated by retaining the moisture in them. You can prevent the drying and crack of your lips by using cocoa butter twice every day, making your lips nourished, moisturized, and brighter.
Ingredients:
- One tbsp of cocoa butter.
How To Apply:
- Gently apply cocoa butter to your lips.
- Massage it for a few minutes.
- Leave it on your lips till it is absorbed.
- You can use this remedy twice every day for efficient results.
8. Pomegranate:
The increase in melanin production and tyrosinase activity causes dark lips. You can gradually lighten your dark lips by using pomegranate extracts to reduce the actions that result in dark lips (8).
Ingredients:
- One tbsp of pomegranate powder.
- A little bit of water.
How To Apply:
- Mix the tbsp of pomegranate powder with a little amount of water, forming a paste.
- Apply this mixture to your lips.
- Let it stay on your lips until it dries.
- Use plain water to rinse it off.
- For best results, you can use this remedy once or twice a day.
Caution: Do a patch test of the pomegranate powder to rule out allergic reactions before applying it to your lips.
9. Turmeric:
Turmeric is yet another ingredient that is available in every household. The curcumin present in turmeric can lighten your lips by inhibiting melanogenesis (9). Since it is an ingredient that is available easily, try this remedy to lighten your lips naturally.
Ingredients:
- One tbsp of turmeric.
- A little bit of water.
How To Apply:
- Mix a tbsp of turmeric and a little bit of water, forming a smooth paste.
- Gently apply the paste to your lips.
- Leave it on your lip until it is dry.
- Use water to rinse it off.
- You can use this remedy once a day for effective results.
Caution: Do a patch test of turmeric to rule out allergic reactions before applying the mixture to your lips.
10. Aloe Vera For Dark Lips:
Aloe vera is one of the common ingredients we can find in many beauty products, and it works as a perfect lip-lightening treatment. The vitamin E present in Aloe vera restores moisture in your lips along with a soothing feel. It also helps get natural pink lips by facilitating the growth of new cells. Aloe vera inhibits melanin production and is easy to grow in your home garden (10).
Ingredients:
- Fresh aloe vera gel.
How To Apply:
- Take a fresh aloe vera leaf and squeeze out the gel into a container.
- You can apply the gel directly to your lips.
- You can also add coconut oil or olive oil to the gel and mix them.
- Refrigerate the mixture and use it as a lip balm.
Prevention Tips:
Here is a list of some of the tips you can follow to avoid the formation of darkness on your lips and keep them healthy.
- Avoid hydrating your lips by sucking or licking them.
- Keep yourself hydrated by drinking plenty of water.
- Apply petroleum jelly whenever needed by keeping a tub of petroleum jelly handy.
- Choose lip balms that have SPF 40+ as well as a natural skin lightening agent.
- Avoid products that have ingredients you are allergic to.
- Exfoliate your lip regularly.
- Avoid using products that are of low quality.
- Remove all the lip makeup before the end of the day.
[ Also Read: Beauty Tips For Dry Lips ]
Final Thoughts:
With the tips and home remedies for dark lips mentioned in this article, you can lighten your lips naturally. Although all the remedies are natural, it is better to consult your doctor to rule out any underlying causes of dark lips and get appropriate treatment. Don’t forget to let us know if this article has helped you overcome your dark lips.
