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Everyone wishes for a smooth, even skin tone. Sometimes, even a tiny zit can dramatically affect the overall look of your complexion. Having an even skin tone can be achieved.
It may mean sticking to a beauty regimen and pursuing a healthy lifestyle, but it can be done. So, how do you even out an uneven skin tone?
Below are 11 recommendations for evening out your uneven skin tone. You don’t need to follow all 11 recommendations to even out your skin.
Follow as many of them as possible, and you will reduce hyperpigmentation, even out your skin tone, and greatly improve your overall skin health.
Stay hydrated
Slather on sunscreen
Exercise regularly
Gets lots of vitamin C and niacin
Exfoliate your skin regularly
Use a face peel
Apply a face mask
Invest in a good vitamin C serum
Use a moisturizing cream
Medical options: laser treatments, hydroquinone, chemical peels, microdermabrasion
Applying makeup for temporary uneven skin tone
Read on to learn more about how to even out uneven skin tone, including tips for using makeup to even it out.
Also, for an excellent product to even out your skin tone, take a look at our top pick, the Sunday Riley Good Genes All-in-One Lactic Acid Treatment:
We’ve been there before – once summer rolls in, you plan so many getaways and activities under the sun. But all that sunshine fun can cause an uneven skin tone. Other factors can also cause an uneven skin tone, such as age and medications.
An uneven skin tone, also called hyperpigmentation, is the darkening of the skin in patches or certain parts of your skin (turning a shade of red, brown, or even black). The cause of this hyperpigmentation and uneven skin is an overproduction of melanin.
Melanin is the pigment that is responsible for hair color and skin color. It is produced by your skin to help protect it from the sun’s UV light; however, the skin can produce too much of it, which leads to hyperpigmentation and an uneven skin tone.
How to even out your skin tone
What can you do about your uneven skin? Here are 11 tips that will help you manage and even out an uneven skin tone:
1. Stay Hydrated
The first recommendation in our list of how to even out skin tone is to stay hydrated. Water hydrates and cleanses your body from the inside out. Staying hydrated keeps your skin looking plump. It also cleanses your body by flushing out toxins.
Keep drinking fluids but limit the intake of carbonated, sugary, or alcoholic beverages since excessive sugar and alcohol may cause skin damage. Sugary drinks may also cause oil buildup and acne, while alcoholic beverages can dehydrate your skin and accelerates premature skin aging.
It may sound cliche, but ingesting eight glasses of water is important for keeping your skin tone even and healthy. Drink more water if you sweat a lot after activities or on a very hot day.
2. Slather on Sunscreen
The second tip on our list of how to even skin tone is to use sunscreen. The leading cause of uneven skin tone is sun damage. So, always apply sunscreen, and don’t forget to include it in your beauty routine.
A sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher is recommended. You can use it every day, even on cloudy or rainy days. Slather it also on the exposed parts of your body, such as your arms and neck.
3.Exercise Regularly
The third tip on our list of how to get even skin tone is to exercise regularly. There have been studies that prove regular exercise can help generate new skin cells.
Exercise keeps your skin supple and healthy. It does not need to be a heavy, rigorous exercise. Just try to focus on some exercises or activities that will get your heart pumping for a few minutes every day.
Also, remember to wash your face if you sweat a lot, as the combination of sweat and dirt can clog your pores and cause a breakout.
4. Get Lots of Vitamin C and Niacin
The fourth tip on our list of how to get an even skin tone is to get lots of vitamin C and niacin. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that has been proven to be very beneficial to the skin.
Personally, I like to get my vitamin C the natural way by eating oranges, lemons, cucumbers, bell peppers, and strawberries. However, taking supplemental vitamin C is okay, too.
Niacin is a nutrient that is vital to the health of our skin, hair, and nails. It helps even out skin tone, reduces wrinkles, and improves overall skin appearance. Foods rich in niacin are mushrooms, poultry, green peas, and tuna.
5. Exfoliate Your Skin Regularly
The fifth tip on our list of how to get even skin tone is to exfoliate your skin regularly. To get an even skin tone, you need smooth skin. Dead skin cells can accumulate on your skin surface over time and can make you look older with a dull glow.
So, you need to regularly exfoliate your skin to shed off those dead skin cells. Also, do the light test. When light hits your skin, does it reflect back, or does it scatter? If light reflects back, then your skin tone is even and smooth.
It is formulated with high potency lactic acid that exfoliates dull and pore-clogging dead skin cells to reveal fresher, smoother, and younger-looking skin. This skincare product is perfect for all skin types and ages.
6. Use a Face Peel
The sixth tip in our list of how to even skin tone is to use a face peel. Face peels remove the top layer of the skin, which often appears dull and more prone to discoloration and scarring. Also, face peels come as a mask or gel type and may contain either glycolic acid or salicylic acid in low doses.
Face peels can be done at home or in a dermatologist’s clinic. However, if you are going to do a face peel at home, it is best to consult a dermatologist first.
Face peels have to be gentle because they may cause redness and inflammation. Avoid using a face peel when you have extra sensitive skin or currently using an acne treatment product.
7. Apply a Face Mask
The seventh tip in our list of how to get an even skin tone is to use a face mask. Face masks are easily available in cosmetic stores, beauty supply shops, and most department stores.
There are a variety of available face masks. They include clay masks, peel-off masks, thermal masks, cream masks, warm-oil masks, and natural masks. All of these masks are used to pamper your skin, draw out impurities, hydrate, and even out skin tone.
There’s a perfect one for you out there. Remember, always read and follow the instructions on the product label. Follow the recommended “leave on” time. Your skin will feel clean and fresh if you use a face mask once or twice a week.
8. Invest in a Good Vitamin C Serum
The eighth tip in our list of how to get an even skin tone is to use a good vitamin C serum for your skin. Yes, getting vitamin C in your system – either from natural food or supplements – is always a good idea. However, there is no guarantee that vitamin C goes straight to your skin.
To ensure that your skin will get the vitamin C that it needs, use a good serum. Vitamin C serum is safe for all skin, including dry skin, oily skin, and combination skin. Using it as a topical preparation for extended periods is not a problem.
Also, vitamin C serums hydrate and brighten the skin. They help correct hyperpigmentation and can minimize redness and inflammation while evening out your skin tone. Vitamin C will boost the production of melanin, which causes hyperpigmentation or uneven skin tone.
Try the Image Skincare Vital C Hydrating Anti Aging Serum. It works for all skin types to even out skin tone. The vitamin C in the serum brightens and tightens your skin while softening the appearance of wrinkles. It also leaves your skin with an enhanced plumping effect.
The ninth tip in our list of how to even out skin tone is to use a good moisturizing cream. A good moisturizer is an essential skincare product to help even out your skin tone.
Find a good one that will work well for your skin type. A moisturizer that has natural ingredients will be an excellent choice.
Try the ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Marine Cream, Anti-wrinkle Day Cream. It is smooth and light, so it’s perfect to use every day as it doesn’t give you that heavy feeling.
It has Ginkgo biloba, rose, and mimosa that moisturize the skin and leave it looking firmer and even. It is the ultimate anti-aging cream.
10. Medical Options
The tenth tip in our list of how to get even skin tone is to use proven medical options. Some medical options are effective in helping achieve an even skin tone. If you choose to use medical options for evening out your skin, you can try the follow options:
Laser Treatments
Laser treatment is used to address problems like sunspots, hyperpigmentation, melasma, and scars. Laser treatments use IPL or intense pulsed light to remove hyperpigmentation and spots on the skin. The wavelengths of light are customizable.
They target problem areas deep within the skin to promote an even skin tone. If you decide to get a laser treatment, it is crucial to avoid sun exposure.
Hydroquinone
Hydroquinone is a bleaching chemical used for treating hyperpigmentation or skin discoloration. The FDA only allows 2 percent hydroquinone in any over-the-counter product.
If you feel that you need a higher hydroquinone dosage to treat your uneven skin tone, you need to consult a dermatologist.
Your dermatologist will determine how often and how long you will need to apply a cream with hydroquinone. The dosage also depends on the severity of your uneven skin tone. Most people tolerate this medicine well. It’s also effective for freckles and dark spots.
Chemical Peels (Clinical Strength)
There are a lot of face peels that you can buy over the counter. However, some cases of uneven skin tones require stronger chemical peels. A chemical peel procedure is when a dermatologist uses a chemical solution to remove your skin’s topmost layer.
It is commonly used to treat wrinkles, skin discoloration, and scars.
Chemical peels should be properly performed; otherwise, redness, inflammation, and scarring may occur. Consult your dermatologist if chemical peeling is the best treatment for you.
Microdermabrasion
Microdermabrasion involves removing the top layer of your skin gently, using a low invasive procedure. It treats hyperpigmentation and skin discoloration. A dermatologist or trained esthetician can only perform this procedure.
This procedure involves using an instrument that has an abrasive surface, which gently sloughs away the thick outer layer of the skin.
Microdermabrasion is considered a safe procedure that can effectively treat uneven skin tone, including dark and brown spots, acne and acne scars, large pores, whiteheads, and blackheads.
11. Makeup
The last suggestion in our list of how to even skin tone is to use makeup. I usually recommend using makeup to even out uneven skin only after you have tried several of the previously mentioned tips.
This is because makeup is, of course, just a temporary fix. The other steps are more long-term and allow your skin tone to even out naturally, on its own.
That being said, makeup is excellent for evening out the skin if you know the right way to use it. Tips for applying makeup require a section of its own. So in the next section, I’ll give tips on how to use makeup for evening out your skin tone.
How to Even out Your Skin Tone with Makeup
There are some instances when you experience uneven skin tone, and know that it is just temporary. For example, a super late night out can cause dark circles under your eyes for a few days.
You can treat this temporary uneven skin tone by applying makeup to the darker areas of your skin. You’ll need a concealer, foundation, and setting powder to cover any discoloration on your skin.
How to even out your skin tone using makeup?
1. Apply a Concealer
Concealers come in lots of shades and colors. Just make sure to pick a concealer shade that isn’t too dark. When in doubt, remember that it is best to go on the lighter end of the spectrum.
Concealers come in liquid or cream form. They basically work by hiding dark or red spots on your face to achieve an even skin color. To apply concealer, dab it instead of rubbing it on your skin. It’s best to use a concealer brush or sponge to apply it.
2. Apply Foundation
Foundations come in many forms – powders, creams, and liquids. Powder foundations, however, tend to be the ones that last the longest on your skin. They will also cover up skin oiliness.
Use a large foundation brush to apply a powder foundation and a beauty blender sponge for a liquid foundation. Apply over your concealer to set it properly. You’ll need to blend the foundation down to your neck for complete coverage.
3. Apply Setting Powder
I personally think that setting powder is one of the best cosmetic products ever invented. Using setting powders can help your makeup last longer. However, not all women follow the application of setting powders.
If you use a setting powder, your makeup will look more natural with an even skin tone. Also, ensure that your setting powder does not give your face a heavy feeling. Choose one that is light and applies evenly on the face; otherwise, it can leave your base makeup looking cakey.
Conclusion – How to Even Out Skin Tone? Uneven Skin Tips
So, to revisit our initial question, how do you even out an uneven skin tone? Having an uneven skin tone could be a nightmare for some people.
But, there are various ways to combat it, and most of them are easy to do. Set a beauty regimen and embrace a healthy lifestyle to help even out your skin tone. As previously mentioned, the following are ways to help treat and improve an uneven skin tone:
Stay hydrated
Slather on sunscreen
Exercise regularly
Gets lots of vitamin C and niacin
Exfoliate your skin regularly
Use a face peel
Apply a face mask
Invest in a good vitamin C serum
Use a moisturizing cream
Medical options: laser treatments, hydroquinone, chemical peels, and microdermabrasion
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