Like our skin, our lips come in various tones. Many who deal with darker lips and hyperpigmentation turn to lip-lightening creams to give their lips a fresh start. And with that, many ask and wonder, “What is lightening cream for lips?”.
A lightening cream for lips is a beauty product that helps treat hyperpigmentation and discoloration on the lips. It contains effective lip-lightening ingredients like niacinamide and kojic acid. It’s also packed with exfoliators and moisturizing ingredients like shea butter and aloe vera. Some also have SPF factors to take the benefits up a notch.
Of course, lip-lightening creams are only one of many choices for those who prefer light lips to dark lips. There are those who prefer to try home remedies first. That’s why we have some of the best DIY recipes below to help you get the natural color of your lips back.
In this article, we’ll go over the basics of lip hyperpigmentation and discoloration and what exactly causes it. Then, we’ll go over our favorite DIY solutions before we present what a lightening cream for lips is.
What Causes Dark Lips?
Lip color, just like skin tone, varies from one person to another.
If you notice that your once-pink lips are darker, there’s no need to worry. This is usually harmless and should rarely be a cause of concern.
Hyperpigmentation on the lips and lip lines causes a darkened appearance. This simply means there is an overproduction of melanin, which is what gives the skin its color.
Hyperpigmentation on lips can be caused by several factors:
- Increased sun exposure and sun damage
Increased and excessive exposure to the sun can trigger the body to create more melanin to absorb the sun’s UV rays.
While it protects the skin from excessive sun damage, this also causes tanning and hyperpigmentation.
To prevent darker lips due to sun exposure and damage, using lip balms with sun protection of at least SPF 30 comes highly recommended.
- Excessive cigarette smoking
A type of pigmentation known as a smoker’s melanosis is described as excess pigmentation or darkening of tissue due to irritation from tobacco smoke. Cark lips caused by smoking are sometimes referred to as the smoker’s lips.
Moreover, nicotine in tobacco cigarettes can cause an increase in the skin’s melanin production, causing hyperpigmentation and the darkening of the lips.
- Too much caffeine intake
Caffeine has dehydrating effects on the body and the skin. Drinking too much caffeine can lead to dry and chapped lips which make them appear dull and darker.
- Allergy to products like toothpaste, lipsticks, and lip balms
Some ingredients in everyday lip products like toothpaste, lipstick, lip gloss, and untinted or tinted lip balm can cause allergies. An adverse allergic reaction could cause dark spots on the lips.
- Pregnancy
A woman’s body goes through a lot of major changes during pregnancy, including fluctuating hormonal levels.
It’s common for many pregnant women to develop patches of darker skin and hyperpigmentation in different parts of their bodies, including the lips.
- Lack of certain vitamins
Vitamins like Vitamin B-12 help the body develop a more even skin tone. Suddenly developing darker lips than what you’re used to can be an indication of vitamin deficiency.
- Chemotherapy
Some forms of chemotherapy and radiation therapy can cause some parts of your skin to take on a darker appearance. The skin tends to itch or peel on top of appearing darker. A commonly affected area is the lips.
- Intake of certain medications
Some medications you need for certain health issues can cause lip pigmentation. These include antimalarial drugs, cytotoxic drugs used to treat cancer, and the antibiotic minocycline.
- Certain medical issues
Dark and pigmented lips can often be associated with some medical conditions like Addison’s Disease, Laugier-Hunziker syndrome, and Peutz-Jeghers syndrome.
How to Lighten Lips: The Most Famous DIY Solutions
Hyperpigmentation on the lips is rarely a cause for concern but many choose to find ways to combat this for reasons of cosmetic preferences.
Here are some easy DIY hacks you can try to lighten your lips and bring back your natural lip color:
- Lemon juice
Citrus fruits can contradict the overproduction of melanin. The citric acid component can also naturally exfoliate and slough off dead skin cells on the lips.
Cut up a lemon and gently rub the juice on your lips. Leave this on overnight. The next morning, wash it off with cool water.
When applying lemon to your lips, make sure your lips are not chapped and there are no open wounds.
- Lemon scrub
Cut up a lemon and dip one wedge in sugar. Rub it against your lips gently. Leave it on overnight and rinse your lips with lukewarm water the following day.
- Turmeric paste
Turmeric is another common anti-melanin product,
In a bowl, mix one tablespoon of milk and just enough turmeric powder to make a paste.
Then, rub the mixture on your lips. Leave on for about five minutes and rinse off with cool water.
- Aloe vera gel
Aloe vera gel is also known to fight off melanin production.
Apply a thin layer of fresh aloe vera gel on your lips once per day. Let it dry and then rinse off with water.
- Pomegranate lip mask
Crush a few pomegranate seeds and mix in one tablespoon of fresh cream. You can also add one teaspoon of rose water.
Apply the mixture on the lips and massage gently then leave it to dry. Rinse off with water.
- Strawberry lip mask
Crush a few pieces of strawberry. Then add a few teaspoons of baking soda.
Apply the lip mask before bed. The next morning, rinse off with cool water.
- Coconut oil
Coconut oil is a very hydrating ingredient, which can help moisturize and smooth out the lips, preventing hyperpigmentation.
Take some coconut oil and apply it to your lips. Leave it on to dry. Do this at least once a day.
- Honey scrub
In a small bowl, mix one teaspoon each of honey and sugar. Gently rub the mixture on your lips and rinse off with water.
What is Lightening Cream for Lips?
If you’ve tried the DIY route above but still see no results, it might be time to try the best lip-lightening cream on the market.
A lightening cream for lips is a cosmetic product that helps treat hyperpigmentation and discoloration on lip skin.
These are usually formulated to be gentle since the skin on the lips is thinner and more delicate than the rest of your facial skin.
Additionally, moisturizing, hydrating, and nourishing properties are often incorporated in the formulation to not only address discoloration but also leave the lips soft and supple.
How does a lip-lightening cream help lighten dark lips?
Though lightening creams vary in terms of formulas according to brand recipes, most options in the market have these common components:
- Lightening ingredients
To tackle issues of hyperpigmentation and discoloration, lip-lightening creams should have the right combination of lightening ingredients.
These common ingredients include niacinamide, vitamin C, and kojic acid.
- Exfoliating ingredients
Some of the best lip-lightening creams have an exfoliating factor to remove and slough off dead skin cells. This will eliminate flaking and dry skin cells, revealing supple and lighter lips.
Sugar and lemon extracts are some popular choices in many brand recipes.
- Moisturizing and nourishing ingredients
An effective lip cream will only be complete with moisturizing, hydrating, and nourishing ingredients. Some ingredients to look out for include shea butter, aloe vera, cocoa butter, and honey.
- SPF and sun protection
While not all lip-lightening creams contain a form of sun protection or SPF, it’s definitely a worthy addition. Applying some on your lips daily will protect your lips from excessive sun exposure and sun damage.
Other Tips for Lightening and Preventing Dark Lips
Below are a few more ways to help lighten your lips. Additionally, you can take early precautions to prevent lip discoloration in the first place:
- Keep yourself hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Not only will this keep your body hydrated but will also translate into how your skin and lips look.
- Apply sun protection on your lips to protect them from excess sun exposure and sun damage. Lip balms with at least SPF 30 are highly recommended.
- Limit your smoking habits or better yet, quit smoking altogether.
- Choose your lip products carefully. If you notice discoloration on your lips, it might be due to allergic reactions to the lip products you use.
- Change your toothpaste if you think the fluoride in your current toothpaste is the root cause of lip discoloration. One with far fewer chemicals and more natural ingredients should be a safe bet.
- Exfoliate your lips regularly to remove dead skin cells.
- Avoid sucking on your lips as this can dry out your lips quickly.
Conclusion
Hyperpigmentation and discoloration on the lips are common cosmetic problems many tend to face. Though they’re not a cause for concern, many find various ways to get rid of them. And even though there are tons of easy DIY hacks one can try, many choose to turn to lip-lightening creams.
A lightening cream for lips is a cosmetic product formulated to eliminate hyperpigmentation and discoloration on the lips. On top of that, these are formulated to be gentle enough for the delicate skin of the lips. Most options in the market have lightening, exfoliating, and moisturizing ingredients. SPF and sun protection are also important factors to consider.
And that has been our answer to the question, “What is lightening cream for lips?”. Reach out to us below if you want to send more of your queries our way!
