How to get pale, luminous skin?

[Clabbergirl]

The Palmer's and other things I have tried with hydroquinone worked but took a long time for any effects to show. There's a local beauty supply shop near my house that has several products for face and body lightening. I plan on picking up one brand at a time to see what works. I live in Florida and have been fairly diligent in applying sunblock on a regular basis, as I have skin that burns first. I'll post to let you know if I find anything that works. If I had the resources, I would definitely be going for laser treatments instead!

Tammylynn, nothing you buy off the shelf in the U.S. is going to have more than 2% hydroquinone - a proven skin-lightener. (It works by gradually decreasing the presence of melanin-producing bits in skin cells, and therefore takes time while working through the natural process of cell turnover). An Rx is needed for the 4% version in the U.S. at least, which works much, much better. It is also available from overseas pharmacies without an Rx. BUT, if you go this route, use a high SPF all the time because melanin is what protects your skin from the sun, and hydroquinone prevents it from doing its job.

Also, for existing freckles, age spots, etc., daily use of Retin-A (by Rx only in U.S.) gel or cream will lighten (and reduce wrinkles) gradually. It also makes skin more susceptible to the sun.

And lastly, the quickest and most affordable way to get rid of or lighten discolorations is through chemical peels. You can pay a salon or esthetician to apply one, but they run expensive and are usually extreme with several days of recovery ('down time' when you won't want to be seen in public). The formulas used for these peels are available all over the internet, however, for a fraction of what you'd pay a doctor/salon. It's an easy procedure to do to yourself (there are many videos and tutorials online), and depending on how deep of a peel you do, have amazing results.

I have used all of these things and the best bang for your buck is a chemical peel at home. You can control the strength of the chemical and how deep to go because you know your skin best. I've seen some of my freckles completely disappear after 1 peel, and older age spots lighten and/or disappear after repeated peels (spaced out several months of course). To have spots I've carried for 30 years vanish in 4 days? Can't beat it. I also have milia in places around my eyes that are removed after 1 peel. This stuff works well on knees and elbows for women who get discoloration there. It is quicker than any fruit acid scrub, although it's the AHA in fruit acids that slough off dead skin (to reveal whiter, new skin underneath) to begin with. Peels are simply concentrated. The down time with a peel depends on the depth of it - the deeper you go, the worse you'll look and longer you'll look that way for the week after the peel. But once the old skin is off - wonderful!

 

[miserabelle]

I just bought a white Stargazer foundation, which is very good, if a little thick. It's really nice to blend in with my usual foundation, and it's given me much paler-looking skin x

 

[Miss Peach]

I've become a follower of Korres Wild Rose products--check out the Wild Rose Regimen Kit at Sephora to test it out--WONDERFUL! I'm very pale (redhead pale) and it actually even evens out the redness I have. Nothing has ever done that before!

 

[Clabbergirl]

I haven't seen Star Gazer products in the U.S., but I have found a similar liquid product in Kryolan makeup. It's a theatrical makeup company with less expensive and better quality products than some of the high-dollar brands.