Don’t use it if: you’re prone to acne on your face. In that case, try it on your neck and chest, where mineral oil rarely causes breakouts.
3. Aspirin Lightening Paste
For a stubborn dark spot—the kind left by a pimple months ago that just won’t fade completely—an aspirin paste applied to specific areas works better than a full face mask. By applying it, you concentrate the salicylic acid on a few millimeters of skin instead of spreading it in a thin layer.
You’ll need:
1 uncoated aspirin tablet
2 to 3 drops of water
1 drop of honey (to prevent it from drying out too quickly)
How to use: Crush the tablet with the back of a spoon until it’s a powder. Add the water drop by drop until you get a thick paste; it should have the consistency of toothpaste, not a runny gel. Stir in the honey. Apply a small amount only to the dark spot with a cotton swab to avoid spreading it to the surrounding skin. Leave it on for fifteen minutes, then rinse.
I do this every three nights for two weeks, then take a week off. Most acne marks visibly fade within a month if you’re consistent and wear sunscreen during the day. Deeper hormonal hyperpigmentation requires more than a home remedy; for that, see a dermatologist.
4. Baby Oil and Sugar Body Scrub
The skin on our arms, legs, and chest also ages, and most of us ignore it until we notice that the skin on our hands looks ten years older than the skin on our face, which we’ve pampered so much. This scrub instantly revitalizes the skin.
You’ll need:
2 tablespoons of granulated white sugar
1 tablespoon of baby oil
A few drops of lemon juice (optional, and only if you’re using it at night).
How to use it: Mix everything in a small bowl until you get a thick, grainy paste. In the shower, after rinsing but before drying off, I apply it in slow, circular motions to my knees, elbows, the backs of my hands, collarbones, and the front of my shins. About sixty seconds per area. I rinse with lukewarm water.
The sugar exfoliates dead skin. The baby oil creates a moisture barrier, leaving my skin soft after showering, without needing additional moisturizer. If you added lemon juice, only use it at night, as lemon increases skin sensitivity to the sun even more than aspirin.
See the rest on the next page.
