How to Lighten Skin With Almonds: Benefits + 6 Ways to Use Them

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Many of the skin lightening products out there contain potentially harmful ingredients with irritating side effects. If you’re trying to keep your beauty routine as clean and natural as possible, finding a skin lightening formula that’s in line with this is very tricky.

This is where DIY skincare can be a huge game-changer. There are several natural ingredients out there that have been proven to offer powerful lightening effects, with almonds being at the top of the list. Let’s take a closer look at exactly how the ingredient works on the skin, as well as how to use it.

Almonds & Their Skin Lightening Benefits: Is This a Good Solution for Dark Spots on Facial Skin?

Almond oil in a bottle

The reason why almonds are such a popular ingredient in skin lightening creams and treatments is that they target dark spots in a few different ways.

Firstly, almonds are packed with vitamin E. Vitamin E a powerful antioxidant that can repair skin cell damage. Studies have found it to be effective at healing UV-induced skin changes [1], including the dark spots that are commonly associated with sun exposure. The omega-3 fatty acids, along with the zinc, in almonds also help to reverse UV damage, while preventing new dark spots from forming.

It’s also worth noting that almonds are rich in vitamin A. This is an ingredient that speeds up skin cell turnover. This allows the skin to shed its outer damaged and darkened cells at a faster rate to reveal the fresh and clear skin cells that lie beneath.

Of course, in addition to being a great skin lightener, almonds offer up a number of other skin benefits too, including:

  • Anti-inflammatory properties that reduce irritation and puffiness
  • Emollient properties that hydrate and moisturize the skin
  • Omega fatty acids and vitamin A to help combat acne
  • The treatment and prevention of stretch marks [2]

How to Lighten Skin With Almonds: 6 Uses & Homemade Remedies for a Clear and Lighter Skin Color

If you want to keep things simple, almond oil can be used on its own. However, if you’d like to ensure maximum lightening benefits for your skin, try one of the following DIY remedies:

A Sweet Almond Face Mask With Honey and Sesame Oil for Skin Fairness

Both sesame oil and honey are fantastic for lightening and brightening the skin. Both ingredients are able to prevent excess melanin production [3, 4], while also dispersing existing melanin clusters. When mixed with almond oil, the trio will give you fairer and lighter skin.

Mix 2 tablespoons each of sweet almond and sesame oils, adding in 1 tablespoon of raw honey. Apply this to your face and wait for 10 minutes before rinsing it off.

Almonds and face cream and masks

A Lemon & Almond Face Pack for Glowing Skin

Lemons are packed with citric acid, a hydroxy acid that effectively lightens dark spots while giving the skin a radiant glow. To make this face pack, mix 1 tablespoon of sweet almond oil with a few drops of fresh lemon juice. Apply this to your skin, sit back and relax for 15 minutes, and then rinse.

Top tip: Save this almond face pack for nighttime use as lemon juice can make your skin more vulnerable to UV damage.

A DIY Face Oil Made From Brazil Nuts & Almonds

Want to make your own almond oil instead of buying one? If so, try adding in Brazil nuts too – they work in a very similar way to almonds when it comes to nourishing the skin.

All you’ll need to do is place equal amounts of almonds and Brazil nuts into a blender. As the nuts start to break down, add in a few drops of oil, such as olive, to create a silky blend.

A Homemade Cream Gentle Enough for Babies Fair Skin

This almond and shea butter cream is gentle enough to be used all over the face and body. Not only will you be benefiting from the skin lightening properties of almond oil, but shea butter has also been proven to improve skin tone [5].

Even better, this cream is easy to make – you’ll need to double boil half a cup of shea butter to melt, and then mix in 2-3 tablespoons of almond oil. Take it off the heat, allow it to set, and then whisk it up for a whipped, lightweight finish.

RELATED: Does Cocoa Butter Lighten Skin

A Face Peel Made From Almonds & Papaya

Exfoliation is key if you want to lighten your skin, and this homemade peel has both physical and chemical exfoliating properties. The slight abrasiveness of this blend physically sloughs off dead skin cells, while the enzymes from the papaya act as a chemical exfoliant.

Blend some papaya to create a pulp, and then mix 2 tablespoons of this with dried almond powder. Apply the paste to your face and then rinse it off once it has dried.

ALSO READ: Potato Skin Lightening

A Sweet Almond Body Oil

As we mentioned, almond oil can be used on its own to lighten skin on the face and body. That said, you can also mix it with other oils to amplify its effects. Try carrot seed, geranium, or tea tree, all of which are also reputed to be great skin lighteners.

FAQ:

Beautiful African Amercian woman with glowing skin

Q: How do almonds make skin glow?

Almonds contain a number of nutrients that directly nourish the skin, giving it a glow.

Q: How many days does it take for almond oil to lighten skin?

It takes about 2-3 weeks of daily use for almond oil to lighten the skin.

Q: Does almond milk lighten skin?

Yes, just like almond oil, almond milk is great for lightening the skin.

Q: Does almond oil make skin darker?

No, almond oil has the opposite effect – it makes the skin lighter.

Q: Are almonds bad for acne?

While it hasn’t been proven, almonds are high in omega-6 fatty acids. If you have oily skin, this can exacerbate your excess sebum production, even more, meaning increased breakouts.

Q: Should I be drinking almond milk for skin lightening?

You could, but it would take a very long time for effects to be seen, as most of the nutrients in the milk will be used up by your body before they get to your skin.

Q: How to eat almonds for glowing skin?

Research shows that a one-ounce serving of almonds eaten twice a day will give you glowing skin [6].

Summary: Does Almond Oil Lighten Skin & Is it Worth Using?

There’s no denying that almonds are beneficial when it comes to lightening the skin. Granted, you could simply eat more of them to experience those benefits, but almond oil contains those skin lightening compounds in a far richer concentration, making it well worth using topically too if you’d like to see results as quickly as possible.

References

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11341050
[2] http://ircmj.com/en/articles/56054.html
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4744993/
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6049736/
[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5796020/
[6] https://www.almonds.com/why-almonds/almond-living-magazine/beauty-benefits-new-wrinkle-study


Avatar for Megan Foley

Megan has been a freelance writer and editor since 2016. In that time, she’s penned a diverse collection of articles for online publication, with a focus on skincare and beauty. From in-depth product reviews to concise marketing content, Megan is passionate about developing content that informs, entertains, and inspires.