Fade Creams

[InnerPeace]

Has anyone else experienced dark spots or "acne scars"? I usually have dark marks remaining after a pimple has gone away. Does anyone know of any products that work well for fading dark spots?

[SeethroughU]

Hello Inner Peace


I have found really good results with Neutrogena's Visbly even. It's actually an SPF15 moisturizer with retinol. I saw results within a week ( the box says 2 weeks). I also follow the Acne.org (http://www.acne.org) regimen which has completely cleared my acne (not even "time of the month" acne). I tried Reviva Brown scar fade cream (with hydroquinone) but although it initally made it fade..I think it got darker over time.

HTH

SeethroughU

[mehogeni]

at GNC there is this product called brighten and lighten, but its supposed to brighten your complexion and lighten marks without bleaching the rest of your face, its a face wash and I have been getting great results from it, if you have like tiny acne scars that were maybe hard to get rid of, then it takes about 2-3 weeks to go away...well for me it did, I have larger marks from bigger pimples, but there is a slight improvement in those areas but not huge so I may have to use a cream in those areas, ...the one I was recommended was this new product by IMAN makeup, which is a concealer/skin lightener...i tried to find it at my local sephora but the racist people didnt have any black makeup lines :fight

but to order it online here it is http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P36319

and its luckily hydroqunione free so I will most likely be getting it, since I heard hydro is bad for your health in the long run

[InnerPeace]

I am going to check those products out. I have tried products with hydroquinone in them before, but I had no idea they were bad for you. I am going to research them and see what I come up with. Thanks again!!

[InnerPeace]

Originally posted by mehogeni@Sep 11 2004, 03:17 PM
at GNC there is this product called brighten and lighten, but its supposed to brighten your complexion and lighten marks without bleaching the rest of your face
Are you sure this is at GNC? I went to the GNC website and did a search, but there was nothing about this product there. I even searched Google and got nothing. Do you have a link for the product?

[Barbie]

Originally posted by mehogeni@Sep 11 2004, 09:17 AM
...
and its luckily hydroqunione free so I will most likely be getting it, since I heard hydro is bad for your health in the long run
How is hydroqunione bad for you?

I have had good results with shea butter, EVOO, and Ambi.

[mehogeni]

go to this link about the dangers of hydroquinone
http://www.betweensistersfoundation.org/He.../skin/skin.html (http://www.betweensistersfoundation.org/Health/skin/skin.html)
basically it causes skin cancer by breaking down our natural melanin that protects against Uv rays in the first place, but to read more in depth about it, click there


now about the lighten and brighten, I dont have a link, weird it doesnt show up...but I just went to my local GNC in Washington DC, pentagon city mall and saw it in the beauty section near the body lotions, and I was recommended it by the sales clerk...it was in a lil white bottle, tomorrow I will give the exact company though cause GNC only like sold it but didnt make it

[mehogeni]

p.s--iman also has a even tone gel in clear as well, if you think the colors in the above link might not match as well...here is the link to that as well
http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P36320

but I like sephora fade and even tone products anyways because most/all of them dont have hydro in them, that personal touch to their products makes me appreciate them even more....though I am still pissed about no Iman lol...

[uzuri]

Originally posted by Barbie+Sep 12 2004, 01:35 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Barbie @ Sep 12 2004, 01:35 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-mehogeni@Sep 11 2004, 09:17 AM
...
and its luckily hydroqunione free so I will most likely be getting it, since I heard hydro is bad for your health in the long run
How is hydroqunione bad for you?

I have had good results with shea butter, EVOO, and Ambi. [/b][/quote]
:doh :huh

[curlycaramel80]

I feel that anything other than good-old cocoa butter to smooth blemishes and dark spots can be harmful. I know that chemically whitening your skin makes you more vulnerable to sunlight thus causing various problems.

Another bad thing about those bleaching creams is that you should do your face, neck and ears because you may get a two-tones, spotted effect if you do it is sections.

But to each its own.

[mehogeni]

sorry it took me so long, the company that makes the "brighten and lighten" is reviva labs, they only make natural products ..the exact link is here
http://www.revivalabs.com/skinlightening.htm
and the main ingredient in most of the skin lightening products is mulberry and lime..but do not get the BROWN SPOT GEL WITH GLYCOLIC ACID...it has hydro in it which I am very disappointed about :doh ..but i definently know the cleanser doesnt have hydro

[wildandkinky]

Isn&#39;t a fade cream a kind of skin lightener and if so don&#39;t you feel a bit strange about using one?

[ms_rite]

That&#39;s exactly what I was thinking @wildandkinky.

[soulgirl]

Originally posted by InnerPeace@Sep 11 2004, 12:55 AM
Has anyone else experienced dark spots or "acne scars"? I usually have dark marks remaining after a pimple has gone away. Does anyone know of any products that work well for fading dark spots?
let me tell you something seriously...I suffer from acne - I always will However I have learnt to keep it under control by simplifying my products.I use an exfoliator, a moisturiser for my skintype(i.e-dry/combunation etc...) and a moistuising cleanser wash.

Skin fade/bleach creams are absolutley appaling - no matter how well it&#39;s disguised, whether disguised as light formula blah blah it is wrong.
The best treatment for getting rid of acne scarring (by the way i am light skinned and my acne scars were very deep) is shea butter, tea tree oil for toning down redness, exfoliating ( I use st. Ives exfoliant for blemishes/acne prone skin). Implement more water into your diet- check your contraceptive pill-if using any. And decrease your stress levels. There are plenty of oils thatare really good for acne scars and control. DONT BE FOOLED BY FADE CREAMS.


you should be ok..
ask your self this would you put any strong chemicals on your hair? Then why on your face? if you are &#39;NAPPTURAL&#39; be it throughout your body- YOUR MIND AND SPIRIT. :rainfro
GOOD LUCK KEEP IT NATURAL...Patience is most definetley a vertue. :thumbsup

[soulgirl]

Originally posted by InnerPeace@Sep 11 2004, 12:55 AM
Has anyone else experienced dark spots or "acne scars"? I usually have dark marks remaining after a pimple has gone away. Does anyone know of any products that work well for fading dark spots?
i HAVE TRIED ONE PRODUCT THAT WORKED IT HAS RETINOL AND IT&#39;S BY PHILOSOPHY-IT DIDNT LIGHTEN MY SKIN BUT IT HELPED THE SCARS FADE...PRETTY PRICEY BUT WORKS- GIVE IT AOUT 2MONTHS OR SO.

I THINK IT&#39;S CALLED &#39;HELP ME&#39; BY PHILOSOPHY-IT&#39;S IN A SQUEEZY TUBE LESS IS MORE COS IT&#39;S NOT A BIG TUBE.

[soulgirl]

Originally posted by joysinegar@Sep 18 2004, 05:41 PM
I feel that anything other than good-old cocoa butter to smooth blemishes and dark spots can be harmful. I know that chemically whitening your skin makes you more vulnerable to sunlight thus causing various problems.

Another bad thing about those bleaching creams is that you should do your face, neck and ears because you may get a two-tones, spotted effect if you do it is sections.

But to each its own.
JOYSINEGAR- I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU SIS. :app

[enigmanco7]

I&#39;m actually looking for a fade cream not for my face, but my back.
I was sick a lot as a child, I have a lot of scars on my back. I am very paranoid of wearing anything strapless because of this. I&#39;ve been to a dermatologist-that didn&#39;t help.

Any ideas?

[mehogeni]

yeah before I was gonna buy the iman stuff but i just got my black soap and pure shea butter 2 days ago, and I am throwing out all the stuff i mentioned even the lighten and brighten lol...like last night for some reason I slathered on shea butter on my face, because it was extremely dry after washing with the black soap, i mean i was totally greasy and i looked kinda stupid but anyways i went to sleep with it on ...and like woke up this morning i went in the shower and let the water kinda break it down, patted my face, and my spots were faded ALOT in just that short time, I am truly impressed and hopefully It can continue the improvement...so i guess my shea butter facial may be a daily thing :app

[quotidianlight]

I am confused why people are against using a fade cream to get ride of scars on moral grounds. You are supposed to put them on the spots not on your entire face. It fades the spot until it blends in with your natural color. You are not supposed to put it all over your face till your face is white and clashes with your neck and ears. The creams that are made for your entire face are usually exfoliators not faders. They have retonal or acid etc but all the hydoquinones, ambis etc say "put on the spot." right on the package.

[LuaBonita]

ambi is good. i used to use their black soap (the cream stinks). my mother has used escoterica (sp?) for nearly 15 or so years and her face looks great. the stuff stinks though

[vnatural]

I am confused why people are against using a fade cream to get ride of scars on moral grounds. You are supposed to put them on the spots not on your entire face. It fades the spot until it blends in with your natural color. You are not supposed to put it all over your face till your face is white and clashes with your neck and ears. The creams that are made for your entire face are usually exfoliators not faders. They have retonal or acid etc but all the hydoquinones, ambis etc say "put on the spot." right on the package.
[/b]

Good point.

Unfortunatley some people use it for the wrong reasons, but I don&#39;t think it&#39;s most people.

I&#39;ve used Black Opal and Nadinola before to fade spots. It never crossed my mind to make myself look pale.

If you&#39;re going to use it, just make sure it&#39;s from a reputable company(some over seas companies sell it laced with mercury).

Sunscreen is a must as well.

[mecca360]

I have always used Venus De&#39;Milo it&#39;s a complexion cream. It is hard to find. Most times I have only been able to find it at West Indian markets

[tsaraya29]

Another bad thing about those bleaching creams is that you should do your face, neck and ears because you may get a two-tones, spotted effect if you do it is sections.

But to each its own.
[/b]
ITA.. I tried fade creams for acne marks in the past and that&#39;s exactly what happened. It was terrible. The best thing I&#39;ve used and had success with is 100% Aloe Vera Gel.



Good point.

Unfortunatley some people use it for the wrong reasons, but I don&#39;t think it&#39;s most people.

I&#39;ve used Black Opal and Nadinola before to fade spots. It never crossed my mind to make myself look pale.

If you&#39;re going to use it, just make sure it&#39;s from a reputable company(some over seas companies sell it laced with mercury).

Sunscreen is a must as well.
[/b]
Exactly. This thread has come up so many times before and it&#39;s an apples and oranges thing. The OP wants to fade blemishes and/or acne marks which is totally different from trying to be lighter.
No one should feel they have to live with scars.

[GurlwithCurls]

For those of you who use shea butter or cocoa butter to even skin tone, how exactly are you using it? Are you applying it all over your face like a moisturizer, or just on the dark spots? Also what does tea tree oil do for the skin, and what is the best application? At 26 I still get acne and hyperpigmentation and I&#39;ve about had it. I&#39;m trying to simplify my routine and make it as natural as possible.

Thanks!

[vnatural]

For those of you who use shea butter or cocoa butter to even skin tone, how exactly are you using it? Are you applying it all over your face like a moisturizer, or just on the dark spots? Also what does tea tree oil do for the skin, and what is the best application? At 26 I still get acne and hyperpigmentation and I&#39;ve about had it. I&#39;m trying to simplify my routine and make it as natural as possible.

Thanks!
[/b]

I use shea butter all over my face, but you could use it however you want(you have to spot test on your arm to make sure you&#39;re not sensitive to unrefined shea butter). If your face is really oily, just use it on spots(aloe vera gel works pretty good too, Lily of the desert is what I use, clear 4 oz tube from the vitamin shoppe or wholefoods or where ever you find it).

Tea tree oil is used to combat acne, since it&#39;s a natural antiseptic. You could use the 100% one or one that&#39;s 80% and mixed with other oils( desert essence makes both, found at wholefoods or the vitaminshoppe). I found 2 oz of 100% tea tree oil(Herbal Harvest) at WALMART for 2 and change!
I have the tea tree blemish stick and refill bottles that I use on whiteheads when they flare up. Some people use it all over the face after washing. It smells very strong but is really good. You can even try the face wash that Desert Essence makes.

[vnatural]

Ooops, I mean I found it at Walmart for 4 and change.

[LuaBonita]

i used the escoterica(sp?) stuff for 3 months. it worked well; however i was doing some research on hydrocortisone. the consensus was that it promotes the thinning of your skin. i switched to aveeno&#39;s daily moisturizer with spf. the stuff is good but it really doesnt even out my skin tone as well as the other stuff did

any more commercial product recommendations? i dont have any shea butter left and the coconut butter that i have is mixed in with a lotion :/

eta: some ladies in this thread (http://www.nappturality.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=51124&hl=even%20tone&st=0) were raving about aloe vera gel. any of yall try it? the lily of the desert stuff is on sale for under $3 at the vitamin shoppe online. i may order some

[gtkid17]

For those of you that use shea butter, could you post the recipes that you use (with measurements if possible). If you use it alone, do you know of anything I can mix with it so that it doesn&#39;t smell so strongly?

Also, does anyone have any ideas of where I should use it in my routine? Currently I wash with Dove Cool Moisture, then I use witch hazel as an astringent, and then I use dove Deep Moisture moisturizer. Should I replace my moisturizer with it? not use the astringent? and if I sleep in it, should I wash it off in the morning and then do my regular routine for the morning? I know that&#39;s a lot of questions, but basically I just wanna know if you have any ideas for the best way to use this. What I&#39;m doing now has definitely cleared up my acne, right now i&#39;m trying to get rid of the marks it left behind.

Thanks! :wub:

[Scribetastic]

Good grief! I don&#39;t care what anyone says, if you&#39;re using a bleaching product to bleach dark acne spots or scars on your skin that is not even close to trying to lightening your natural skin tone. :rolleyes:

Anyway, with that madness out of the way, I agree with the person who said keep your routine simple. I wash usually with Noxzema or another product. I usually use a clay or peel off mask to get rid of oil and clogged pores. I&#39;ve been out of my teens for awhile, and I only tend to breakout right before my period or during times of stress.

I&#39;ve been using the Palmer&#39;s Skin Success Eventone Fade Cream brand fade cream for awhile. Yes, it has hydroquinone. I also use rose hip seed oil now (Aubrey Organics) because it simply prevents the scar or spotting in the first place.

Probably when I get home I&#39;ll try out the hydroquinone free products, but honestly a simple skin care routine with works for me and it keeps my skin tone pretty even.

[Kalia]

I have used Ambi for years for removing dark spots. I am going to look into some of these other products too.

I really would like to remove the bra srap marks I can&#39;t stand them :(

[freelocks]

I have a light mark on both of my cheeks as a result of acne. I am so self conscious about them that yesterday I went to the MAC counter and bought a concealer/powder. The makeup artist applied it to my face and it looked good but I felt weird because I am not accustomed to wearing makeup. Then about an hour later I noticed that my face was shining in certain spots. I have oily skin. Then my nose was itching and I didn&#39;t want to scratch it and get makeup on my finger. I normally wash my face with Clean and Clear products. That has worked out fine for me. Before that I was a Proactiv user. I also bought an Ambi Foaming cleanser and a tube that is made for blemishes. I just want the marks to go away!!!! I feel like when people are talking to me, they are just staring at them. A few weeks ago I loved my reflection and now I can&#39;t stand it.

[tianatamara]

I wouldn&#39;t use Fade creams for this, just use Cocoa Butter and vitamin E they are natural and work for everything!

[Afroamericandime]

I break out other places than my face and as I posted in another thread, although I didn&#39;t see this one, I was looking for a toner not a brightener Any suggestions?

[jannah]

I break out other places than my face and as I posted in another thread, although I didn&#39;t see this one, I was looking for a toner not a brightener Any suggestions?
[/b]


I would suggest using witch hazel as a toner after you wash your face and before you moisturize.

[naturalglo]

Have any of you tried products from the Clear Essence line? I&#39;m looking at their lemon and vitamin c products because I don&#39;t want to use hydroquinone. Thanks!