Are you looking for easy ways to lighten armpits and get them ready for summer? Learn about products and tips that will help you get smoother and lighter-looking armpits easily!
Whether you like it or not, summer is the season for bathing suits, tank tops and sleeveless dresses, and for better or worse, our armpits are often on full display. And for some of us, our armpits are firmly in the not camp.
Body odor, razor bumps and/or razor burn, dark armpits and sweating can make it difficult to flaunt your armpits with pride. And that’s why it’s so important to give your pits a little extra TLC to get them ready for summer!
But when it comes to lightening your dark armpits, homemade recipes that use honey as a cleanser are fine but those with lemon juice are not. This is because lemon juice can make your skin extra sensitive to the sun’s UV radiation, causing painful and/or unsightly burns and darkened patches of skin when exposed to the sun.
Here are 5 way better and safer tips to get your armpits lighter and to keep them fresh, bump-free, dry and hydrated, so they can shine during the dog days of summer.
How To Lighten Armpits & Get Them Ready for Summer
1. Lighten Armpits with Baking Soda
Dark armpits are really common thanks to frequent shaving, irritation from tight clothing, the use of hair removal cream, excessive sweating, alcohol-based deodorants or antiperspirants, and even dead skin cell accumulation. And although they’re unsightly and make you feel self-conscious, it doesn’t mean you have to be stuck with dark armpits.
Baking soda makes a great—and cheap—natural lightening agent. It helps reduce skin’s pigmentation by bleaching it mildly and lightening it. It also helps exfoliate dead skin cells that tend to make your pits appear darker.
To lighten armpits, mix 1/4 cup baking soda with enough water in a small bowl to make a thick paste. Apply it to your armpits and rub gently. Let it sit and dry completely (about 2 to 3 minutes), then rinse off with lukewarm water. Repeat this several times a week for desired results.
2. Exfoliate & Smooth with an Armpit Detox Scrub
Exfoliating regularly helps remove dead skin cells and dry skin. It also cleanses and detoxifies the armpits plus it stimulates the lymphatic system so pores get unclogged and toxins don’t build up in your armpits. This helps to naturally lighten armpits.
You can make a simple armpit scrub by combining two parts white granulated sugar and two parts coconut oil with one part clay in a small bowl. Apply onto wet, clean pits and gently scrub. Do this 2-3 times a week to exfoliate, lighten, soften, smooth and moisturize. Rinse off with lukewarm water.
Just be sure not to apply too much pressure when using the armpit scrub as it may make the situation worse. Hydrating oils such as coconut oil and moisturizing deodorants such as our Citrus Mint Natural Deodorant will help to maintain smooth and healthy armpits.
For complete directions on making an armpit detox scrub, click here: How to Make a DIY Armpit Detox Scrub.
3. Say Goodbye to Razor Bumps & Burn with Coconut Oil
If you’re especially prone to razor bumps and razor burn, coconut oil is your new BFF. Not only does it have excellent moisturizing power that will lighten armpits and skin effectively, it also contains vitamin E which prevents razor bumps, is known for its skin healing properties, and can help manage irritation.
Coconut oil also has lauric acid which makes it antimicrobial. It can get rid of acne and nasty razor bumps. Plus it eases inflammation caused by razor burn and other minor burns and replenishes sebum on your skin when it’s dry.
Apply coconut oil to your darkened armpits and massage in. Leave on for 10-15 minutes then wash off with lukewarm water and soap. Do this 2-3 times every day.
4. Use a Charcoal & Clay-Based Natural Deodorant to Keep Armpits Fresh & Dry
The only way to guarantee that your deodorant isn’t full of heavy metals, which are often hidden in conventional deodorant, is to use natural deodorant. Though some so-called “natural” deodorant may contain these yucky hidden chemicals so buyer beware.
You will, however, love our charcoal and clay-based natural deodorant. Coconut oil, African wild cucumber, and lemongrass essential oil are all naturally antibacterial, so you stay smelling fresh for hours! Shea butter and beeswax are super moisturizing and help soften razor bumps and irritation. And bentonite clay absorbs moisture for a little extra drying power. You’ll stay dry and free of body odor all day.
Plus as mentioned above, the coconut oil in this deodorant will help to lighten armpits. Win-win! 😉
For more information on where to buy charcoal and clay-based natural deodorant, click here: Citrus Mint Charcoal Deodorant. Since it’s oil-based, a little goes a long way. Apply a small amount to each underarm and let it sink in and dry before getting dressed.
5. Keep Body Odor Away with a Soothing Aloe-Infused After-Sun Care Spray
If all else fails and your armpits start smelling a little, uh, ripe, try this soothing aloe-infused after-sun care spray. Thanks to the African wild cucumber, it kills bacteria that call your skin home—you know, the ones that cause stinky B.O—without stripping your skin of its natural moisture. It also soothes sunburned skin, cools and refreshes, so spray generously on both armpits and your entire body and leave your worries behind! Let dry before getting dressed.
For more information on where to buy natural antibacterial body sprays with soothing aloe, click here: After-Sun Care Sprays.
How do you usually get ready for summer? Have you tried any of these tips to lighten armpits?
Let me know in the comments below!
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You might also be interested in: How to Detox Your Armpits + Benefits of an Armpit Detox
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