Skin Brightening & Skin Lightening- What’s the Difference?

Most beauty brands are fans of these buzzwords- “skin brightening”, “skin lightening”, “radiance boosting”, “luminous”...and so much more! These buzzwords are found in skincare ads, labels, and even their reviews. Of course, applying that skin brightening night cream will not just lighten up the room like your toddler’s night light, but you know what a brightening cream does to the face! And, if you don’t, you are not alone! Today we are dedicating the day to learn about brightening and lightening skincare. What is skin brightening? What is skin lightening? What is the difference between the two and how to achieve it ? Buckle up the seatbelts for a ride through the quick crash course in skin brightening and skin lightening.⚡️

What is Skin Brightening?

Skin Brightening is a marketing term that means a lot of things depending upon the formulation of the product or how it is used by the company to convey a message. Some use it to mean that the skincare shall help in managing skin discoloration caused due to the adverse effects of the Sun and the pollution; and keep the skin youthful, glowing and healthy with an even tone appearance. In technical terms, brightening means to increase the radiance or the luminosity of the skin. If your skin looks a little dull, you will want it to look vibrant and radiant. In truth, if our skin is given ingredients to hydrate, eliminate the dead skin cells layer, to fight the sun and pollutants as well as maintain the protective barrier, then your face shall look brighter, healthy, and youthful.

What is Skin Lightening?

Skin Lightening skin care products work on the skin pigment- melanin. It reduces the melanin in the skin to give a lighter shade to the skin. Also referred to as skin whitening or skin bleaching in some countries, the ingredients in such products aim to inhibit the production of melanin and thus bring lighter skin tone. While these creams are good for use when followed by the directions, the skin brightening and skin lightening can be a little tricky because of the chemical agents working on the skin pigment.

Difference between skin brightening & Skin Lightening?

The main difference lies in the “Messaging”- what the company wants to convey about its product! Neither of the claims are regulated. Therefore, if you want to figure out what work the product does, you shall take a look at the ingredients. Whether they have exfoliators like AHA, and enzymes to remove the dead skin cells, work on the cell surface, brighten the skin, and help in cellular turnover. And, the ingredients like kojic acid, niacinamide and hydroquinone work on the cellular level to play with the melanin production- improve the skin texture and tone, boost cellular turnover, and also lighten up the skin tone in the process. But, also, this is not a hard and fast rule! Even sunscreen works on the cellular level that helps in protecting the skin from UV damage as these rays trigger the abnormal melanin production in the skin. Thus, the skin can end up looking older with abnormal and uneven skin tone. Lastly. The anti-pigmentation products interfere with the melanin production too. They either inhibit the production of melanin, or stop the transfer of melanin to the skin, or even reduce the amount of melanin in the skin.

Tips to Lighten & Brighten your Skin

Looking to lighten and brighten your skin? Why depend only on the Skincare products for it? Bring a little lifestyle change and you shall have glowing and radiant skin all throughout the year.

Get Enough Sleep

Your skin works the most to revive the skin cells during nighttime, so have a good night sleep. Give your skin some rest from the never-ending battles with the environment and rejuvenate itself while you are sound asleep.

Drink Enough Water

Water is a magic potion for a healthy skin. So, never skip on water. When you are dehydrated from within, your skin will say all of it, exhibiting aging signs, and other discomforts. Therefore, drink enough water and binge on water-loaded fruits to keep yourself healthy inside and outside.

Wear Sunscreen everyday

Sunscreen is one skincare product that you cannot skip. They help in retaining the skin’s health that deteriorates with the exposure to UV rays and the environmental pollution. Also, do not forget that your screens emit blue light rays too that enter the deeper skin layers and damage your skin.

Moisturise your skin

Keeping your skin well moisturized and nourished with the right skincare is the most necessary step. It will deliver all the necessary nutrients and keep the moisture in the skin intact boosting the skin brightening effects.

Exfoliate your skin

Exfoliation of the skin is another important step to be included in the skincare routine. Scrub away those impurities and the dead skin cells for the new and healthy cells. Prefer exfoliators of natural ingredients and free of chemical nature.

Use Face Mask

A face mask is more than just tackling the skin issues. It is an extra dose of pamper to the skin to keep it radiant and glowing for a long period of time. An overnight face mask boosts the skin hydration, moisturization and feeds the skin with the necessary nutrients to stay healthy and youthful.

The Final Thoughts

Said earlier and saying it again- protecting from the sun can prevent oodles of skincare woes. And, ladies remember to be patient while dealing with those stubborn dark spots. Consistency is the key to long-lasting beauty. Yes, it can be difficult to notice the changes on the face as you see your face every day! So, you can have “before” and “after” pictures to compare after adopting the skincare routine for a good number of days. Have you ever tried skin-brightening or skin-lightening products? How was your experience with them? Share in the comments below!