# Freckles!



## ninahxd (Jul 2, 2006)

hey specktra loves 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





Well, I'm having this huge problem with my freckles. Yes, I know most people say freckles are cute, but i think the opposite way 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'm a chinese girlie and to avoid getting more freckles and making the original darker and better, i use Banana Boat Faces Plus Sun Block in SPF 23. I use it everytime i go out to the park or shopping in the city. It dont seem to work much 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Then i asked my friend, cause she have no freckles at all and shes out in the sun more then i am ! She told me that Sunblock/Sunscreen give you freckles even though it blocks you from the sun! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Is that supppose to be true? And what is the difference between sunblock and sunscreen. Is there any other products that will help my freckles getting darker or bigger and even better ; GO AWAY? Thanks in advance!


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## venacava (Jul 20, 2006)

There are soooo many such products out there just for this purpose it would make your head spin! They come in form of makeup remover, cleanser, toner, tissue mask, serum and cream. I find the latter three to be the most effective. However, I must point out that most of such products are only available in asia. 

MASKS
- Clarins White Plus: intensive whitening mask
- Dior - Diorsnow Pure: visible whitening essence sheet mask
- SK II - sorry-I-can't-remember-the-name  
- Clinque: dorma white
- Lancome: blanc expert neuro white

SERUM
- Biotherm: white detox C+ extra UV whitening essence 
- Clarins: white plus total whitening essence 
- Decleor: aroma white
- Vecua: clear essence
- Avon: whitness gene uv

CREAM/LOTION
- Chanel: blanc essentie
- Estee Lauder: cyber white
- Aveda: natural white moisturizer
- Givenchy: blanc parfait coffret
- Kiehl's: white brightening botanical moisture fluid

Of course, even with the help of whitening products it does not mean you should skip out on sunscreen.


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## jessiekins1 (Jul 20, 2006)

oh dear god! don't use skin lighteners! they are horribly over used products.

what you need is a sunblock that contains zinc oxide or any other kind of physical block. a chemical block(like most blocks on the market) provide protection but absorb the sun's rays making your freckles develop. a physical block is an actual layer of micronized zinc oxide or porcelain(or whatever) that reflects the sun's rays. in either case, reappling is the key as well as staying out of the sun.


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## Shimmer (Jul 20, 2006)

I think the point of the lighteners is to remove the freckles.


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## jessiekins1 (Jul 20, 2006)

the chances of her just lightening the freckles is slim to nil. it'll lighten everything.


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## Shimmer (Jul 20, 2006)

indeed.


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## venacava (Jul 21, 2006)

I know there are many misconceptions regarding lightening products. While I cannot speak for most of the products on the market, as I’ve not tried them all, however most of the ingredients from which the paling effect derives are predominantly botanical based whitening agents. A number of such components were even commonly found in traditional Asian skin care regiments. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




To name a few common ingredients:
morus bombycis root extract
hydrolysed rice bran extract
glycyrrhiza glabra extract (licorice)
paeonia albiflora root extract (peony)
carmellia sinenses (tea)
malpighia emarginata acerola fruit extract (also know as Indian cherry)
lilium candidum bulb (daffodil)
citrus peel extract
rosa multiflora fruit extract (rose hip from wild roses)
helianthus annus seed extract  (sunflower)
vitis vinifera fruit and seed extract (grape)
angelica acutiloba root extract
vaccinim angustifolium fruit extract (bilberry)
carica papaya fruit extract
ginkgo bilobaleaf extract (ginkgo)
morus nigra root extract (mulberry)
chamomileet (chamomile)
coixlacryma-jobi (job’s tears)
hamamelis viginiana extract (witch hazel)

Common non-botanic ingredients: 
ascorbic acid (vitamin C)
panthenol (vitamin B5)
niacinamide (vitamin B3)
pitera (saccharomycopsis ferment flltrats) - found in SKII
arbutin (substance found in fermented rice that retards the production of melanin pigments by inhibiting tyrpsinase activity)

As Jessie pointed, whitening products will lighten everything, however from personal experience it will also help fade freckles and also prevent new ones forming. But it will require months of faithful and regular application of see visible result. In addition, steps must also be taken to prevent further harm to the skin. What these products cannot do is lighten moles that resulted from longer-term sun damage which is so common among north-eastern Asian women. The only thing you can do in such instances, which I don’t recommend, is to seek more drastic cosmetic treatments such as laser resurfacing, peels or blue light therapy. 

But I digress.  

If you prefer not to employ commercial whitening agents, there are plenty of other home-made mask that can achieve the same result though it will take much longer. If you’re interested, please let me know. I have a few trusty recipes that I use when I can’t get my hands on commercial products.


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## Rockell (Jul 26, 2006)

Instead of lightening products, I would recommend a higher SPF than you're currently using (at least SPF30) preferably from a physical block, like zinc oxide. A chemical exfoliant like AHA or glycolic acid could help the freckles fade more quickly, but sunscreen is your best bet because it will prevent them from getting darker/more numerous. Believe me, as a redhead I have more than my fair share of unwanted freckles as well!


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## celesphine (Jul 29, 2006)

Sunscreen - chemical protection against UV rays - and sunblock - physical protection against UV rays - are very important in keeping the numbers of freckles down.
Chemical peels have been mentioned in the past, to get rid of the surface skin and start anew. But really, unless you are like Michael Jackson, make up is the next option.


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