Additional Ingredients That Complete the Cream
The complete brightening cream recipe adds a few more kitchen staples that each contribute specific benefits to the finished product:
- Cornstarch: Acts as a natural skin tightener and helps give the cream a smooth, spreadable texture. It also helps lighten dark areas and contributes to a firmer, more toned appearance when used regularly
- Lemon juice: A powerful natural brightening agent rich in vitamin C and citric acid. It helps remove tan lines, fade age spots, and even out skin tone. Orange juice can be used as a gentler substitute for those with sensitive skin, as lemon can be quite acidic
- Powdered milk: Contains lactic acid, a gentle alpha hydroxy acid that naturally exfoliates dead skin cells, smooths texture, and improves the appearance of hyperpigmentation, dark spots, and melasma. It is one of the most effective natural skin brighteners available
- Rice or rice water: A staple of Japanese skincare traditions, rice has been used for centuries to brighten, smooth, and purify the skin. It contains inositol, a carbohydrate that promotes cell growth and boosts blood flow to keep skin looking radiant and youthful
What You Will Need
- 1 small potato
- 1 ripe banana peel (use the peel from a yellow banana with minimal brown spots — this is when nutrient content is at its highest)
- 1 tablespoon rice
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (or orange juice as a gentler alternative)
- 1 teaspoon powdered milk
