How do you get skin to become lighter or paler?

I would think using a heavy duty SPF might help, as well avoiding the sun in general. I’m so dark I’m screwed. But I wouldn’t try the lightening agents. I don’t know how they work. And don’t sweat the looks so much Lady. You are very beautiful.

@Adirondackwannabe Thank you, sweet of you to say. This question isn’t for me though it’s for a friend that’s why I wanted to ask. She has a light olive skin tone. I don’t really trust bleaches either… Not that I know anything about them, but harsh chemicals put me off.

@partyrock Sorry, made an assumption. I love light olive skin. It’s also giving her a little protection from the sun. I love being dark. have her PM me?

Avoid the sun. There’s really no other way.

Genes and avoid the sun.

Exfoliating and using SPF. I have developed melasma – brown botches on my face – and I’ve tried some lightening agents, but I don’t trust the chemicals. Unfortunately, almost every SPF lotion, foundation, and cream clogs my pores (even though they say they won’t). I’ve just started using an SPF 30 powder by Jane Iredale cosmetics that seems OK. I haven’t worn it consistently enough to know for sure if it will clog my pores yet.

Staying out of the sun all the time really will make a difference, no matter how dark your skin is.

But I’m not sure it’s healthy.

I had not heard of Dita Von Teese until you mentioned her. After careful study of her pictures I’m going with – Photoshop.

Avoid the sun. I find Coppertone suntan lotion to always be very good at sun protection. If I use 15 and up I get nothing, no tan. I burn in 25 minutes without sunscreen, and I can be out for hours with Coppertone on and still be white/pale at the end of the day. The whitest I have ever been was when I lived in FL, because I always protected my skin all year long. By the way Lancome face lotions for some reason seem to not block the sun well. I don’t get it, because I think that sort of thing is regulated, but at least one of their daily lotions (not their actual sunscreen) doesn’t protect me well. Also, clothing will protect you from the sun, so long sleeves and a large rimmed hat to shade your face.

I assume you have “tan lines.” You can see on your own body how white you will be where sun doesn’t shine. Unless you tan naked, then it would not be accurate, especially if you naturally have darker skin. My husband’s body holds onto sun for months more than mine. If we both went into a tanning bed he would come out much much darker in the same amount of time and stay tan for many many months. I would not get as tan to begin with and hold the color for a few weeks. Yet, if he doesn’t go in the sun he is rather fair.

Warning: blocking your skin from the sun either with SPF or clothing will most likely leave you vitamin D dificient. Be sure to have a blood test done to check it.

I think if your friend has olive skin, it is never going to look like a naturally pale, pinkish skin tone.

Oh, I missed the OP’s post on the thread. Yeah, olive skin will never be pinkish pale, but it can lighten up significantly without sun. Problem is one little cheat of sun exposure can set her back fast from the pursuit of pale skin. My husband is olive skin, I described what happens to him in the sun above. His sister, who is naturally darker than my husband used some bleaching creams for a while to remove some dark marks on her face and her dermatologist told her the problem with darker skin is it likes to hold onto to pigment. It is much more difficult for an olive skinned person to fade unwanted dark marks than a typical very pale northern European type skin. Even the fading creams are only working towards fading extraordinarily dark spots and marks, not fade overall skin tone to a different shade.

My answer still stands about her color of skin where the sun doesn’t shine. That is her lightest and whitest color most likely with her genes.

Why? Do you want that porcelain look? I have it and I always look like death warmed up. Enjoy a normal skin tone if you have it!

Stick your face in a cream pie? That’s all I got.

I have also got light olive skin and I tan very easily. However, if I stay out of the sun for long enough my skin lightens up quite a lot, although it will never be the same sort of shade as Dita Von Teese (who I suspect uses makeup to get that look anyway). Olive skin rocks, why does your friend want to change it?

Egg whites and lemon juice. I’m very pale.

Supposedly the Egyptians would bathe the wealthy in milk, too, I’m not going that far…lol