31 Home Remedies for Black Spots on the Face

by Staff Writers · Published June 28, 2018 · Updated July 1, 2021

If you’re self-conscious about your uneven complexion, you’re not alone. Black spots on the face, also known as hyperpigmentation, have a number of causes. They can be the result of excessive sun exposure, changes in the hormones, vitamin deficiencies, stress, or acne scars.

The good news is, you don’t have to live with these for the rest of your life, and you don’t have to opt for potentially dangerous and expensive medical treatments like laser treatment or chemical peels. There are plenty of safe, all-natural home remedies you can use to smooth your complexion and get rid of the black spots on your face. So hop into the kitchen, and get to it!

Home Remedies for Black Spots

Limit Sun Exposure

Prevention is the best cure! Prevent getting more black spots by limiting sun exposure from 10 AM to 2 PM, when the sun is the strongest, and always wearing a UV-blocking sunscreen. You can even throw on a hat for extra protection.

Wearing a sunhat can also protect you from the sun’s rays

Potatoes

The natural bleaching properties of the potato help fade spots and scars; its starch reduces pigmentation and its enzymes promote healthy skin. This vegetable is a triple whammy! Simply slice up a potato and place one slice on each black spot. Leave on for just a few minutes, and then wash your face with warm water.

Alternatively, make a potato face mask. Instead of applying potato slices, you can make a potato face mask. Peel and grate your potato and mix it with one teaspoon of honey. Honey acts as an exfoliator, removing dead pigmented skin cells while facilitating the growth of new skin cells as well. Apply the mask to your face, leaving it on for fifteen minutes, and then rinse with lukewarm water.

Honey and Tomato

Mix honey and tomato juice. Remove black spots and keep skin wrinkle-free with this great combination. All you need is one tablespoon of honey and two tablespoons of tomato juice! Mix together into a paste and swab onto black spots with a cotton ball. Leave on the skin until it dries, and repeat twice per day.

Orange Peel

Utilize the orange peel. Like other citruses, oranges contain vitamin C and calcium, which fight free radicals and rejuvenate new skin cells. The peel, in particular, draws out toxins and impurities, then acts as a bleach to clear away black spots and restore a healthy glow to the skin.

Mix together powdered orange peel and yogurt, then apply the paste to black spots and leave on for twenty-five minutes. Repeat daily.

Alternatively, rub orange peel, honey, and milk. Milk’s lactic acid and orange peel’s citric acid bleach the skin while honey moisturizes and softens. Create a paste of two tablespoons of powdered orange peel, two tablespoons of milk, and one tablespoon of honey. Apply to the affected areas and leave on until it dries completely. Repeat daily!

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an antioxidant that targets free radicals causing aging and discoloration in the skin. That’s why it’s such a popular ingredient in many skin care products! Simply apply a few drops of store-bought vitamin E oil on your black spots and rub it in with clean fingers. Repeat each day before bed for best results. It’s best to apply it before bed because the oil is thick and could make your face look oily throughout the day.

Alternatively, eat Vitamin E rich foods. Another great way to get the healing benefits of vitamin E is to incorporate vitamin E rich foods into your diet. This includes almonds, wheat germ, peanuts, dried apricots, and sunflower seeds.

Lemon Juice and Sugar

Use lemon juice and sugar. The acidity and vitamin C in lemon juice work as a natural bleach to help black spots fade over time. Mix together lemon juice and a little sugar, then apply to the black spots using a Q-tip. Leave on for a few minutes to allow the mixture to soak into your skin. This isn’t a fast acting method: repeat every day for a few months and you’ll begin to see a big difference over time. Make sure you don’t use lemon juice on any open sores or cuts on your skin and limit sun exposure after using the juice as your skin may be more sensitive.

Fresh-squeezed lemon juice will work the best for this home remedy

Lemon and Potato Juice

Mix lemon juice and potato juice. A great combination of the methods above is a mixture of lemon juice and potato juice. Extract juice from one potato and mix with a little lemon juice and a pinch of turmeric. Apply the mixture to each black spot with a Q-tip or cotton ball, let dry, and then rinse with warm water.

Buttermilk

Rub buttermilk on your face. Buttermilk is rich in lactic acid and alpha hydroxy acid, which soften and brighten the skin. Mix together a little buttermilk, sour milk, and lemon juice to create a face wash. You can wash your face with the mixture, or simply use a Q-tip to swab the mixture onto specific areas of black spots.

You can also mix together buttermilk and tomato juice. Tomato juice also has excellent bleaching properties. When combined with buttermilk, it makes a powerful solution! Mix together four teaspoons of buttermilk, two teaspoons of fresh tomato juice, and apply to your black spots. Wash off after fifteen minutes.

Tomato and Lemon Juice

Apply tomato juice and lemon juice. Tomatoes: they’re not just for ketchup! Tomatoes contain vitamins A, B, and C which boost collagen production, reduce black spots, maintain skin elasticity, and fight free radicals. The bleaching properties of lemon juice combine with tomato juice to create a powerful dark spot eliminator. Mix together two tablespoons of tomato juice and one tablespoon of lemon juice, and apply to black spots. After the mixture dries on your skin, wash off with water. Repeat daily.

Tomato and Sugar

Scrub with tomato and sugar. Another way to use tomato is to combine it with sugar! Sugar exfoliates and removes black spots while tomato bleaches. Simply pour one tablespoon of sugar onto a plate and dip one slice of a tomato into the sugar until one side is covered. With the sugar covered side, scrub the black spots on your face in a circular motion for ten minutes. Leave the mixture on for another ten minutes, then wash with water.

Strawberries

Make a strawberry face mask. The salicylic acid in strawberries removes dead skin cells, and the ellagic acids bleach black spots and clear skin. Blend together four to five strawberries and one tablespoon of honey in a blender to make a thick paste. Apply the mask all over your face and leave on for forty minutes. Repeat every other day!

You can also make a strawberry and apple cider vinegar face mask. This is a gentler, natural version of a chemical peel. Mash three to five strawberries with a fork and add one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Apply the paste all over your face. Leave it on for twenty minutes, and repeat twice per week.

strawberries, fruit, berries, fiber, acne

Dark red (slightly over-ripe) strawberries will be the easiest to mash

Papaya

Rub papaya peel on your face. Eating fruit is great for the skin as well, so cut open a papaya and enjoy! When you’re done, take the peel and rub it all over your face. The enzymes, particularly papain, in this fruit help to even out skin tone and fade black spots. And, you got a delicious snack! That’s what we call a win, win.

Alternatively, mix papaya with lime juice. Another way to use papaya is to grate green papaya and add lime juice to create a paste. Apply the mixture to black spots and leave it on for fifteen minutes. Repeat twice per week!

There’s another way to use papaya! Mix the mashed pulp of half a papaya with two tablespoons of oatmeal and one teaspoon of coconut oil to make a thick paste. Apply as a face mask and leave on for up to thirty minutes. You can repeat three times per week.

Calamine Lotion

Apply calamine lotion. It’s not just for bug bites, folks. Calamine lotion contains kaolin, which reduces black spots and helps even out skin tone. Apply to your black spots with a cotton ball before bed. Leave on overnight and wash off in the morning. Repeat daily!

Chickpeas

Use chickpeas. Aside from reducing black spots, chickpeas also remove the dead cells and dirt from your skin! Boil chickpeas until soft and tender. Then mash them into a paste and rub onto your face. You can do this every day until black spots are no longer visible.

Castor Oil

Castor oil comes from the tropical castor plant, Ricinus communis, known for its ability to cleanse and detoxify. It contains omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E that increase blood circulation and aid the growth of new skin cells, not only removing black spots but preventing from returning. Simply apply castor oil to the black spots on your skin and the spots will fade over time.

Apply castor oil and coconut oil. Reap the benefits of powerful coconut oil, too! Combine ten drops of castor oil and ten drops of coconut oil. Use a cotton ball to swab the mixture onto your black spots, then wash off with warm water. Repeat every night before going to sleep!

Pineapple

Dab pineapple juice onto the skin. Pineapple juice contains bromelain enzymes which help in acne treatment and the healing of skin problems. Its vitamin A reduces the risk of inflammation and vitamin C heals sensitive and inflamed areas. Simply swab freshly squeezed pineapple juice onto your black spots with a Q-tip or cotton ball.

Alternatively, apply a pineapple juice paste. For an even more powerful mixture, mix two tablespoons of freshly squeezed pineapple juice with two tablespoons of yogurt. The lactic acid in the yogurt will help make your skin tone even and free of black spots! Apply the paste on the black spots and leave on for twenty minutes. Repeat three times per week.

Fresh pineapple will work the best for this home remedy

Parsley

Make a parsley paste. Bonus: in addition to reducing black spots, parsley also reduces acne outbreaks and heals blemishes! First, grind your parsley. Then, create a paste of parsley, turmeric, and lime juice. Rub onto your skin with a brush or with your fingers, and let sit for ten to fifteen minutes.

Onion Juice

Apply onion juice. The combination of sulfur, B-complex, vitamins A, C, and E make this veggie a powerful skin tool. They rejuvenate a dull complexion and improve blood circulation thanks to the combination of vitamins and the powerful plant pigment quercetin. Make onion juice by chopping onions and squeezing them in a cloth. Dip a cotton ball into the fresh onion juice and swab it onto the affected area.

You can also combine one tablespoon of onion juice with two tablespoons of honey for an even greater effect! Want to skip the juice altogether? Go straight for the raw onions and rub them directly on the black spots.

Alternatively, try using onion juice and garlic juice. We know- it’s a smelly combination! But it will fight black spots and discoloration, we promise. Combine juice from half an onion and three cloves of garlic, then use a cotton ball to apply to black spots. Leave on until they dry completely, then wash with water.

Sugar Cubes

The glycolic acid in sugar cubes removes dark spot naturally and even exfoliates blemished. Simply rub sugar cubes on your black spots and watch them disappear!

Oatmeal

Apply oatmeal paste. The saponins in oats work as a natural cleanser. An oatmeal mask works to remove dead skin and black spots, fight sunburn, and soften and rejuvenate skin. Simply grind half a cup of rolled oats in a blender or food processor and add three to four tablespoons of lemon juice to create a paste. Rub the paste onto your skin and allow it to dry! Then use a clean cloth soaked in warm water to remove the mask. You can repeat up to twice a week.

Almond

Make an almond face mask. Almonds are great for lightening and brightening your skin while reducing black spots due to the high quantity of vitamin E, antioxidants, and healthy fats they contain. Take advantage of their skin-healing properties by making an almond face mask! Soak eight to ten almonds in milk overnight and in the morning, peel and grind the almonds. Add one teaspoon of sandalwood powder and a half teaspoon of honey to create a fine paste. Apply to your skin and leave on for about thirty minutes. Repeat once or twice a week!

Massage skin with almond oil. Another way to get the lightening and brightening benefits of almonds is to massage your face with almond oil. This will even your complexion, fade black spots, fade scars, and reduce sun damage! Massage gently up to twice a day.

It is best to use steel cut or old fashioned oats, rather than instant oatmeal

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apply apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is famous for its many health benefits. In particular, it contains alpha hydroxy acids that remove dead skin and reveal healthy, new skin. A powerful concoction of onion juice and apple cider vinegar juice will heal your black spots in no time! Chop up onions, place them in a cloth, and squeeze them hard until all of the juice comes out. Mix together the juice with apple cider vinegar and swab onto affected areas with a cotton ball.

You can also mix together apple cider vinegar and honey. Combine one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, one teaspoon of water, and one teaspoon of honey. Use a cotton ball to apply the mixture to your black spots and leave on for fifteen minutes. Repeat daily!

Dab with apple cider vinegar and orange juice. Apple cider vinegar and the citrus of orange juice is another powerful combination! Mix together one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and two tablespoons of orange juice. Use a Q-tip or a cotton ball and apply the mixture to your black spots. Leave on until it dries, repeating once every other day until black spots disappear!

Turmeric

Use turmeric paste. Turmeric gets rid of black spots and lightens the skin by repairing free radical damage, reducing skin pigmentation and discoloration, and removing sun spots and age spots. Simply mix together two teaspoons of turmeric, a little milk, and a little lemon juice to make a thick paste. Apply to the affected areas and wash off after a few minutes.

Apply a turmeric, yogurt, and olive oil paste. The curcumin, a powerful antioxidant, it contains helps fight free radicals and remove black spots. Mix together turmeric, yogurt, and olive oil to combine three powerful dark spot-fighting ingredients. Turmeric and yogurt fight black spots while olive oil softens and moisturizes. Simply massage a paste of a half teaspoon of turmeric, one and a half tablespoons of yogurt, and one teaspoon of olive oil into the dark spot areas. Leave on for twenty minutes. Repeat up to three times per week!

Sandalwood

Apply sandalwood. The natural oils in sandalwood clear black spots naturally and add a healthy glow to your skin. Make a sandalwood paste by mixing together one tablespoon of sandalwood powder, one tablespoon of glycerin, and three tablespoons of rose water or, if rose water isn’t available, milk or honey. Apply the paste to your black spots with a cotton ball and after a few minutes, wash it off with lukewarm water. Repeat once a day until your black spots disappear!

Another powerful way to use sandalwood is with orange juice and vitamin E oil. Combine two tablespoons of sandalwood powder, three tablespoons of orange juice, and four to five drops of vitamin E oil into a thick paste. Apply the paste to the affected areas and leave it on for thirty minutes. Repeat every other day!

Cucumber

Make a cucumber face mask. Cucumber’s high water content makes it a great moisturizer. It also contains cucurbitacins, cucumerin, and vitamins A, B5, C, E, and K that fight discoloration, including dark circles and acne scars. Blend together one cucumber, a half teaspoon of aloe vera gel, and one tablespoon of lemon juice into a paste. Apply the mask on your face and leave on for thirty minutes. Repeat daily.

Apply cucumber and yogurt. Blend together one cucumber and two tablespoons of yogurt into a thick paste. Apply it to your face, leaving it on for forty minutes before washing off with water. Repeat daily!

Yogurt

Make yogurt paste. Like milk and buttermilk, the lactic acid in yogurt peels away your black spots, allowing for new cell production. Combine the yogurt with antibacterial mint and age-prevention rose water to make a powerful concoction. Blend together two tablespoons of yogurt, one tablespoon of mint, and one tablespoon of rose water in a blender. Apply the paste on your black spots and leave on for forty minutes. Repeat daily.

Mint leaves

Lime Juice

Use lime juice. Citrus fruits, such as lime, have many skin-benefiting properties. Mix together lime juice and yogurt thoroughly and use it as a face mask. Leave it on for thirty minutes, then rinse.

Aloe Vera Gel

Apply aloe vera gel. We all know aloe vera is magic! The polysaccharides in its gel stimulate the growth of new skin cells to reduce black spots. Place the gel directly on the affected areas of the face each day for fifteen to twenty minutes over the period of about a month to get long-term, sustainable results.

Horseradish

Use horseradish paste. Horseradish contains vitamin C, vitamin A, B-complex vitamins, zinc, potassium, magnesium, and calcium. The combination of these clears away dead skin cells and rejuvenates skin cell production to get rid of black spots. Blend together horseradish and water in a blender and apply the paste on your black spots. Leave on for twenty minutes, and repeat daily.

Apply horseradish, apple cider vinegar, and honey for an amazing combination. Horseradish reduces black spots while apple cider vinegar exfoliates and honey heals and restores. In a blender, combine one horseradish, one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, and one teaspoon of honey. Apply the paste to your face. Leave on for thirty minutes, and repeat three times per week.

Rosehip Oil

Apply rosehip oil. Rosehip is known as an anti-aging oil, and it also rejuvenates skin due to its vitamin A content. But the vitamin C is what helps to remove black spots! Simply swab onto black spots with a Q-tip or cotton ball and repeat twice per day for at least two months.

Watermelon

Rub watermelon rind on the face. Watermelon contains rich sources of moisture, fiber, and vitamins A, B, and C which reduce black spots on the face. Simply rub the inner side of a piece of watermelon rind on the black spots of your face for a few minutes. Then leave it on for a few more minutes, and repeat two to three times per week.