I don't know about y'all, but I personally don't know one person who doesn't want flawless skin. When it comes to me and my personal struggles with achieving this immense goal, my greatest challenges have been having large pores that can sometimes lead to breakouts that can result in acne scars. Well that and sometimes noticing that my parts of my inner thighs are about a good one shade darker than the rest of 'em. What gives?
While I have finally figured out some hacks that have helped my pores to appear smaller and also some hacks that have reduced the bacteria that causes pimples to occur in the first place, it wasn't until a few months ago that I came upon some all-natural remedies that helped to get my thighs all one tone again. If inner thigh discoloration is something that you battle with as well and you're ready to have thighs that look as smooth and even as butta, I think I might have some tips that can totally help you out.
How To Get Rid Of Dark Inner Thighs: Remedies
So, What Actually Causes Inner Thigh Discoloration in the First Place?
If you're someone who struggles with inner thigh discoloration, you might've wondered where it comes from. That's actually a really good question. Long story short, it's the result of when hyperpigmentation transpires; you know, when an area of your body produces more melanin than it actually needs.
When it comes to getting down to the root cause of why some of us have inner thigh discoloration, to be honest with you, there is no one answer. Some of us get it because, as the saying goes, "thick thighs save lives"; so, when we're walking, running and/or working out, chafing can occur. Others of us get it due to hormonal imbalances and/or the medications that we take to get our hormones back on track. If you're someone who's all about rockin' the tightest jeans possible, the constant friction from your pants could also be the culprit.
Then there's the reason that is probably to most underrated—dry skin. Yep, if you're not taking the time to thoroughly moisturize your thighs after bathing, this also could result in them looking two-toned (in comparison to the rest of your legs) or blotchy.
The good news is, knowing the root of what caused your inner thigh color issues, that can help to put you onto the path of restoring even-toned skin again.
What Are Some Effective At-Home Remedies to Try?
If you really stop to think about it, some simple lifestyle changes can actually help to get your inner thighs back to where you want them to be. Simple things like wearing looser clothing and consistently moisturizing that part of your body might be all that's required. But if you feel like your thighs could use a little bit of extra TLC, while you could go the OTC route and purchase a skin lightening cream, sometimes products that contain ingredients like niacinamide, lignin peroxidase and arbutin (even hydroquinone and retinoids that dermatologists will sometimes prescribe) can come with mild side effects or even result in allergic reactions. Plus, a lot of these lighteners aren't created with Black sistahs in mind. Because of that, those products can ultimately end up doing our skin more harm than good. So, that's why I think that, at least trying some natural remedies, is a smart way to try and get your inner thighs to looking the way that you want them to. And the really great news is you've got a few different DIY options to choose from.
Aloe Vera Gel.
Aloe vera contains properties that are effective at doing everything for your skin from deeply moisturizing it and reducing signs of aging to healing acne and speeding up the healing process of burns and wounds. If you apply 100 percent pure Aloe vera gel to your inner thighs, the proteolytic enzymes in it can help to heal damaged skin cells so that the skin that is the result of hyperpigmentation will become lighter after about 4-6 weeks.
Coconut Oil.
Coconut oil is dope because it has antibacterial, antifungal and antimicrobial properties in it (all of these help to kill bacteria and fungi that may occur on your skin). Coconut oil is also comprised of 80-90 percent saturated fat that can deeply moisturize your skin. And, since it has so many different fatty acids in it (including around 49 percent fatty acids), when you apply the oil to your inner thighs, the acids can also help to build healthy membranes to your skin while creating a protective barrier too. Just make sure that the coconut oil is virgin; the purer it is, the more effective it will be.
Plain Yogurt.
Off top, something that yogurt has lots of is lactic acid. It's an organic compound that, when applied to your skin, it is able to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Beyond that, plain yogurt is also great for your skin because it deeply moisturizes it. And, when you add a little bit of lemon (two tablespoons will provide potent exfoliating and lightening properties) to a one-third cup of it, the combination is great at treating hyperpigmentation. Apply the mixture to clean skin, let it sit for 15-20 minutes, then rinse with cool water (to close your pores). If you do this 1-2 times a week, you will notice a difference within 14 days or so.
Oatmeal Scrub.
If anything is considered to be a superfood for your skin, oatmeal would have to be it. It's for a myriad of reasons too. Since oatmeal is high in zinc, it can speed up the healing of pimples. Its chemical compounds saponins are able to unclog your pores. Other properties in oatmeal can help to balance out your skin's pH levels. And, when it comes to fading the discoloration around your inner thighs, the texture of raw oats is a wonderful exfoliant. If you make a scrub of one part oatmeal, one part yogurt and a teaspoon of honey (honey is a great moisturizer) and then apply it directly onto your thighs, while gently massaging that area, it can help to slough off dead skin cells while revealing healthier skin cells in the process.
Potato Rub.
I know, right? Who woulda thought that a white potato could be an ultimate skin healer? Oh, but it is! Potatoes contain a good amount of potassium, manganese, vitamins B6 and C—all of these are nutrients that our skin profoundly needs. But the reason why potatoes, specifically, are good at cultivating even-toned skin is because they also have the enzyme catecholase in them. This enzyme is known for gradually lightening skin over time. All you need to do is rub a slice of a raw potato on your inner thigh area for a couple of minutes. Allow the juice to sit for 15 minutes, then rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water. Do this twice a week for the most optimal results.
And How Do You Prevent Inner Thigh Discoloration from Coming Back?
You know what grandma used to say—an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. So now that you know some proven all-natural ways to get your inner thighs looking even, let's talk about some things that you can do to prevent them from looking discolored all over again.
First, always cleanse and exfoliate your inner thigh area. It's interesting, the parts of our body that don't typically get as much attention as they truly deserve. Three of those tend to be our legs, feet and inner thighs. Sure, the water tends to "catch them" when we're in the shower or taking a bath, but it's important that we actually rub them down with some soap. In fact, it's even smarter to do some dry brushing before washing up. If you do this to your inner thigh area specifically, it can help to remove any dead skin cell build-up that could also lead to discoloration, in that area, over time.
Second, if you notice that chafing occurs, not when only you're wearing tight pants, but actually after you've been working out, it could be because you're exercising in the wrong fabrics.
Clothing that is made out of nylon can help to reduce the friction that may be occurring in between your thighs (nylon biker shorts or stockings underneath your dresses can help to stop chafing too if your thighs happen to naturally rub together too).
And finally, sweat is something else that can irritate your inner thighs. If you're naturally prone to sweating, give your body (including your inner thighs) some relief at night by sleeping with no clothes on. That way, all of you will be able to breathe while the chances of your sweating as much as you usually do will decrease, significantly so.
If you do all three of these things, on a regular basis, you can very easily be on your way to having thighs with skin that looks as beautiful and sexy as you are. No joke.
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The pair often says they’re two sides of the same coin. Skylar is an Aquarius. She attended art school, paints, and loves poetry. She’s more than happy to let the couple’s management firm and agency, Kensington Grey, handle their admin work. And, she loves to sleep in. Temi, on the other hand, wakes up early. He’s a Virgo. He loves a to-do list and regularly checks in on the couple’s brand partnerships spreadsheet to make sure everything is on track.
Because his storytelling was steeped in his love of technology, he didn’t always think of himself as a creative person. “Where I [am] the dreamer who wants to pluck things out of the sky and spend all day with my head in the clouds, Temi [is] so good at grounding me and helping me figure out how to make things make sense on paper. We just work together in such a complimentary way,” Skylar says.
It’s been more than six years since Brooklyn-based couple Temi and Skylar started dating, and nearly four since they cemented their working relationship. On TikTok and Instagram, the couple’s travel, fashion, and home content regularly rack up hundreds of thousands of views. They’ve worked with brands such as Coach, Aesop, Away, and Liquid IV, bringing their vibrant perspectives to every campaign they execute. Still, nearly two years since both Temi and Skylar committed to full-time content creation and creative directing, the couple says their romantic connection remains their priority.
“We told each other we would much rather go back to full-time jobs and preserve our relationship than to be full-time freelancers, barely getting a night's rest [and] barely kissing each other because we're so busy shooting,” Skylar says.
Working from home can make it hard to separate work from personal life for any entrepreneur. It can be even more challenging when your business partner is also your lover. Temi and Skylar had already used couples therapy as a tool to help them effectively communicate with one another. When they ran into challenges while working together, their therapist helped them set physical boundaries to help combat the issues.
"We told each other we would much rather go back to full-time jobs and preserve our relationship than to be full-time freelancers, barely getting a night's rest [and] barely kissing each other because we're so busy shooting."
“It actually took us doing very specific physical things to create boundaries between work and play in our relationship,” Skylar says. “So, for instance, we will only have conversations about work when we're out of bed or we're at the table or in the office. Initially, when we started, we had to light a candle to say that, 'Okay, this is a space where we're connecting, we’re not talking about work.' We needed really hard boundaries at the top. And then it became a little bit more organic.”
The boundaries have been crucial to implement, especially because the couple began working together so naturally. When the pair first met, Skylar was NY-based a social strategist for BuzzFeed and was using content creation to drive business to her lingerie company. She was shooting her own content. Temi was working for Microsoft in D.C. He’d recently traded in his DJing equipment for a camera. “I've always loved taking pictures,” he says. “Even when I was a kid, my African mother would wake me up at 3:00 a.m. [during a] party, and be like, 'Come take the family picture.'”
Growing up, Temi says he watched his parents support each other and be the true definition of partners. He knew he wanted the same for his own relationship. But, the couple also wanted to make sure they were being financially responsible. The pair didn’t quit their traditional jobs until they’d saved up two years' worth of their cost of living. And, Temi received his Master of Business Administration from New York University with the knowledge that it could either help him advance in his corporate career or be applicable to his business with Skylar.
Temi and SkylarCj Hart @hartbreakToday, they say their working relationship is more of a “quiet dance.” They still implement some of the boundaries they learned in therapy, but they also lean into their natural strengths and deep love for one another. When we speak, Temi has planned a date for the couple to see Princess Mononoke in 4K IMAX and added it to their Notion so they can factor it into their busy schedules. “I fully plan to date for the rest of my life,” he says.
Skylar says the couple doesn’t just wait for date nights to check in with one another, though. This often happens in the mornings, after Temi has made her peppermint tea and poured himself a cup of coffee. When they ask each other how they slept, she says, it’s not just a “nicety.” It’s a genuine question meant to foster connection.
“A lot of it happens during the day in the midst of work. We'll stop and we'll hug. Or we’ll slow dance in the kitchen,” she says. “Sometimes it's hard to set a whole date night when you have 7,000 things going on. So, we must grasp these moments and check in when we can. And I think it's become so organic to us that I actually didn't even realize how often we do it. But all day long, we're like, 'Are you good? I felt like your energy shifted,' because we're best friends, we just know. We just feel it happen.”
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Featured image by Cj Hart @hartbreak