The best facial moisturizer I have ever used and still use is the aloe vera plant. I’ll cut off a leaf and store it in the refrigerator. Every morning and evening, I cut a piece off and slice the leaf open to make it easier to spread the gel over my washed face. After it dries, I rinse it off and my face feels soft and my skin looks brighter. It feels like I have new skin.
Aloe vera also helps to lighten dark spots. “A compound called aloesin, found in the aloe vera plant, could help to fade dark spots,” Dr. Frieling says. “According to one study, when applied four times per day for 15 days, aloesin was found to be effective in treating UV-induced and post-acne hyperpigmentation. According to wellandgood.com
https://www.wellandgood.com/aloe-vera-benefits-for-skin/
healthline.com is another resource on aloe vera.
https://www.healthline.com/health/skin/aloe-vera-for-dark-spots
I had a lot dark spots on my arms, so I used the aloe vera on my arms but I didn’t rinse it off. I also used a sunscreen when I went out and wore a light cover-up top. All of my dark spots on my arms are gone, but it did take several months. However, living in a sun-drenched climate like Hawaii, makes it difficult to keep my skin free of dark spots. I had to get used a regime of using sunscreen, a hat and long sleeve cover-ups.
The following is just an overview of how my skin got damaged, should you be interested to read it. If not, you can skip to the last paragraph.
Having sensitive skin wasn’t something I was born with but rather something I developed over time. I wasn’t allowed to wear make-up in high school. Mom always said it would ruin my skin over time. Mom had beautiful skin all her life and rarely used make-up and followed a regimen of facial care of cleansing and moisturizing. Even at 92, Mom’s skin was soft and smooth and she always received compliments of her beautiful complexion.
Growing up in Hawaii during the 60’s and 70’s was the greatest time of my life. I remember playing in the ocean from morning to evening, with just a short break to eat a hot dog, wait 30 minutes and then back in the water. Sunburns weren’t so bad and they even gave a healthy glow to my complexion. The sun didn’t burn harshly back then and after my skin acclimated to the sun, I didn’t bother to use any sunscreen. And, I didn’t need make-up.
However, in time, my bad habits of skin care set me up for a lot of skin damage. I never liked the suntan lotions or the sunscreens. It irritated my skin. Just a bit of advice here: Never buy into any advertisement, no matter how good it sounds. They can stage anything to look great. Experience it for yourself, but be cautious in how much you use and how you use it. Currently, there are plenty of data online regarding the safety of sunscreens, both to us and to the environment. Most importantly, most are not organic. I found some great recipes for making your own sunscreen and have been using that for the past several years now. Go to: https://organicallyright.com/aloe-vera-spray-sunscreen/ and https://organicallyright.com/homemade-beeswax-sunscreen/