Lightening dark lips, Dark skin on upper lip, Remedy for dark lips using natural lip scrub, lemon juice, milk and almond oil

Although caffeinated beverages like tea and coffee cause lip staining, the main culprit in your case is nicotine. Since you have quit smoking, your lips will soon return to their natural colour. In the mean time, to reduce the unsightly black stains, try to exfoliate your lips at least twice a week.


If you have sensitive skin, you can exfoliate your lips just once a week. Use a toothbrush meant for children as the bristles are soft and will not damage your skin. Before you go to bed, apply a little Vaseline on your lips and gently brush your lips for about 30 seconds.


Reapply the Vaseline making sure that you really lay it on thick. In the morning, use the toothbrush to scrub your lips (gently) once again. You will notice quite a bit of skin coming off, but there is no need to be alarmed, as this is just dead skin getting sloughed off. This will help to reduce the discolouration and promote the growth of new skin cells. Apply a lip balm or a tiny amount of Vaseline to protect your lips and keep them moisturised.

You can also use a natural lip scrub every day. Mix a few drops of lemon juice, milk and almond oil and add a little sugar to it. Make sure that you are very gentle when scrubbing your lips as the lemon juice can cause a stinging sensation if you rub your lips raw. Lemon juice has natural bleaching properties and so it will help to reduce the discolouration. Milk and almond oil will help to remove the uppermost layer of dead skin cells as well as nourish your lips. You can then use a little fresh cream to moisturise and soothe your lips. When you go out, use a lip balm with an SPF of 15.