Home Remedies for Pink Lips

Introduction

Our lips appear pink because they have thin skin and more blood vessels which are seen through the skin. Lips also have lesser melanin (natural skin pigment) due to which they have a natural pink colour. Pink lips are aesthetically pleasing and considered a sign of beauty; thus, everybody wants their lips to be naturally pink. However, lips can lose colour due to several reasons ranging from excessive sun exposure to even medical issues¹.  

While there are some medical and cosmetic options available for lightening lip colour, people are usually more inclined towards natural products for dealing with this issue. So, in this blog, we will discuss why our lips can appear darker and explore some simple home remedies that can be used to achieve attractive pink lips.  

What Causes Discoloured Lips?

While lip colour may naturally vary between individuals owing to genetic factors, certain other causes can also lead to discoloration of lips. These include^2,3: 

• Excessive exposure to the sun leading to higher ultraviolet (UV) rays reaching the skin. It causes the skin to make more melanin, which can further cause hyperpigmentation 
• Smoking cigarette 
• Allergic reaction caused by chemicals such as lipsticks 
• Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) which occurs when the skin becomes inflamed after being injured or irritated. Skin inflammation causes more melanin production 
• Hormonal disorders like Addison disease which is a rare hormonal disorder that causes hyperpigmentation 
• Iron overload, also called hemochromatosis, which is a hereditary disorder wherein iron salts are deposited in the tissue, causing discolouration of the skin 
• Certain medications such as those containing heavy metals, some antibiotics, anti-cancer drugs, and the ones to treat convulsions 
• Some birthmarks 
• Pregnancy (mask of pregnancy or melasma) 

A clinically important condition associated with discoloured lips is that sometimes an associated black spot on the lip may also be a type of cancer. With shiny black spots that look like scars, bleeding, or black sores that don’t heal, it’s important to see your doctor soon for an evaluation. 

Dr Ashish Bajaj, M.B.B.S, M.D. in Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology

Symptoms of Discoloured Lips

Symptoms of discoloured lips include: 

• Darker lips 
• Purple-black coloured lips 
• Sometimes, the lips are red and dry/flaking 

Suggested Home Remedies for Pink Lips

Following are some home Remedies to get pink lips: 

1. Lemon

You can use lemon to improve your lip colour. It has been used for a long time in traditional practise. Studies³ have shown that lemon peel extracts can effectively stop melanin production. Lemon is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants. Due to its skin whitening, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, lemon extracts can help rejuvenate the skin and keep the skin glowing.  

2. Turmeric

Excessive ultraviolet exposure can cause overproduction of melanin. In a study⁴ done in 2009, turmeric was found to prevent UV associated skin damage and lower skin inflammation as well as melanin production. These can help in reducing hyperpigmentation and keeping your skin healthy. Therefore, turmeric might help achieve pink lips. 

3. Aloe Vera

Aloe-vera is found to have skin-whitening effect by reducing melanin production. It may also help by forming a layer on the skin that avoids damage from UV rays. Moreover, aloe vera has healing, anti-inflammatory and moisturising properties also that are all great for the skin⁵. Therefore, applying aloe vera to the lips might be beneficial. 

4. Pomegranate

Pomegranate can be used as a potential skin-lightening agent. In an animal study, pomegranate extract was found to reduce skin pigmentation by preventing proliferation of melanocytes (cells containing melanin) and lowering melanin production⁶. Therefore, pomegranate might be beneficial for dark lips. 

5. Beetroot

Beetroot contains vitamins A and C, nutrients like iron, and betanin (dye obtained from beetroot) that are responsible for its moisturising and colouring effect.  Hence, beetroot infused balms might leave a natural pigment to the lips and can be used for giving a pink appearance to lips. 

While studies⁷ have shown that these home remedies can reduce melanin production, further long-term human trials are needed to confirm if they can help reducing lip discoloration. Yet, trying them out in moderation can be a good option to lighten your lip colour naturally at home. 

Eating lots of berries like bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), blueberry, cranberry, and pear trees which contain arbutin which inhibits tyrosinase activity, an enzyme required for melanin production is very effective for lightening lips.

Dr. M.G. Kartheeka, MBBS, MD(Pediatrics)

When to Seek Medical Help?

You can seek medical help if you notice: 

• Unexplained, constant darkening of the skin 
• Discoloured skin that is causing significant worry and is affecting you 
• Any lesion or sore that changes the colour, size, and shape (may be a sign of skin cancer)² 

If home remedies don’t work for you or in case of above-mentioned conditions, do consult your doctor. They will help diagnose if an underlying condition or medicine is causing darkening of your lips. If so, they will treat the underlying cause, advise medicine alternatives or suggest cosmetic procedures that may help you get pink lips. More so, you will be assured that there’s nothing to worry.

Dr Ashish Bajaj, M.B.B.S, M.D. in Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology

Conclusion

Generally, the lip skin has significantly less melanin as compared to the rest of the face. Discoloured or dark lips might be caused due to various reasons. Several home remedies like lemon, turmeric, aloe vera, etc., might be helpful for managing dark lips and attaining pink lips. Usually, dark lips are common, but if you feel that there is a persistent darkening of the skin and it is worrying you, or you notice any lesion that changes colour, size, and shape, you must seek medical help. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

References

1. Kadu M, Vishwasrao S, Singh S. Review on Natural Lip Balm. International Journal of Research in Cosmetic Science. Int J Res Cosmet Sci. 2014;5(1):1–7. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Suruchi-Kokil/publication/301204451_Review_on_Natural_Lip_Balm/links/570c7e5008ae8883a1ffeed2/Review-on-Natural-Lip-Balm.pdf 
2. Abnormally dark or light: Medline Plus [Internet]. [cited July 2025]. Available from: https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003242.htm 
3. Singh A, Dubey S, Kaur B, Chandra J, Sekhar V, Malhotra S. Journey to a confident smile: Management of hyperpigmented lips with 940 nm diode laser along with topical vitamin C-A case series. Journal of Dental Specialities. 2022 Jul 1;10(2):62-6. https://www.jdsits.in/html-article/17299 
4. Huang J, Xu X, Liu C, Liu L. Exploring the Potential of Lemon Peel Extracts in Cosmetics: Chemical Composition and Bioactive Properties. J Microbiol Biotechnol. 2025;35:e2412042.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11985412/ 
5. Sumiyoshi M, Kimura Y. Effects of a turmeric extract (Curcuma longa) on chronic ultraviolet B irradiation-induced skin damage in melanin-possessing hairless mice. Phytomedicine. 2009 Dec 1;16(12):1137-43. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0944711309001640 
6. Zhu J, Zheng Y, Ge Y. Study on the application of Aloe vera in cosmetology and clinical treatment of skin diseases. Journal of Holistic Integrative Pharmacy. 2024 Dec 1;5(4):299-304. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2707368824000633 
7. Yoshimura M, Watanabe Y, Kasai K, Yamakoshi J, Koga T. Inhibitory effect of an ellagic acid-rich pomegranate extract on tyrosinase activity and ultraviolet-induced pigmentation. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2005;69(12):2368–73. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16377895/ 
8. Chen L, Zhu Y, Hu Z, Wu S, Jin C. Beetroot as a functional food with huge health benefits: Antioxidant, antitumor, physical function, and chronic metabolomics activity. Food Sci Nutr. 2021 Sep 9;9(11):6406-6420. doi: 10.1002/fsn3.2577. PMID: 34760270; PMCID: PMC8565237. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8565237/

Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof. 

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