Freckles have started to become a trendy fashion accessory throughout the years. Gone are the days when these tiny sunkissed dots are the object of cosmetic obstacles. As the trend becomes more and more popular, more people want to have these little spots. And the more natural it looks, the better it would turn out. According to Vogue, this trend started with Meghan Markle’s help way back in 2018. Since then, the fashion trend hopped on the train hype.

There’s a lot of factors that affect freckles. It is often caused by melanin, which helps in protecting the skin from the harmful UV rays. That’s why freckles only appear when you’re exposed to the sun. If you want to hop into this trend, you can use makeup and other methods to start with. However, natural-looking freckles are still the best to have. Here’s how you can get freckles naturally.

  1. Clean, exfoliate and protect

Before soaking under the sun, exfoliating and protecting your skin is a must. It will not help you get your freckles faster, but it would make sure that your skin will have a better tan. By exfoliating, you’re minimizing the chance uneven tanning. This step also helps in getting overall better-looking freckles.

Since freckles only show up after sun exposure and skin damage is unavoidable. But don’t worry, you can still minimize the damage by using a sunscreen with at least SPF20. The fairer your skin is, the higher the SPF level would be, as fair skin usually receives more sun damage.

And last but not least, wear proper sunglasses. It will not only improve your overall fashion look, but it will also protect the skin under your eyes. Freckles on the cheeks are wonderful, but dry and itchy eyelids are not fun. Once you’re ready to go, its time to seize the day under the sun.

  1. Enjoy nature!

Now’s the time to get under the sun and enjoy while you’re waiting for the freckles to appear. The fairer your skin is, the shorter the time you would spend waiting for your freckles to appear. It depends on the amount of pigment-producing cells called melanocytes in your skin. Get your cold drink, and enjoy your playlist while tanning.

Avoid tanning on hours between 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, when the sun rays produce more powerful UV rays. This is especially true when the season is summer or spring, as the skin produces more melanocytes to protect itself from the sun. Instead of getting lovely spots in your intended spot, you will get more freckles than you expect.

Unless you’re also planning a complete tan, you should limit your freckles “session.” Freckles don’t need long periods to appear when exposed to UV rays. Even a 15-minute session during the day would be enough. The time needed would even be shorter if you have fair skin.

  1. Moisturize your skin to prevent dry skin

The skin’s appearance depends on a lot of things, including your moisturizing regime. A regularly moisturized skin will have a minimal wrinkled look and a certain glow that makes your skin look and feel better. After exposure to the sun, the skin will likely be dried out of moisture, which can cause unwanted damage or a freckle explosion.

After your short trip under the sun, dab on your moisturizer and cool down your skin. You can use your everyday moisturizer for the task, or create your own by combining half-cup coconut oil, 1 tbsp of vitamin E oil, and six drops of lavender essential oil.

Getting massive freckles on the skin might not be a great idea, but it can happen with continuous exposure to the sun. To enhance your naturally-created freckles, you can instead use makeup products. For instance, if you want to moisturize and enhance at the same time, you can use tinted moisturizers to cover uneven skin areas. Patches of uneven skin can spoil your freckle style by making the spots less noticeable.

  1. It all depends on luck and genes

Unfortunately, this will not work for everyone, as the freckle formation depends on a certain gene. The gene responsible for the appearance of freckles called MC1R handles where the tiny dots appear. Everyone has the MC1R gene in their body; these genes commonly release a pigment called eumelanin, which makes the skin tan easily.

If the MC1R cannot produce eumelanin because of certain conditions, it will produce another pigment called pheomelanin. Pheomelanin gives the hair blond or red color, fairer skin, and freckles. If one of your parents has freckles, there’s a great chance you’ll also develop one just by soaking under the sun.

Unfortunately, less than 10% of people in the world have this gene. How about the remaining 90% that also want freckles? Turning into cosmetics is one of the best options for skin with fake freckles.

Other options

Creating fake freckles look easy, but can look horrible when done wrong. Beauty YouTuber James Charles recommends using an eyebrow pencil by gently drawing the spots on your skin. To create realistic freckles, place the dots in the area under your eyes, in the chin, and in the forehead. Use a beauty blender to add a more realistic touch, then add more if you want to. This method is better if you’re still fishing the look and not sure if you’re going to keep it. Just make sure not to go overboard and draw more freckles than needed.

How do you get freckles?

What can give you freckles?

Freckles are small brown spots on your skin, often in areas that get sun exposure. In most cases, freckles are harmless. They form as a result of overproduction of melanin, which is responsible for skin and hair color (pigmentation). Overall, freckles come from ultraviolet (UV) radiation stimulation.

Can you randomly grow freckles?

Your skin can develop new spots after sun exposure. Or an old freckle or mole that’s looked the same for years can suddenly change in size, shape or color. You have to be familiar with the spots on your skin to catch these changes.

How do you get freckles from the sun?

Going out in the sun makes your skin cells start producing extra melanin intended to shield your skin from sun damage. Increased melanin is also behind your sun tan — as well as your sunburn. If you have the necessary genetic predisposition, exposure to the sun will bring freckles out on your skin.

Are freckles sign of beauty?

Today, freckles are a sign of individuality, the perky dot on an exclamation point, a quirky, covetable beauty asset—but it wasn’t always this way. Until the late 1920s, the ideal, according to Vogue, was a “secluded hothouse heroine,” whose skin, untouched by sun, was neither freckled nor tan.

Are freckles skin damage?

Freckles themselves aren’t a sign of damage to the skin. However, people who have freckles are more likely to be sensitive to the sun’s ultraviolet rays that cause damage.

At what age do freckles fade?

Most people with freckles usually start to see them come out around age 2 or 3 and continue into young adulthood. Freckles are from the sun – almost like a modified tan. Most people with freckles will notice that they fade in the wintertime when there is less sun exposure.

At what age do freckles appear?

The average age that children develop freckles is between two and four years old. “As kids get older, they start walking [on their own], doing more activities outdoors, and naturally have more sunlight exposure,” Teng tells Yahoo Parenting.

What race do freckles come from?

Freckles can appear on all types of skin tones. Of the six Fitzpatrick skin types, they are most common on skin tones 1 and 2, which usually belong to North Europeans. However, it can be found in all ethnicities.

Are freckles Irish?

Freckles – they are an immediately recognisable “Irish” trait, up there with blue eyes and red hair. And they have been around for a long time: fossils found recently in China show that even some dinosaurs had freckled colouring.

Can you have freckles if your parents don t?

Genetics of Freckles

It doesn’t matter if your parents themselves had freckles. The gene that causes freckles merely was not expressed in them, but they were still carrying the gene. It just means that one of the recessive genes — the ones that don’t give people freckles — won.

Do freckles go away?

Freckles May Fade

Some people have freckles that fade away almost completely in the winter and return in the summer. Other people’s freckles don’t change much with or without the sun and can be seen year-round. Freckles also tend to fade as people get older.

Why am I suddenly getting freckles?

Genetics and sun exposure are the primary causes of freckles. Some people are more likely to get freckles than others, depending on their genes and skin type. If a person is genetically more likely to develop freckles, exposure to sunlight can make them appear.

Why don’t I get freckles?

People with light skin and eyes have less melanin, a chemical in the skin that protects it from sun damage by reflecting and absorbing ultraviolet (UV) rays, but some melanocytes (the melanin-producing cells) make more melanin when exposed to the sun. Instead of tanning evenly, people with less melanin get freckles.

What happens if you pick a freckle off?

Just like the rest of the skin on your body, a mole can become injured and bleed as a result. A mole might bleed because it’s been scratched, pulled on, or bumped up against an object. Sometimes moles become itchy. The process of itching them can tear at your skin and cause bleeding.

Can you cut a mole off with nail clippers?

Home remedies, such as using nail clippers to cut off skin tags or lotions and pastes to remove moles, may cause bleeding, infection, and scarring. And it’s important that your doctor check moles before they are removed. It’s much safer to have your doctor remove your moles and skin tags for you.

Can you pick a mole off?

Removing moles by cutting them off with a sharp object like scissors or a razor blade carries risks, too. Cutting off any growth increases your risk of infection, especially if the tool you use isn’t properly sanitized. You can also create a permanent scar where the mole once was.

Do moles peel off?

Some moles eventually fall off altogether. When healthy moles disappear, the process is typically gradual. A disappearing mole may begin as a flat spot, gradually become raised, then get light, pale, and eventually disappear.