Lepa activates natural enzymatic exfoliation through AHAs, which gently dissolve the bonds holding these dead cells. Tamarind with its tartaric acid content, loosens surface dullness, while oats and raw milk add a soothing, polishing effect. This controlled exfoliation not only brightens instantly but also preps the skin for deeper repair, without compromising its barrier integrity.

Curcumin downregulates tyrosinase, the key enzyme responsible for melanin synthesis, helping prevent further darkening. Simultaneously, the mild lactic acid in yogurt and raw milk promotes faster cell turnover, allowing pigmented cells to shed more quickly.

Exposure to sun, sweat, and pollution can throw the skin’s pH off-balance, making it more prone to inflammation, sensitivity, and blotchy tone. Lemon helps rebalance pH while acting as a clarifier—reducing the uneven tone. Yoghurt and sesame oil further maintain the acid mantle and prevent post-exfoliation irritation.

Sesame oil and raw honey restore lipid moisture and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL). At the same time, wild turmeric’s anti-inflammatory action and oat-derived beta-glucans help calm redness, itching, or swelling.

Lepa delivers essential vitamins - A, C, E, and B-complex—along with amino acids and enzymes from milk, yogurt, and honey. These not only improve dermal hydration and elasticity but also support mitochondrial health within skin cells for brighter, firmer, softer, and more vitalised skin from within.

Fermented compounds in yogurt help cultivate a skin-friendly microbiome, preventing dysbiosis that could lead to breakouts, dullness, or inflammatory pigmentation, fostering a resilient skin ecosystem that stays clear and bright long after the treatment.

As the lepa sets, it forms a soft barrier that traps warmth and moisture, gently boosting blood flow and lymphatic drainage. This warm, moist micro-climate mimics the skin’s natural healing state, speeding up detox and preparing skin to absorb nutrients better.

Occlusion softens the skin’s barrier lipids, making it more permeable without damaging it. This allows deeper delivery of essential nutrients like phytoactives, fatty acids, and lacto-compounds to skin cells.

The warmth boosts microcirculation, waking up capillaries for better oxygen and nutrient delivery. This energises skin cells, supports collagen production, and flushes out toxins—revitalising skin from within.

With the skin more receptive, it absorbs vitamins, enzymes, and herbal actives more efficiently. These nutrients target cell renewal, inflammation, pigmentation, and barrier repair for visibly healthier skin.

As the lepa dries, it helps restore the skin’s natural pH and seals in actives. Ferments and enzymes support good bacteria, reduce puffiness, and calm hidden inflammation that dulls the skin.

After removal, skin looks smoother, circulation stays high, and it’s primed for hydration. With cell activity boosted and the barrier reset, skin reflects light better—revealing a radiant glow.

Tanning is the skin's natural photoprotective response to UV exposure. When skin is exposed to UVA and UVB rays, melanocytes increase melanin production to shield deeper layers from DNA damage. This creates visible darkening or tan. However, this response often comes with inflammation, oxidative stress, and uneven melanin dispersion, which can lead to patchy pigmentation, blotchiness, and long-term dullness - not just a uniform tan.

Sun exposure damages the DNA of keratinocytes and fibroblasts, especially under prolonged or repeated exposure. UVB causes direct DNA mutations, while UVA penetrates deeper, leading to collagen breakdown and elastin degradation through free radical generation. This not only accelerates aging but weakens the skin’s protective lipid barrier, leading to dehydration, sensitivity, and visible texture irregularities.

Melanin is a powerful antioxidant and UV filter produced in response to damage—but when its production is overstimulated or uneven, it can result in hyperpigmentation, sun spots, and post-inflammatory discoloration. The key to healthy brightening is not eliminating melanin, but modulating its production and distribution, supporting the skin in restoring its own equilibrium.

Even after sun exposure ends, oxidative stress continues to affect the skin. UV light triggers the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which remain active and can oxidize proteins, lipids, and melanin, prolonging the tan and deepening dullness over time. Antioxidants neutralize these ROS, halting the progression of post-sun pigmentation and restoring luminosity.

Harsh exfoliation may give a temporary glow by removing pigmented cells, but long-term brightness comes from repairing inflammation, regulating melanin production, and restoring skin hydration and lipid function. Skin needs enzymatic support, pH-balancing hydration, and gentle nourishment to repair sun-induced micro-inflammation without triggering further irritation.

Sun-exposed skin requires a barrier-first approach to heal. A healthy stratum corneum is essential for preventing further UV penetration, reducing moisture loss, and improving light reflection. When the barrier is intact, active ingredients can be absorbed more effectively and the skin can retain hydration and repair enzymes longer, making brightening treatments more effective.