Leila

In junior high my freckles were my enemy. This is a point in time when teenagers want nothing more than to look and feel more mature. Freckles put a damper on this because they accentuate youth and innocence. I had friends only 13 and 14 years old going into a convenience store and passing for 18 to buy a pack of cigarettes. I cannot imagine trying the same myself and approaching the cashier with a freckle-cheeked smile. Make up wouldn’t hide them and getting a tan only made them multiply…cursed with freckles. I would have done anything to get rid of them. I received my first and only recipe to remove freckles from an elderly lady who dodged the freckle god. She told me that she heard rose hips and lemon juice would do the trick. I immediately began searching for rose hips and eventually found them in vitamin form. As soon as I had them I rushed home crushed a few in a bowl and mixed the powdery substance with lemon juice. I then proceeded to paste the formula on my face and left it there for at least one hour. After washing the “freckle remover” off I stared at myself in the mirror thinking that the freckles that covered my forehead, nose, and cheeks had actually gotten lighter. I performed the procedure one more time and then realized it wasn’t working. My battle with freckles didn’t last very long after that. I started enjoying the extra color to my face. I have never had to use foundation and I owe it to my freckles. If I go without blush I don’t look washed out because there’s a natural streak of color on my cheeks. Now that I’m in my mid 20’s I’m thankful my freckles have stuck with me and continue to give me the youthful look that I work towards preserving.