Sun spots, moles, and other imperfections can make your skin look less than perfect. Dark age spots can appear on your skin when you're just 20 years old, and the sun is known for leaving a lasting impression with a mark or two. Luckily, there are plenty of creams and lotions out there that will work to take your skin back to perfection. Here are our Top 3 picks.
1 Skinceuticals Phloretin CF Gel
The combination of antioxidants accelerates cell turnover (so your skin heals itself faster) and stimulates collagen. These ingredients ensure that your skin is continually renewing itself, which helps improve its texture and reduces the appearance of dark spots. The gel form is perfect to use under sunscreen to help boost its skin shielding protection.
2 Perricone Pigment Corrective
Vitamin C and Pycnogenol (a powerful anti-inflammatory skin healer that's sourced from pine trees in the South of France) work together to brighten skin. If you're prone to getting dark scars (maybe after an acne breakout?) and other post-inflammatory hyper-pigmentation, this formula will help prevent these new spots from arising and is lightweight enough to use under sunscreen during the day.
3 Clinique Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector
This prescription strength serum contains a combination of hydroquinone-free skin lighteners. It breaks up clusters of existing pigmentation, and then exfoliates the skin so that any remaining dark spots will eventually disappear altogether.
Image courtesy of weheartit
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Comments
Jun 20, 2012
Alexandra G.
I have so many dark marks (from previous acne) and have yet to find a cheap alternative to fade them except lemon :(
Mar 26, 2013
Diandra J.
Sep 19, 2011
Nevaeh L.
For a natural remedy. Mix 1/4 teaspoon tumeric, tiny bit of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon till you get a paste. Put this on area for 10 mins, you can mix it with lotion to make a mask as well. This is also good for hyper pigmentation, this cleared my skin the first time but mine wasn't terrible.
Oct 19, 2011
Stephanie H.
3 weeks ago
Shayna S.
Sep 19, 2011
Miss N.
The Clarins product messed my skin up....I broke out badly! Yikes! The Perricone MD sounds good...I will check it out! Thanks for this posting!
Sep 19, 2011
Shinu G.
Sep 19, 2011
April F.
clarins bright plus also works really well too : )
Sep 19, 2011
Angela W.
I've been using Murad's skin lightening gel with 2% hydroquinone and seen a dramatic difference in the hyperpigmentation on my forehead and over the bridge of my nose. On the minus side, some of the risks sound pretty dramatic so I'd definitely do your reading before you purchase a product with hydroquinone. I take three month long breaks in between periods of using it and so far I haven't had any issues.
Sep 19, 2011
Aira N.
I use Vitamin E capsules like Minaz M.commented. I couldn't afford serums (which tend to lean toward the expensive side) when I was younger, so I used those instead.
SkinCeuticals Phloretin Gel (152 USD) & Perricone MD Pigment Corrective (95 USD).
If you cannot afford this hefty price but have a budget of 60+ - I would recommend:
- Shiseido's White Lucent Brightening Serum (100+ depending where you get it. I got mine at TJ Maxx for a lot less). I used this & in one night, I saw results. What's great about the White Lucent Brightening part of this serum is that it "bleaches" the dark spot away (bleach as in whitens/lightens). I find that this works best as a spot treatment & when mixed with eye cream.
- Lancome's Genefique (58 - 125 USD) - It claims that in 7 days, you should see results. I've tried it and it is completely worth the price. They usually have samples to give out if you're not ready to dish out the $$$.
- Estee Lauder's Idealist (58 - 85 USD) - My mum's skin is so sensitive, she only swears by EL products. Naturally, they were the first I tried and I've enjoyed the greater majority of their skincare line. The Genefique can get a little pricey & the White Lucent isn't always easy to find at a fair price, so I turn to this one and feel that it works well and is easier to afford than the other two. (The 1.7 oz is less than Genefique's 1.7 oz.)
Clinique 'Even Better' Clinical Dark Spot Corrector (50 USD) - this is the only one out of the 3 mentioned that I've encountered. I find that a lot of people with Asian Ethnicity react badly with Clinique products not all, but a lot more than I would expect to be "typical." I did not personally try this because of my bad history with Clinique, but my aunt who has had the same success w products as I have tried this and it gave her cystic acne instead of "curing the dark spots." I've rarely heard any one say that they've seen instant or even lasting effects with this.
If you can afford 50 USD or less, I would suggest using:
- Estee Lauder's Advanced Night Repair (40 USD) - I've been more acquainted with this serum longer than any of the others because my mother swears by it. I feel that this does not work as fast as Shiseido's but this does have very nice, long lasting, consistent results.
- Vitamin E capsules (varies, but no more than 10 USD usually) - I couldn't afford serums when I was younger and couldn't imagine asking my mum to purchase any for me so I used these instead. I still use them today (7 years & counting) and not only do they make my skin look good, but they're one of the main ingredients I look for in anything that is supposed to "cure" dark spots." Just push a pin in enough to make a little hole & apply nightly.
Sep 18, 2011
Celestine L.
how much is this?>
Sep 18, 2011
Anika N.
If you have scars (even acne scars) bio oil works pretty well too if you apply as directed your scars will get lighter. It will take some time of course but it works =) tea tree oil also helps with acne scars and evening of skin tone. The liquid from vitamin e capsules, as Minaz M. said below, works too =)
Sep 18, 2011
Jennifer W.
Working with the clinique's dark spot corrector for two weeks now with no visible results so far. I may try out the other two if I still don't have results in a couple of weeks.
Sep 18, 2011
Minaz M.
Also if you use Vitamin E capsules and just get some of the liquid out and apply it on the dark spots in about 4 weeks they will start to fade. Its cheap and easy and works well :)
Sep 18, 2011
Icequeen v.
Sep 18, 2011
Maribel D.