Want Brighter Skin? These Dark Spot Correctors — Recommended by a Dermatologist — Can Help

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Color correctors, foundation, and concealers are fantastic for camouflaging dark spots. However, if you're ready to achieve flawless-looking skin sans makeup, then you must incorporate a dark spot corrector into your skincare routine. Our guide spotlights a dermatologist's no-fail recommendations and a standout product I tested that provides visible results in no time. They're all readily accessible and generally welltolerated, and some even include ingredients that help target otherskin concerns, like fine lines and wrinkles. A win-win!

The Best Dark Spot Correctors

• Best Overall: Alastin C-Radical Defense Antioxidant Serum

• Best Value: Glow Recipe Guava Vitamin C Dark Spot Brightening Treatment Serum

• Best for Sensitive Skin: PCA Skin Hydroquinone-Free Pigment Gel Dark Spot Corrector

• Best for Acne-Prone Skin: Hyper Skin Brightening Dark Spot Vitamin C Serum

• Best Clinical Results: SkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense Dark Spot Serum

What Causes Dark Spots?

Before we dive into how you can treat dark spots, it's important to understand what causes them in the first place. Double board-certified dermatologist Dr. Brendan Camp, M.D., FAAD, says dark spots occur from increased pigment, sometimes called melanin, in the skin.Hormonal changes, medications, and underlying skinconditions can cause dark spots. They can also develop due to skin inflammation, such as after apimple, or from excess sun exposure, like a sunspot.

“It is essential to use SPF in combination with dark spot correctors,” explains Camp.“The sun is your competitor because it increases pigment production. Ifyou do not use SPF with a dark spot corrector, the sun can cause darkspots to recur or worsen. In addition, some ingredients, likeretinol, can potentially make skin more sun-sensitive, so it isimportant to protect skin with an SPF moisturizer.”

What is a Dark Spot Corrector?

Camp, who practices at MDCS Dermatology in NYC, says dark spot correctors lessen the appearance of dark spots by modifying the production or transporting of melanin in skin cells. They come in different leave-on formulations, like face creams, serums, and moisturizers, ensuring your skin soaks up the brightening powers of each featured pick.

Our face isn't the only place where dark spots pop up. Camp says the hands are an often overlooked area that is susceptible to sunspotsbecause it receives sun exposure all year round. Do yourself a favor and slather these dark spot correctors onto your hands in conjunction with a gentle hand cream for hydration and to fade dark spots.

What to Consider

Best Ingredients

As you'd suspect, it's all about using a dark spot corrector made with high-quality ingredients. I asked Camp to share some of his favorite skincare ingredients commonly found in dark spot correctors, and here are his standouts:

• Vitamin C is an antioxidant that neutralizes free radical damage to protect the skin. It also lightens dark spots, promotes collagen production, and strengthens the skin.

• Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), including mandelic, lactic, and glycolic acids, boost cell turnover, resulting in less hyperpigmentation and more even-toned skin.

• Beta hydroxy acids (BHAs), like salicylic acid, help unclog pores, making them ideal for oily and acne-prone skin.

• Azelaic acid is anti-inflammatory and helps fade hyperpigmentation issues caused by acne and melasma. It's super gentle and pregnancy-safe, promotes skin exfoliation, and works with all skin types and complexions.

• Tranexamicacid treats current dark spots and helps prevent new ones from forming.

• Retinol is the gold standard for any anti-aging skincare routine because it promotes fast skin cell turnover and collagen production.

Camp adds that anyone who prefers natural ingredients can look out for dark spot correctors made with licorice, soy, or kojic acid. His fellow board-certified dermatologists recently told me that kojic acid reduces the appearance of hyperpigmentation, treats melasma, is radioprotective, and boasts anti-inflammatory properties.

How to Use a Dark Spot Corrector

Camp, a former assistant professor at George Washington University's medical school, says application varies by product. "Some dark spot correctors are intended forall-over use or as targeted spot treatments. When applying a spottreatment, make sure to apply it only to the affected area. If appliedtoo liberally, it may cause normal skin around the dark spot tolighten, creating the appearance of a halo of lighter skin," he explains. Be sure to carefully follow the directions to avoid any unintentional effects.

How We Chose

Dermatologist-Recommended Solutions

Camp is one of my most trusted medical experts, and as our beauty editor, I am extremely confident in his guidance. Given his impressive experience and know-how in treating dark spots, you can be confident that these expert-approved solutions are from well-established brands available at retailers you know and love, including Amazon, Sephora, and Dermstore. They also contain the scientifically proven ingredients I previously mentioned, including vitamin C, azelaic acid, and tranexamic acid.

Tested and Reviewed by Our Beauty Editor

Before becoming the beauty editor of your favorite gifting site, I worked at NBC News, Harper’s BAZAAR, and Billboard. I also wrote hundreds of skincare stories for CNN, Women’s Health, Cosmopolitan, Well+Good, and The Hollywood Reporter. A major part of my current role is testing thousands of new beauty products, cult classics, and indie releases to ensure you gift only elite items within your budget. In 2023, I tested nearly 1,000 new products, including dark spot correctors, for our first-ever New Beauty Awards.

C-Radical Defense Antioxidant Serum

I recently named C-Radical the best face serum for our inaugural New Beauty Awards, and I immediately knew it deserved the best overall distinction in this story.

Consider this your splurge-worthy skincare investment that brightens pesky dark spots with ease. The serum combines an impressive 15 antioxidants, including vitamin C, to help guard against blue light damage. It also targets signs of aging, such as photodamage, wrinkles, and fine lines.

Per the brand's clinical testing, 71% of users saw a reduction in uneven skin texture in 8 weeks while 50% of users saw fewer wrinkles and fine lines.

I appreciate the gentle formulation that absorbs quickly and layers nicely with other beauty products, like face cream, sunscreen, or foundation. It's also infused with antioxidant-rich green tea and a dark, leafy green herb called physalis angulata, which helps calm skin inflammation.

Best of all, it does an excellent job of brightening all skin types, ranging from oily to dry. My results were so noticeable that I ordered a bottle for my mom. Like the clinical trial testers, she also experienced smoother skin and fewer lines and wrinkles with daily use.

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Guava Vitamin C Dark Spot Brightening Treatment Serum

Newbies to dark spot correctors and those with skin sensitivities will appreciate Camp's recommendation. "Vitamin C, guava seed oil, fruit extract, and tranexamic acid are featured in this dark spot serum that is formulated for slow release, reducing the likelihood of any potential skin irritation," he says.

This non-sticky gel soaks into the skin quickly and effortlessly. It also has a beautiful pink color that imparts a positively glowing effect to the skin, sort of like an IRL beauty filter. Per the brand, users can expect to notice brighter skin in just 3 weeks and faded dark spots in 6 weeks.

As a bonus, it comes in an airtight container to help preserve the quality of the dark spot corrector.

Hydroquinone-Free Pigment Gel Dark Spot Corrector

Camp highlights PCA Skin's Dark Spot Corrector as a solid pick for lightening skin discoloration. "Featuring phenylethyl resorcinol, an antioxidant that helps protectskin from the damaging effects of free oxygen radicals, kojic acid,and azelaic acid, this gel can be used as a spot treatment to reducethe appearance of discoloration and even skin tone," he says.

What's most wonderful about this version of Pigment Gel is that it's designed for anyone who can't handle hydroquinone (a bleaching agent used to treat hyperpigmentation) to treat dark spots, like melasma and freckles. I prefer this hydroquinone-free formulation over the original version, which was a little too intense for my skin.

It also contains witch hazel, which is an excellent ingredient for oily skin like mine. Those with dry skin can still use it, but should just use less product and follow up with thick face cream afterward.

Brightening Dark Spot Vitamin C Serum

As someone with adult acne, I know first-hand how much of a drag it can be. Camp says this powerful face serum is ideal for anyone dealing with zits. "Thisproduct offers brightening ingredients like vitamin C, bearberry,licorice, and kojic acid, as well as acne-fighting ingredients liketurmeric and salicylic acid," he says.

More good news: Hyper Skin's dark spot corrector is worth purchasing because it has an impressive 15% concentration of vitamin C, which is major. Topically applying vitamin C products with a 3-10% concentration can help with wrinkles, improve rough skin texture, and reduce protein fiber damage, according to a report from Oregon State University. Hyper Skin is also the only brand on this list to clearly disclosures its impressive vitamin C concentration, which is always appreciated.

Oh, and get this: Vitamin C is known for being pretty unstable. However, this face serum comes in a light container that helps shield the liquid from light exposure that could break down the formulation. While it doesn't sound significant, it's incredibly helpful for ensuring it doesn't expire faster than necessary.

Discoloration Defense Dark Spot Serum

Camp's final dark spot corrector recommendation is from SkinCeuticals, a popular line many of his fellow dermatologists love. After chatting with Camp and carefully researching his suggestion, it's easy to understand why Discoloration Defense is a standout dark spot solution.

He highlights the formulation as a major win. Notably, it contains 3% tranexamic acid, 1% kojic acid, and 5% niacinamide, which together help brighten and improve an uneven skin tone.

All skin types can safely use this serum up to twice daily to target discoloration and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. The clinical tests show that you can see initial visible results within two weeks, which is a relatively fast time for dark spots to begin fading.

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