The 10 Best Dark Spot Correctors
This wiki has been updated 37 times since it was first published in June of 2015. Whether it's due to sun exposure, a medical condition, or the natural course of aging, hyperpigmentation can happen to almost anyone. But that doesn't make it any less unsightly or bothersome. These dark spot correctors can help even out your skin tone, brightening areas that have become discolored and restoring a radiant complexion. Some of our selections can even prevent future damage. When users buy our independently chosen editorial picks, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
1. Sunday Riley Good Genes
2. Burt's Bees Brightening Perfecting Serum
3. Pure Bioderm B5 Hydrating Serum
Editor's Notes
January 04, 2020:
Though dark spot correction may be your priority in using these products, we still wanted to find a list of items that would address some other common skin issues. Plus, since you may already have a full skincare regime, we wanted to present an array of types of products, so you can find one that will fit in with what you're already doing.
If you need to moisturize your skin while balancing tones, L'Oreal Paris Youth Code is a great choice because it is a day cream with sun protection. However, if you already have your moisturizer of your choice, you may like a serum like Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum or Pure Bioderm B5 Hydrating Serum, since these can be applied beneath your regular cream.
Should you hope to take care of some complexion issues beyond dark spots, there is Sunday Riley Good Genes, which quickly plumps up the skin and minimizes the appearance of fine lines. Sweetsation Therapy LumiEssence can also fight signs of aging. If it's more of a maintenance product you'll use infrequently that you seek, go with Glamglow Flashmud. It's a mask, so using it just bi-weekly should yield results. Alternate it with a good mud mask or charcoal mask to fight impurities.
We wound up removing Korres 24-Hour as many complained of it having a sticky consistency, and we favored products with non-clogging, light formulas.
Special Honors
Patyka Dark Spot Correcting Serum This serum boasts sea fern, which is both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. It not only brightens the skin, addressing current discoloration, but the product also blocks melanin production to prevent future dark spots. Its cream-gel consistency isn't too heavy, yet remains deeply hydrating. The addition of Goji berries can promote skin cell turnover, while helping eliminate toxins. patyka.com
4. MDSolarSciences Evening Facial Repair Serum
5. Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum
6. Glamglow Flashmud
7. Estee Lauder Enlighten
8. Sweetsation Therapy LumiEssence
9. L'Oreal Paris Youth Code
10. Differin Serum
How Dark Spot Correctors Help Heal Hyperpigmentation
The dark spots caused by hyperpigmentation are treated in a two step process.
Hyperpigmentation is the gradual or rapid darkening of an area of skin caused by an increase in the amount of melanin. The condition is more prevalent in people with excess sun exposure, though this is not a requirement. The resulting dark spots or patches of skin can sometimes cover entire areas of the body. Some cases of dark spots are caused by the body naurally overproducing melanin without the influence of the sun. Overactive melanocytes can simply begin distributing melanin in an erratic fashion.
The dark spots caused by hyperpigmentation are treated in a two step process. The first step is actually preventative, as all of the efforts of dark spot correctors will be in vain if the skin is not protected from further overactive melanocytes. The best way to do this is to apply sunscreen to exposed skin every two hours. Sunscreen partially blocks the negative effects of UV rays on the skin, and can help to reduce the production of melanin.
The second step is to remove the dark spots themselves. This is where dark spot correctors become an integral part of the treatment method. To remove dark spots completely, you have to remove the dark skin cells. This is a two part process of scrubbing away the top layer of skin cells and then treating the affected area with a dark spot corrector of your choice. The important thing to understand is that most dark spot correctors work best for spot treatments; putting them over the entire face would lighten the skin surrounding the spots as well as the spots themselves, making them still appear darker than the rest of the skin.
The Healthy Skin Diet
Whether through age or poor diet, the skin loses its elasticity over time. To balance the skin back out, there are a number of creams, supplements, and tonics on the market which can all give the skin the suppleness of youth. It is also easy to supplement these treatments by adding a few key ingredients to the diet. Phenols, antioxidants, and healthy fats have all been studied to protect the skin from signs of aging and damage, and they are found in things most people love.
While too much alcohol can have the opposite effect, drying out and destroying skin cells, one or two glasses of wine provides a significant amount of resveratrol.
Chocolate is one such dietary supplement for healthy skin. Cocoa can actually hydrate the skin, making it appear more supple and bright. Flavonols in the chocolate are the cause of this, and are most active in chocolates with at least 70 percent cocoa content. Chocolate can also be applied topically to reduce the bags underneath the eyes.
Due to the high amounts of the phenolic compound resveratrol in red wine, a glass at the end of the day may be the ideal way to protect the skin from damage. Resveratrol is a potent antioxidant, which can prevent or reverse the signs of aging cells in the body. While too much alcohol can have the opposite effect, drying out and destroying skin cells, one or two glasses of wine provides a significant amount of resveratrol.
Drinking wine all day may not be the most productive way to protect the skin, but drinking green tea certainly is. Green tea may well be the healthiest drink on the planet. The benefits of drinking green tea regularly include reducing cholesterol, protecting the body from atherosclerosis, fighting certain types of cancers, and of course, protecting the skin from signs of aging.
The health benefits of green tea mostly come from the high number of polyphenols in the tea leaves. These antioxidant compounds appear to have more of a protective effect than vitamin C, and are what give green tea its distinct, slightly bitter flavor. In the body, these polyphenols can help remove toxins from the skin cells, and actually prevent healthy cells oxidative damage.
Home Remedies For Wrinkles
People who experience dark spots on their skin are also prone to experiencing other signs of aging, such as wrinkles. Wrinkles occur naturally with age, as the collagen and elastin which occur naturally in the connective tissues of the skin break down. For many, keeping the skin looking young is an important aspect of feeling their best. Luckily, there are many home remedies for wrinkles which work in a synergistic way to keep the skin radiant and blemish free.
Fresh aloe vera gel can improve the elasticity of the skin; preventing wrinkles while also protecting the skin from oxidative damage.
Olive oil is actually a great massage oil for the skin. Regular application of olive oil will provide the skin with antioxidants such as vitamins A and E. These nutrients are essential for healthy skin, and actually act to protect against free radical damage. Bananas can also be applied directly to wrinkles to help smooth them out, as the rich nutrients in the banana directly nourish the skin cells.
Aloe vera has been used for centuries for its health-boosting properties. The gel-like flesh of the plant is widely used in many beauty products due to the high content of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and antioxidants that work wonders on the skin. Fresh aloe vera gel can improve the elasticity of the skin; preventing wrinkles while also protecting the skin from oxidative damage. Recent studies have also shown that aloe vera may directly increase collagen production by the skin cells.
A wandering writer who spends as much time on the road as in front of a laptop screen, Brett can either be found hacking away furiously at the keyboard or, perhaps, enjoying a whiskey and coke on some exotic beach, sometimes both simultaneously, usually with a four-legged companion by his side. He has been a professional chef, a dog trainer, and a travel correspondent for a well-known Southeast Asian guidebook. He also holds a business degree and has spent more time than he cares to admit in boring office jobs. He has an odd obsession for playing with the latest gadgets and working on motorcycles and old Jeeps. His expertise, honed over years of experience, is in the areas of computers, electronics, travel gear, pet products, and kitchen, office and automotive equipment.