Licorice extract: Contains concentrations of flavonoids, which equip the skin with antioxidant properties, and works to neutralize free radicals that are present. Topical use of products infused with licorice extract help to provide a healthy glow and enhance the skin's overall appearance. What We Love: Eadem was founded to support deeper skin tones and only uses sensitive-skin-friendly ingredients to target stubborn hyperpigmentation. What We Don’t Love: Layering too many heavy foundations and face lotions on top of the serum caused it to pill. Our little dose of sunshine had some assistance from ferulic acid, a powerful antioxidant found in plants known for fighting free radical damage that leads to acneic skin and for healing acne wounds. Yet, even when we did get the inevitable blemish, the serum sped up the recovery process and our pimples didn’t look quite as angry or red as usual. Working in tandem is gallic acid, a plant-based ingredient known for its brightening properties, brimming with a ridiculous concentration of phenolic acids, which is basically the heavyweight champion of fighting inflammation and bacteria growth. It’s so effective that it can even match hydrocortisone when treating the severe red, itchy symptoms associated with atopic dermatitis.

Rapid Tone Repair Correcting Cream - Neutrogena

Mona Gohara, MD, board-certified dermatologist and associate clinical professor at Yale School of Medicine Like with most skincare products, it's important to measure your expectations with dark spot correctors. They're not a treatment that will work immediately or overnight, but after applying regularly for a few weeks, you will hopefully start to see the results you're after. Why not all dark spot correctors are cruelty-free Yet, what was more surprising was how well the formula cleared up our acne in spite of the fact that we stopped using our prescribed tretinoin. As we braced ourselves for an expected breakout, like around the time of our menstrual cycle, we were overjoyed when our skin remained as clear as ever. Gupta M, Mahajan VK, Mehta KS, Chauhan PS. Zinc therapy in dermatology: a review. Dermatol Res Pract. 2014;2014:709152. doi:10.1155/2014/709152Salmanian M, Shirbeigi L, Hashem-Dabaghian F, et al. The Effects of Myrtle (Myrtus communis) and Clindamycin Topical Solution in the Treatment of Mild to Moderate Acne Vulgaris: A Comparative Split-Face Study. J Pharmacopuncture. 2020;23(4):220-229. doi:10.3831/KPI.2020.23.4.220 Sarkar R, Bansal S, Garg VK. Chemical peels for melasma in dark-skinned patients. J Cutan Aesthet Surg. 2012;5(4):247-253. doi:10.4103/0974-2077.104912 Markiewicz E, Karaman-Jurukovska N, Mammone T, Idowu OC. Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation in Dark Skin: Molecular Mechanism and Skincare Implications. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2022;15:2555-2565. Published 2022 Nov 25. doi:10.2147/CCID.S385162 Manhattan-based board-certified dermatologist, Dr. Macrene Alexiades suggests looking for products that, “are working at the root of the matter” to repair the skin and avoid damage that causes brown spots and vulnerability, such as amino acids like glucosamine, aspartic acid, arginine, and citric acid. “Those are gentle and they're safe,” she says, adding that next you can seek out nourishing antioxidants, like a high dose of ferulic acid and vitamins C and E, that will repair the discolored damage without irritating the skin. The brand thoughtfully incorporated other ingredients into its formula that overwork themselves to condition skin and fade dark spots, like lecithin. The fatty acid plumps skin, protects it from external damage and strengthens the skin barrier so that new dark spots are less likely to crop up. The formula also contains more moisture-rich ingredients such as glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and a bountiful of fruit extracts to ensure you have your softest skin yet.

Neutrogena, Retinol + Vitamin C Dark Spot Corrector, 1 fl oz

Lifestyle choices aside, Dr. Alexiades says that some of us simply have a genetic predisposition to developing dark spots. “A lot of brown spots are associated with systemic disease and that is inherited,” she explains. Melissa Kanchanapoomi Levin, MD, FAAD, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Entière Dermatology Subtly, but surely, we watched the formula reward our skin and it only took around three weeks to notice more significant changes with a smoother, less textured skin tone and a decrease in dark spots. Rave Review: "I bought this three months ago and was skeptical. But after using about four or five other brands and treatments to get rid of spots, this one worked much better than the other ones. My spots have really faded." What We Don’t Love: It takes a longer time to see results compared to other treatments we’ve tried.It can be challenging to determine whether a dark spot remover will work because not every dark spot is the same. There’s no such thing as a universal solution, which is why you may have to do a little trial and error with products formulated with the ingredients mentioned above. Loaded with skin lightening ingredients, SkinMedica’s Lytera Skin Brightening Complex targets dark spots on the face and other areas with precision. The reason it works so well is that it contains a large variety of dark spot lightening ingredients, including tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (vitamin C), niacinamide (vitamin B3), ethyl linoleate, retinol (vitamin A), Dunaliella salina extract, hexylresorcinol, and licorice root extract. Rounding out the list are tetrapeptide-30 and 4-ethoxybenzaldehyde. What We Don’t Love: It contains talc, a sometimes irritating ingredient found in many cosmetics and household products.

Vitamin C Serum Capsules - Neutrogena Rapid Tone Repair 20% Vitamin C Serum Capsules - Neutrogena

Barley contains azelaic acid, an ingredient often found in many anti-dark spot serums because of its ability to stop tyrosinase activity. Rice has been shown to “down-regulate melanin synthesis” in animal studies. Furthermore, this serum allows for exfoliation with its inclusion of salicylic acid.

Product overview

It might seem odd to include shiitake mushrooms in a skincare product, but this versatile fungus isn't just for eating. What We Love: Unlike a traditional drop applicator, the Hero Cosmetics wand used a metal ball applicator that allowed us to apply the antioxidant-rich serum close to the creases of our under eyes without worrying about irritation Additionally, willow bark, vitamin C, and licorice root all contributed to our brighter skin, and, over time, we noticed an increased firmness to our complexions, which we didn’t expect, but we’ll definitely take.