Brighten Me Up

As many of you may know, I have switched my skincare routine to start focusing more on brightening my skin. I have a lot of hyperpigmentation due to the last few years of acne that I’m trying to get rid of. I’ve had quite a few people ask me which products I’ve been reaching for so I thought I would break down the things that I have started integrating into my routine to help with dark spots/hyperpigmentation.

VITAMIN C

I think one of the biggest things that I did to help change my skin was integrating a Vitamin C serum into my skincare routine full time. Before, I would use a Vitamin C every once in awhile. Now that I’m focused on brightening, I make a point to use it most if not everyday.

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that stimulates collagen production. It prevents melanin production in dark spots. Essentially, it brightens the dark spots without lightening your actual skin.

My personal favorite Vitamin C serum is the Ole Henriksen Truth Serum. It’s thin, sinks in incredibly quickly, and I have found that it sits well under makeup. It truly is the only Vitamin C that I’ve actually noticed results from. I have read some reviews where people said that it had a tendency to pill. I have not had that issue, but thought it was worth mentioning. I always apply a moisturizer or oil on top of the serum, which I think may be the reason I haven’t had any problems.

HYDRATION

When it comes to wanting brighter, healthier looking skin, I always find that hydration is key. When my skin is juicy and plump, my pigmentation issues seem to be less noticeable.

I am personally partial to oils for my hydration, but it really just depends on your preferences. My favorite at the moment is the Akar Desert Rescue Face Oil (now known as the Soothe Face Oil). This has a Baobab oil base, which helps seal in moisture. It’s high in antioxidants, as well as Vitamins A, E & D, which help soothe the skin while also increasing your skins cell turnover. I find that with continued use, this oil has kept my skin hydrated, plump and because of the Vitamin A & E in this formula, it does help slightly with dark spots/hyperpigmentation.

Another option for hydration would be a serum. You could use a straight Hyaluronic Acid like this one from Dr. Sebagh. Really, it has one job: intense hydration. If you were to choose a serum, I would probably gravitate more towards the Peach & Lily Glass Skin Refining Serum because of the ingredients. Besides hyaluronic acid, this serum also contains peach extract, niacinamide, wild yam and peptides. It’s meant to brighten, reduce redness and inflammation, and hydrate.

EXFOLIATION

One of the things I have found the most helpful has been to integrate some sort of exfoliation into my weekly skincare routines. This is not something that I will do everyday, but I find that use an exfoliator once a week helps reveal the newer, brighter cells underneath. Basically, I’m trying to force faster cell turnover.

I personally prefer a chemical exfoliation over chemical. I’ve used both, and feel like it’s a gentler way to exfoliate the skin. My favorite way to exfoliate is to use the Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Exfoliating Mask. Not only does it smell like pumpkin pie, but it also uses pumpkin enzymes to gently exfoliate the skin. This mask does actually have a little bit of a physical exfoliant as well, so when you’re removing the mask, you do exfoliate the skin slightly. I like to use this mask once a week to keep my skin polished and bright.

If you don’t like to use masks, or you’re looking for a way to integrate a chemical exfoliant into your routine on a more daily basis, I would recommend the Ren Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Tonic. It uses lactic acid to exfoliate the surface layer of skin and azelaic acid to brighten. This is gentle enough to use everyday whereas the Peter Thomas Roth should probably only be used a maximum of one day a week.

 

What products do you use to keep your skin bright?