I think the most frustrating thing about breaking out is having a dark spot left behind to remind you of all the pain and suffering. I have been on a long skincare journey since my teens getting over cystic acne and hormonal acne. One thing that seems to frustrate me the most is once you tackle the acne then getting rid of the dark spot is a whole other journey.
Products that are marketed towards getting rid of dark spots are sometimes made to lighten the dark spot and not really made to even out the skin tone. While getting rid of a dark spot can give instant gratification, it can also leave behind a halo. Where the dark spot is lighter, but the skin around it is not.
I didn’t really notice a difference in the evenness and tone of my skin until I added vitamin c to my daily skincare routine. Vitamin C is such a vital part of a skincare routine that I feel like sometimes can get overlooked. If you suffer from dark spots and want to add something anti-aging to your skincare routine Vitamin C is something that you should think about adding.
Vitamin C is an antioxidant that is also known as ascorbic acid. It has many benefits such as defending again free radicals (think pollution), boosting collagen production and reducing dark spots and sun damage. There are many other forms of vitamin c such as magnesium ascorbyl phosphate (water soluble) and ester c. I find that ascorbic acid is the easiest to find and is usually the least irritating.
Here are some Vitamin C serums that I recommend
Volition Strawberry C Brightening Serum- contains strawberry fruit and Kakadu plum to brighten and hyaluronic acid to plump the skin. Suitable for oily/combo skin types or anyone allergic to ascorbic acid. $42
Good Beaute Vita C Serum– vitamin c to brighten skin and stimulates collagen production. Suitable for all skin types and gives skin an instant glow. $55
Drunk Elephant C Firma Vitamin C Day Serum– 15% ascorbic acid and pumpkin ferment to resurface the skin and minimize the appearance of pores. Suitable for all skin types. $80
Tru Skin Vitamin C Serum– 20% sodium ascorbyl phosphate plant-based formula. Suitable for all skin types. $20
I do recommend getting vitamin c in your skincare routine sooner than later. If you’re sensitive to ascorbic acid or pregnant, I would recommend looking for brightening ingredients such as licorice root, mulberry extract, arbutin, and willow bark. While vitamin c won’t solely do the job alone of getting rid of dark spots, it will definitely give you more evenness, plumping, and overall glow. Don’t forget to use your SPF daily!
