This Drugstore Face Cream Can Actually Visibly Fade Dark Spots
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Also called sun spots, age spots, or hyperpigmentation, dark spots can pop up on your face, hands and décolletage as a result of sun exposure, genetics, hormones, and inflammation, says Howard Murad, M.D., board-certified dermatologist and founder of Murad Skincare. If you’ve noticed freckle-like spots after a day at the beach or week-long vacation, these are sunspots or post-acne marks darkened by UV exposure, he explains. But they can also be age spots or melasma, which often occurs with pregnancy. Instead of just covering them with concealer, shop for dark spot correctors that can help fade hyperpigmentation for good.
The Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab scientists evaluate hundreds of skincare products every year, including ones that claim to correct dark spots, from night creams to at-home peels. GH Beauty Lab scientists conduct rigorous clinical testing, recruiting women of all ages and skin types to assess the products’ results after at home use. In the Lab, their skin is scanned with the Visia Complexion Analyzer machine to measure changes in the size and count of dark spots, plus pores, skin texture, and lines and wrinkles before and after weeks of use.
When shopping for dark spot correcting treatments, our experts suggest look for terms like “brightening” and “skin tone-evening” on the packaging. You should also look for products with ingredients like vitamin C (an antioxidant that brightens skin), niacinamide (vitamin B3, which slows pigment production), or hydroquinone (which inhibits an enzyme that produces melanin).
Here, the best dark spot corrector products on the market that really work to fade and remove dark spots on the face, as tested by the GH Beauty Lab, including treatments and creams for face, body, acne, and drugstore buys:
