20 Best Products for Hyperpigmentation and Dark Spots
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Even with the best products for hyperpigmentation in hand, dealing with discoloration can be a lesson in patience. It can manifest as dark spots, brown patches, or an all-around uneven skin tone, and—depending on what you’re working with—can take what feels like ages to fade. And while your usual skin care routine can definitely help improve your skin’s overall appearance, tackling discoloration like acne scars and sun spots can require a little more strategy, especially when you’re working with topical, over-the-counter formulas.
“Hyperpigmentation is triggered by an overproduction of melanin in the skin,” says Deanne Robinson, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Westport, Connecticut. “There are a few ways that melanin production is triggered into overdrive—these are primarily sun exposure, hormonal changes, age, skin injury, and inflammation,” she says; this results in post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), which is the dark spots that pop up after a breakout, and melasma, which is driven by hormones and worsens with sun exposure. Anyone can experience hyperpigmentation, but it’s this overproduction of melanin that explains why people of color are most prone to it.
That’s why coming up with an effective treatment requires being strategic with your active ingredients. Unlike when you choose the best moisturizer—which is mostly in charge of hydrating skin and supporting the skin barrier—tackling discoloration calls for a more targeted lineup, such as retinol, glycolic acid, vitamin C, and the newer, more under-the-radar tranexamic acid. These skin care ingredients can tackle excess pigment at various points in its formation, shutting it down before it reaches the surface. Not only can you find them in dedicated hyperpigmentation creams and serums, but they also come as stand-alone products from brands like The Ordinary.
Our top picks:
- Best Overall: Murad Rapid Dark Spot Correcting Serum, $83
- Best Budget: E.L.F. Skin Advanced Night Retinoid Serum, $22
- Best for Dry Skin: Allies of Skin Tranexamic and Arbutin Advanced Brightening Serum, $99
- Best for Oily Skin: SkinCeuticals Phyto A+ Brightening Treatment, $105
- Best for Acne-Prone Skin: Skinfix Acne+ 2% BHA + Azelaic Acid + Niacinamide + AHA Cleanser, $35
In addition to a dedicated hyperpigmentation serum or treatment, it’s essential to stick with products that are already in your routine—namely, sunscreen, since sun damage is a major contributor to discoloration. Skipping it could mean self-sabotage. “Although over time with the natural turnover of skin cells, hyperpigmentation can potentially fade over the course of three to six months, the reality is that there are often environmental factors that may keep it around,” says Erum Ilyas, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. “UV or other light exposure such as blue light can contribute to persistent pigmentation.” Plus, sun exposure contributes to other signs of aging, such as fine lines and wrinkles—so SPF is a win-win no matter your concern.
With that in mind, here’s what you need to know to put together your plan for glowing skin and a more even tone, stat.
How quickly can I fade hyperpigmentation or remove dark spots?
This can take anywhere from weeks to months to several years, Dr. Robinson says, depending on the products you’re using—and on the cause of the hyperpigmentation. “An over-the-counter lightening product won’t have much, if any, impact if the trigger is hormonal shifts that haven’t stabilized, or if you’re still lying in the sun without SPF protection.”
What ingredients should you look out for?
There are three primary groups of hyperpigmentation-zapping ingredients. The first are those that halt pigment production: “This can occur by blocking tyrosinase, an enzyme responsible for melanin production,” says Dr. Ilyas. These ingredients include azelaic acid, vitamin C, kojic acid, and alpha-arbutin. (There’s also hydroquinone, which, due to its potentially hazardous effects, is usually excluded in not just clean beauty products, but largely across the board these days.),
Next are those that increase cell turnover, like retinol, glycolic acid, and salicylic acid. “By increasing the rate of exfoliation, the goal is to accelerate how quickly the excess pigment present in the skin can be removed,” Dr. Ilyas says. As such, an exfoliating treatment or face scrub can help, but only in moderation, she says: “Exfoliation can play a role in managing hyperpigmentation but there is a need to strike a balance, as excess exfoliation can also contribute to excess pigmentation.”
And finally, some ingredients, such as niacinamide and tranexamic acid, block the transfer of pigment from the pigment-producing cells to your skin cells. “By reducing how much melanin is transferred, the hope is that less melanin will spread through the skin cells,” says Dr. Ilyas.
Whether you find them in brightening face cleansers, exfoliating toners, actives-packed face serums, or all of the above, the best products for hyperpigmentation should deliver on at least one of these three points. Here, the ones that actually work.
Best Overall: Murad Rapid Dark Spot Correcting Serum
Courtesy of brand1/20Murad Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum
Newly formulated sans hydroquinone (it’s already banned in the EU and Japan due to those safety concerns we mentioned), this serum instead uses patented technology that harnesses resorcinol, which inhibits tyrosinase, says Dr. Ilyas. The product also offers tranexamic and glycolic acids, giving you the trifecta of hyperpigmentation-fighting ingredients.
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Best Budget: E.L.F. Skin Advanced Night Retinoid Serum
Courtesy of brand2/20E.l.f. Skin Advanced Night Retinoid Serum
Retinoids are a derm fave for tackling hyperpigmentation (along with boosting collagen production and smoothing skin—just saying). “These ingredients help to speed up the turnover rate of skin cells, moving along dyspigmented skin cells and replacing them with new, healthy skin cells at the surface,” Dr. Robinson says. And this one offers two types to gradually resurface skin, as well as antioxidants and hyaluronic acid for more immediate radiance and hydration.
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Best for Deep Skin Tones: Eadem Milk Marvel Dark Spot Serum With Niacinamide and Vitamin C
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Courtesy of brand3/20Eadem Milk Marvel Dark Spot Serum with Niacinamide and Vitamin C
Hyperpigmentation is more prevalent among people of color, so it’s only right that this lightweight serum was formulated with melanin-rich skin in mind. “After a month of using it religiously (in addition to upping my water intake and prioritizing holistic wellness to quell breakouts), I noticed the dark spots beginning to fade. My cheeks looked more evenly toned and started to bounce back to a smoother canvas for creamy bronzers and blushes,” says a Glamour writer who tried (and loved) it.
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Best for Everyday Use: Hyper Skin Gentle Brightening Gel Cleanser With Mandelic Acid
Courtesy of brand4/20Hyper Skin Gentle Brightening Gel Cleanser with Mandelic Acid
A cleanser for everyone, this creamy formula deploys mandelic acid (an alpha hydroxy acid) alongside licorice root, arbutin, and willow bark to decongest skin while cleansing away makeup and grime. Even the tiniest potential for irritation, however, is offset by a soothing blend of aloe and cucumber for skin that’s clean, healthy, and that much brighter.
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Best for Sensitive Skin: La Roche-Posay 10% Pure Niacinamide Serum
Courtesy of brand5/20La Roche-Posay 10% Pure Niacinamide Serum
Niacinamide is almost everyone’s BFF: It not only offers perks for all skin types—since it helps support the skin barrier and balance excess oil—but it’s especially gentle for those with sensitive skin, thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties. Plus, says Dr. Robinson, “niacinamide is proven to reduce hyperpigmentation and brighten the complexion.” Meaning, the 10% concentration in this serum should translate to an improvement in a matter of weeks.
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Best for Oily Skin: SkinCeuticals Phyto A+ Brightening Treatment
Courtesy of brand6/20SkinCeuticals Phyto A+ Brightening Treatment
Move over, C E Ferulic: With a weightless, gel-like texture, this potent formula contains 3% azelaic acid, 2% alpha-arbutin (to brighten), and a 5.75% phyto botanical blend (for dullness), offering allover brightening while addressing darker spots. “My dark spots seem to be fading at a faster rate than usual,” wrote one a Glamour contributor in her review of the SkinCeuticals product. “And I’ve noticed the biggest improvement in my skin texture, which is so smooth and soft that it’s almost in baby-bottom territory.”
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Best Spot Treatment: Hero Cosmetics Micropoint for Dark Spots
Courtesy of brand7/20Hero Cosmetics Mighty Patch Micropoint for Dark Spots
Each of these stickers has 395 micropoints (count ’em!), which deliver a potent combo of tranexamic acid, niacinamide, and vitamin C to the spot in question. Pop it on before bed for a less noticeable dark spot by morning.
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Best Exfoliant: Peace Out Dark Spots Serum
Courtesy of brand8/20Peace Out Dark Spots Serum
While it’s billed as a serum, this formula serves as a powerful exfoliant in its own right. It contains an intensive 10% blend of alpha hydroxy acids, including glycolic, mandelic, and lactic acids, alongside tranexamic acid and kojic acid (a tyrosinase inhibitor)—hitting all the sweet spots of a good hyperpigmentation serum.
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Best for Pregnancy: The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%
Courtesy of brand9/20The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%
Pregnancy can wreck your skin, with hormonal fluctuations leading to brand-new acne. The twist? It also limits what you can use to address your new friends. Enter azelaic acid, which can tackle both inflammatory breakouts and the PIH that follows, since it’s a tyrosinase inhibitor. “The texture felt super luxe and absorbed nicely, and while I didn’t notice an improvement on a stubborn breakout, my post-acne dark spots looked less opaque than they had,” says one Glamour writer.
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Best for Acne-Prone Skin: Skinfix Acne+ 2% BHA + Azelaic Acid + Niacinamide + AHA Cleanser
Courtesy of brand10/20Skinfix Acne+ 2% BHA + Azelaic Acid + Niacinamide + AHA Cleanser
While this face cleanser is technically geared towards blemishes, its concentrated formula (which features both salicylic and alpha hydroxy acids) can also handle hyperpigmentation. That’s because it also contains niacinamide and azelaic acid, helping to fade PIH before it starts. If that sounds like a lot, no sweat—it’s been especially formulated to preserve skin’s microbiome.
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Best With SPF: Dr. Loretta Urban Antioxidant Sunscreen SPF 40
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Courtesy of brand11/20Dr. Loretta Urban Antioxidant Sunscreen SPF 40
Yes, you need sunscreen; otherwise you’ll be undoing your hard work. “Mineral sunscreen with SPF 30 or more is critical for prevention and for protection while established hyperpigmentation resolves,” Dr. Robinson says. This elegant, nonchalky version has a slight tint and is packed with antioxidants to help brighten while it protects.
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Best for Dry Skin: Allies of Skin Tranexamic and Arbutin Advanced Brightening Serum
Courtesy of brand12/20Allies of Skin Tranexamic and Arbutin Advanced Brightening Serum
While you’ll find the usual suspects in this serum—think tranexamic acid, alpha-arbutin, and niacinamide—what sets it apart is a 5% mushroom complex that’s brimming with antioxidants. Sure, it helps with discoloration, but the combo of reishi and shiitake mushrooms has also been found to increase hydration, making this a winner for dry skin types.
Save when you shop for the best products for hyperpigmentation with these Dermstore promo codes.
Best for Mature Skin: PCA Skin Pigment Gel Pro
Courtesy of brand13/20PCA Skin Pigment Gel Pro
While targeted treatments for hyperpigmentation can go a long way, a single comprehensive formula can occasionally tackle them all. That’s the case with this treatment, which is powered by an exclusive complex that includes tranexamic acid, hexylresorcinol, and licorice root extract to tackle dark spots, sun spots, uneven tone, and brown patches—making it a game-changer in your antiaging lineup. It’s also clinically proven to reveal results in just four weeks.
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Best for Severe Pigmentation: Isdin Melaclear Advanced
Courtesy of brand14/20Isdin Melaclear Advanced
This skin-brightening treatment not only feels like a dream to apply—thanks to its weightless, silky texture—but takes on moderate to severe pigment with ease too. That’s because it teams ups tranexamic acid and niacinamide, which block pigment transfer, with exfoliating acids (to help shed dead skin cells) and a tyrosinase inhibitor. Then there’s the licorice extract, which soothes and helps preserve skin’s hyaluronic acid levels, and barrier-boosting ingredients.
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Best for Melasma: Boots Ingredients Tranexamic Acid Night Serum
Courtesy of brand15/20Boots Ingredients Tranexamic Acid Night Serum
For the uninitiated, “melasma is discoloration in the skin as a result of hormones interacting with light exposure,” says Dr. Ilyas. (That hormonal factor explains why it’s so prevalent during pregnancy, especially among people with darker skin tones.) The good news? Research shows that tranexamic acid can help with this stubborn condition—and in this lightweight serum, it’s the star of the show.
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Fastest-Acting: Dermalogica PowerBright Dark Spot Serum
Courtesy of brand16/20Dermalogica PowerBright Dark Spot Serum
Not only is this serum packed with light-diffusing technology to blur the look of pigmentation on the spot, but the actives within—niacinamide, hexylresorcinol, and antioxidant-rich botanicals—begin fading dark spots in as soon as a week, per the brand’s clinical testing.
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Best for Travel: Noble Panacea The Exceptional Vitamin C Booster
Courtesy of brand17/20Noble Panacea The Exceptional Vitamin C Booster
Want to take your hyperpigmentation-busting routine on the road? Toss these single-use (and recyclable!) pods into your carry-on. They contain a vitamin C serum with 20% pure L-ascorbic acid (along with eight additional sources of vitamin C, like plum and cherry) and can be combined with your go-to serum. Plus, not only are the pods convenient for travel, but they help keep the formula fresh and at peak potency too.
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Best Mask: Urban Skin Rx Hypercorrect Intense Fading Cream
Courtesy of brand18/20Urban Skin Rx Hypercorrect Intense Fading Cream
If you’ve never heard of cysteamine, you’re not alone—the new(ish) kid in the skin care aisle, this antioxidant tackles hyperpigmentation by reducing cystine, a type of amino acid, in the skin. In doing so, it prevents melanin from forming. While it has a learning curve to use, since you have to apply it over makeup and then rinse it off, it’s worth doing for the *chef’s kiss* results.
Best Multitasker: StriVectin Glowfactor SPF 30 Instant Illuminating Lotion
Courtesy of brand19/20StriVectin Glowfactor SPF 30 Instant Illuminating Lotion
Part illuminating primer, part broad-spectrum SPF, and part brightening treatment, this versatile formula offers instant radiance and a more even skin tone over time, courtesy of licorice and marshmallow root. While it imparts a dewy sheen, it won’t leave skin looking greasy or with a white cast.
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Best for Post-Treatment: Colorescience Even Up Clinical Pigment Perfector SPF 50
Courtesy of brand20/20Colorescience Even Up Clinical Pigment Perfector SPF 50
If you’re seeing your derm for in-office brightening treatments—think microneedling or laser resurfacing—then pack this formula with you. Not only does it offer a proprietary complex that addresses multiple phases of the pigment formation process to level up your results, but it’s also tinted and packed with SPF 50 to protect vulnerable post-treatment skin.
Save when you shop for the best products for hyperpigmentation with these Dermstore promo codes.
