Dark spots

First and foremost when it comes to looking after your skin, especially here in Australia, effective sun protection is key. The most common source of dark spots is excessive exposure to the sun as your skin produces extra melanin to try protect against the harmful UV rays.

After UV damage the main causes of dark spots and pigmentation are:

• Age or "liver" spots are a common form of hyperpigmentation that are found in roughly 90% of people over 60 but are also very common in younger adults. These occur usually on the face and hands through prolonged and frequent exposure to the sun.
• Melasma spots present similarly to age spots/sun damage but are often larger areas of darkened skin present on women in pregnancy or occasionally through birth control pills caused by a hormonal imbalance triggering excess production of melanin. It is harmless but if you are concerned/bothered about the hyperpigmentation you should consider stopping or changing your birth control pill
• Freckles are a common inherited characteristic that appear as small brown spots anywhere on the body but most commonly on the face and arms. Freckles can become darker or more pronounced through too much sun exposure as the melanin in your skin works to protect your skin from harmful UV rays.
• If your skin has undergone any trauma e.g acne scars, burns or psoriasis you may experience some hyperpigmentation as a result of the inflammation
• Any irritation from acne, waxing, scrubs or products with harsh, irritative ingredients i.e fragrances, sulphates, essential oils, parabens; can also cause dark spots.
• Any drugs that increase your sensitivity to the sunlight will increase your chances of experiencing dark spots or uneven skin tone.

If you notice any irregularly shaped freckles, irritated, reddish dark spots or have concerns about any of your dark spots you should book a consultation with your GP or dermatologist to rule out any possible Melanoma.

When you’re trying to get rid of those pesky dark spots or uneven bits of skin tone, face serums should be the first product you reach for! Dark spots removal face serums are filled with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and other anti-ageing ingredients that help protect your skin against damaging environmental factors like UV and pollution all the while diminishing the visible signs of ageing leaving you with healthier, younger looking skin. Serums are mostly clear, gel-based or liquid and they tend to be less thick than a moisturiser. Serums are often able to hydrate more effectively than even the heaviest creams as they penetrate the skin and hydrate the deeper layers of the epidermis whereas heavier creams tend to sit and act on the surface.

The dynamic duo of our Brightening Serum & Night Renewal Serum is the perfect solution to your hyperpigmentation problems with clinically supported, bio-active ingredients. All of the good stuff at the right concentrations with none of the nasties.

Our Night Renewal Serum is the perfect dark spot remover for face use formulated with a night-time skin hydration formula with a dermatologically tested mix of Retinol & Granactive Retinoid designed to reduce skin damage that causes wrinkles, dry skin, loss of firmness and elasticity, and uneven pigmentation. Retinol provides smooth, even skin by promoting the natural production of collagen, elastin & hyaluronic, reduces skin roughness by assisting with the skin’s renewal exfoliation process and reduces blotchy pigmentation, improving skin tone.

Our Brightening Serum is a great dark spot serum and multivitamin boost of C, E & B3 (Niacinamide) that fights off free radicals and repairs any UV damaged skin. For a deeper dive into how our Vitamin C Serum helps you on your journey to brighter skin checkout our blog here

Niacinamide or Vitamin B3 is a key skin building block that helps maintain a healthy skin barrier and improves skin elasticity by promoting collagen and reducing collagen cross-linking. The scientifically documented topical benefits of using Niacinamide include acne control, blemish-free & shine-free skin, protects from UV-premature aging of skin, reduces appearance of wrinkles/lines, keeps skin well moisturised, and rebalances uneven skin tone for beautiful, radiant looking skin.

It's a common misconception that retinol and niacinamide don’t work well together but that couldn't be further from the truth. Many dermatologists recommend combining these two power ingredients for retinol’s impressive wrinkle reduction and niacinamide’s skin calming effects. Research shows that while these two ingredients address different issues in the skin they complement each other extremely well. Niacinamide calms the skin’s irritability while also strengthening the skin's external barrier to environmental attack. This allows retinol to work its anti-ageing magic without the irritating effects some people may experience with it. Making these two ingredients your best friends when it comes to improving uneven skin tone and brightening dull skin.

• As these are serums they’ll slot right in at the start of your normal skincare routine.
• Start with clean, towel-dried skin and it’s not essential but if you normally use a toner, mist or exfoliant apply those first.
• Both serums layer well with each other but for layering two different products, apply the one that has the thinnest/lightest texture first.
• There’s no need to have a break between applying both serums. These ingredients boost each other!
• You can use these serums together day or night. However just make sure if you incorporate these two into your morning routine, follow with broad-spectrum sun protection during the day.

Keep in mind that while using niacinamide + retinol, this combination works great for a lot of people, but if you find that your skin becomes red, flaky or feels uncomfortable, you may need to decrease the frequency of application or move down to lower concentrations of the bio-active ingredients.

Your Vitamin C Brightening Serum will:

• Diminish the visible signs of ageing, including fine lines and wrinkles.
• Minimise the appearance of dark spots in your complexion.
• Hydrate and firm up your skin for improved radiance and texture.
• Increase collagen production.
• Soothe UV-affected skin.
• Protect against sun damage.
• Reduce hyperpigmentation.
• Even out your skin tone.
• Brighten your complexion.
• Act as armour against pollution and other free radicals.

**Vitamin C facts and tips: **

• Vitamin C products benefit all skin types (even the most sensitive).
• Store your Vitamin C Brightening Serum in a cool, dry place.
• Apply your Vitamin C Brightening Serum before your moisturiser.
• Not all Vitamins Cs are created equal – ours are scientifically backed.

How do I use it?

• Cleanse your skin as usual – in the morning and/or evening.
• Apply a few drops of Vitamin C Brightening Serum.
• Apply your favourite moisturisers and make-up as usual.

Not convinced? Here are 3 key reasons why you need a vitamin c serum in your skincare regime

Vitamin E occurs naturally in human skin, but can become depleted due to constant environmental exposure in the absence of sun protection. It offers significant antioxidant properties to help defend from pollution and discourage sebum oxidation (stops blackheads from forming), accelerates healing of skin damage, improves hyperpigmentation and keeps the skin's protective lipid barrier intact which helps retain moisture.

Our Brightening Serum combines vitamin E and vitamin C to maximise their beneficial effects to skin. Together they can improve the appearance of uneven skin tone, brighten a dull complexion, and strengthen skin’s defenses against the impact of environmental assault. These vitamins work extremely well together as vitamin C acts mainly on the surface level, whereas vitamin E is oil-soluble so it acts on deeper layers in the epidermis, giving you the best of both worlds.