The Best Skincare Routine for Dark Spots and Hyperpigmentation

The best skincare routine for dark spots and hyperpigmentation. Basically all the products I used to clear my dark spots and acne scars.

I’ve struggled with dark spots or hyperpigmentation pretty much for as long as I can remember and anyone who has experienced the same struggle can attest to how much of a toll it takes out of your self confidence. You see all these clear skin girlies and all the clean girl trends going around, and it’s honestly so frustrating when your own skin is so stubborn and other people seemed to have been blessed with effortlessly clear skin.

I’ve suffered from acne prone skin which, no matter how hard I resisted the urge to pick at, still turned into the most stubborn dark spots! I’ll tell you guys I tried pretty much every home remedy/product I could think of and nothing seemed to help. I tried everything at one point or another; lemon juice, turmeric, even those cursed rotating face brushes. You name a weird online remedy and I’ve probably tried it! My skin was crying out for help.

Now I’m no dermatologist but it became clear to me that what my skin was missing was a structured routine. Instead of applying random harsh products or rubbing my skin raw in the hopes of seeing results. I decided to break down each problem I was having to make it more manageable. Once I focused on each individual problem and once I decided that it was okay to not see immediate results. Being patient and loving with my skin is actually what ended up working. I know that sounds so cheesy and obvious but it’s actually so true!

THE BEST SKINCARE ROUTINE FOR DARK SPOTS

So I actually discovered that the best routine for my skin (that produced results) was actually the classic 5 step routine we all know and love. You know;

1. Cleanse,
2. Tone,
3. Serum and
4. Moisturize

This little routine is a godsend but I’m guessing everyone knows this by now! But I just wanted highlight the fact that if you have been struggling with your skin and haven’t been seeing results and haven’t tried out this routine, it really does work! (If you’re using the right products and actually following the steps). Obviously consult a dermatologist, this is all still just from my personal experience. I just modified this to obviously tackle the specific problems I was having.

1. Cleanse With the Dove Gentle Beauty Bar

I found that what worked best for my skin was to start off the whole routine with a gentle cleanser. And the dove bar soap ended up being the perfect gentle cleanser for me, and top of that it’s relatively cheap and so easy to find. It’s one of those products you’ll quickly find yourself using everyday without even realizing it. (Another weirdly great cleanser I use if I’m looking for something really gentle is baby soap, it’s a really gentle alternative, if you can’t use the dove soap).

2. Exfoliate with The Ordinary Glycolic Acid Toner

Glycolic acid is a great chemical exfoliator for removing dead, rough skin. I use The Ordinary Glycolic Acid solution as a toner about 3 times a week and I can honestly say that my skin has become brighter, like it’s lost that dull look since I started using this product. I didn’t even know that I had dull skin until the effect of this toner! If you’re looking for a product that’ll help your skin feel generally smoother and look brighter, I totally recommend this toner!

3. Tone with the Neutrogena Rapid Clear Fight & Fade Acne Toner

This product has been a God-send for me! Okay so it seemed like the root cause of my hyperpigmentation was the persistent acne I had, and so I did some digging and found out that one of the best chemicals for getting rid of acne is salicylic acid. Apparently it works by penetrating deep into your pores and cleaning out all the gunk that causes acne. And all I can say is that this product has definitely worked for me. It’s been so nice to not have to be bothered by acne every single day.

4. Serum with The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

So Niacinamide is said to be great for evening out skin tone and as someone with lots of dark spots and uneven skin, you can see why this was appealing. As far as I can tell this niacinamide serum did what it was supposed to because my skin is brighter and is definitely slowly evening out. I honestly have no complaints about this serum. If you’re looking for a well rounded serum that’ll help with evening out your skin then try out this Niacinamide serum from The Ordinary.

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5. Serum with the FAIR & WHITE ANTI-DARK SPOT GLUTATHION SERUM

This is the part (in most skincare routines) where most people would apply the typical vitamin c serum, and pretty sure there are some good ones out there! But I visited this local beauty store once and owner swore by this serum. I was really hesitant to try it to be honest but at that point was willing to try anything. When I tell you guys, this serum changed my life! My dark spots have definitely started fading and I’m hoping that the longer I use this the more results I’ll see. One thing I’ll say though is that I feel like this product has a minor lightening effect, so if that not something you want, definitely keep that in mind if you want to try this product.

6. Moisturize with CETAPHIL Daily Hydrating Lotion for Face

Honestly I don’t fuss too much about moisturizer, any simple moisturizing lotion will do for me. I use this Cetaphil moisturizer just because it’s convenient and it does an overall good job at moisturizing my skin.

7. Sunscreen with Good Molecules SHEER MINERAL SUNSCREEN SPF 30

Before I got on this skincare journey, I never really saw the importance of wearing sunscreen. I mean I’m black so I was definitely on the train that thought it wasn’t really necessary you know. But I was so wrong. If you want even skin, sunscreen is definitely a must do! And most of these chemicals you apply don’t react well to direct sunlight, so if you want to see results after all the hard work of doing a whole skincare routine then you really need to be applying sunscreen!