How to Incorporate Skin Brightening Products Into Your Skincare Routine
Building the best skincare routine is a bit overwhelming at first. There’s a new world of oils, essences, direct acids, and more to navigate.
Use a gentle face wash for your skin type that removes makeup, dirt, and impurities without stripping the skin (oily skin needs barrier-boosting ingredients like ceramides). Follow with a hydrating toner for all skin types (dry and sensitive skin need it, too) and a serum with brightening ingredients.
Vitamin C Serum
Vitamin C is one of the most well-rounded ingredients for effective skin brighteners. It can improve many issues, from dullness and hyperpigmentation to redness and fine lines.
It’s also an antioxidant, meaning it’s excellent at fighting environmental free radicals. This helps to keep your skin looking younger and healthier.
You can find this ingredient in many skincare products, from cleansers to mists and moisturizers. However, a serum is the preferred form. This is because it has the ideal delivery system before your moisturizer.
When selecting a serum, look for ascorbic acid (the most potent form of vitamin C) or sodium ascorbyl phosphate (which is more water-soluble and easier to absorb). If the product you’re considering has oxidized, it will appear dark brown or orange and have an unpleasant smell.
Also, look for antioxidants like vitamin E and ferulic acid. These will help stabilize the vitamin C and increase its efficacy, leading to brighter and more youthful-looking skin. One good option is the Simple Booster Serum – 10% Vitamin C+E+F. This derm-validated formula is fragrance-free and non-comedogenic, so that it will be gentle on your skin. Plus, it contains hyaluronic acid for added hydration.
Niacinamide
Niacinamide might not get the same buzz as retinol and vitamin C, but it’s just as good at brightening your complexion. It’s also a great anti-inflammatory and helps to calm redness, rashes, and irritation. This skincare superstar is especially helpful in reducing the appearance of dark spots and uneven skin tone.
Niacinamide prevents the build-up of excess pigmentation by inhibiting the transfer of melanin from our skin cells to those around it. In addition, it helps to reduce the appearance of pores, fine lines, and wrinkles. It’s also known to increase the effectiveness of sunscreens.
It’s best to use niacinamide after your cleanser but before you apply a serum or moisturizer. “You can also add it to a tinted sunscreen for sun protection and skin brightening,” says Dr. Robinson.
As a bonus, this ingredient works well with other skincare actives, like hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, zinc, peptides, and ceramides. It can also be used alongside retinol to help ease dryness, redness, and irritation. It’s an excellent match for oily and acne-prone skin types, too. Look for products infused with it in the form of a serum, cream, or face mist that also contains glycolic acid to help reduce sebum production and the appearance of pores. It also reduces redness, fine lines and wrinkles, dullness, and hyperpigmentation.
Papaya
Papaya is more than just a delicious tropical fruit. This undercover powerhouse contains wholesome nutrients that benefit your skin, hair, and digestive system. It is especially effective for preventing aging, reducing blemishes, and lightening dark spots.
Incorporate Papaya into your skincare routine using a facial cleanser containing this powerful ingredient. The Papaya enzymes in this face wash helps to exfoliate the skin and remove dead cells. It also helps to unclog pores and improve the overall texture of your skin. In addition to its exfoliating properties, this facial cleanser contains a blend of natural ingredients that help to brighten the complexion. It is also formulated with anti-aging ingredients, including coconut oil and Hawaiian Noni, to reduce the appearance of fine lines.
Another way to use Papaya is by applying a homemade facial mask. To make your papaya mask, mix some ripe Papaya with Fuller’s Earth (aka multani mitti) and rose water. Apply the mask to your face and neck and leave it on for ten minutes before washing it off.
You can also incorporate Papaya into your skincare using a serum containing this powerful ingredient. The Papain in this serum will help to exfoliate the skin and remove any blemishes. It will also help to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by promoting skin elasticity.
White Tea
Many ingredients are available for skincare to tackle every issue, from fine lines and wrinkles to acne, hyperpigmentation, and even sun damage. But some people may prefer gentler, more natural options to avoid irritating their sensitive skin. If this sounds like you, you might consider adding white tea extract to your routine.
The leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant are rich in polyphenols and catechins, known for their antioxidant, anti-aging, and antibacterial properties. Unlike green and black tea, which are fermented, white tea is unfermented, which retains more antioxidants for healthier skin.
White tea extract effectively brightens by reducing dark spots and discoloration, such as acne scarring and sunburn. It also helps to brighten the complexion overall by reducing redness and calming irritation.
It also protects against oxidative stress, one of the leading causes of age-related issues such as hyperpigmentation, dullness, and wrinkles. Lotions, potions, and cleansers that contain white tea extract help to reduce this oxidation and keep your skin looking younger for longer.
You can add a skin-brightening product that contains white tea extract to your morning routine or use it in a face mask or overnight treatment. You can find many products formulated with this powerful, natural ingredient, such as Ole Henriksen The Clean Truth Foaming Cleanser, which has white tea extract and African red tea extract, and Origins RitualiTea Feeling Rosy Comforting Powder Face Mask with Rooibos Tea & Rose.