Are dark spots keeping you from achieving your skin goals? I know how much of a hassle they can be to have. Some of them are too stubborn to get rid of too. But there are treatments you can try to clear them up. Aside from professional help, there are also serums that contain ingredients that help lighten dark spots.
What causes dark spots?
Dark spots can be caused by different things — hormonal changes, sun damage, acne scarring, and more. Many of these marks can also be worsened by excessive sun exposure.
What fades acne scars and dark spots?
The good news is most of these can be treated with the help of correctors that contain lightening ingredients. Look for potent brighteners such as niacinamide, vitamin C, kojic acid, azelaic acid, alphahydroxy acids, and hydroquinone.
But take note that using these products will not work as fast as having treatments — you need to practice patience.
Best serums for dark spots in the Philippines
Here are some serums for dark spots that have one or more brightening ingredients.
1. Pond’s Bright Triple Glow Facial Serum
This serum promises to not only brighten your skin but also smoothen and hydrate it. This Pond’s product contains Gluta-Boost-C, which contains glutathione; it’s said to be 60 times better at fading dark spots than vitamin C. It also has pore-minimizing niacinamide and hydrating hyaluronic acid.
2. NIVEA Face Care Luminous 630 Spotclear Serum
This serum from NIVEA is formulated with the brand’s LUMINOUS 630 blend, which claims to be able to lighten even the oldest of your dark spots (yup, even if it’s 10 years old). It also has moisturizing sodium hyaluronate and vitamin E.
3. Luxe Organix Miracle Repair Luminous Bright Serum
Enjoy the brightening effects of this serum for dark spots that’s enriched with 4% niacinamide and licorice extracts. Got sensitive skin? This is paraben- and alcohol-free.
4. Garnier Light Complete Vitamin C Serum
Want something that works fast? This claims to be able to lighten your spots in just three days. On top of fading hyperpigmentation, this also promises to brighten the skin with regular use.
5. SNAILWHITE Double Boosting Brightening Serum
This serum is packed with potent brightening ingredients to ensure your dark spots are gone — vitamin C, niacinamide and alpha arbutin. It’s also enriched with hyaluronic acid to keep your skin supple and smooth. Snail mucin is added into the mix for skin barrier strengthening.
6. Dermorepubliq 2% Alpha Arbutin + Niacinamide + HA Dark Spot Corrector Serum
Lighten those dark marks with the help of this serum containing alpha arbutin, niacinamide and licorice extract. It has moisturizing and strengthening snail mucin and hyaluronic acid too. Plus, it’s free from potentially irritating ingredients such as artificial colorants and scents, making it great for those with sensitive skin.
7. Face Republic Vita Capsule Luminous Serum
Boost your skin’s clarity and radiance with this serum that’s packed with brightening vitamin C (from Jeju lemon extracts) and niacinamide. Amp up its hydration and smoothness too with the help of the vitamin B5, vitamin E and jojoba oil in its formula.
8. Fresh Skinlab Tomato Glass Skin 3in1 Vitamin C Brightening Serum
Got glass skin goals? This serum contains Theraglass Complex — a combination of hyaluronic acid, vitamin C and alpha arbutin — that boosts the skin’s radiance and hydrates it.
9. Axis-Y Dark Spot Glow Correcting Serum
This K-beauty serum is made with a base of 5% niacinamide and other ingredients — sea buckthorn, papaya and rice bran — that help brighten the skin. It’s also packed with plant-derived squalane, allantoin, and calendula that keep the skin hydrated and soothed.
10. The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
Boost brightness, promote smoothness, and strengthen your skin with the help of this water-based serum packed with niacinamide and zinc.
11. The Inkey List Mandelic Acid Treatment Serum
Lighten dark spots by promoting faster cell turnover with the help of this serum — it has mandelic acid and retinol that does just that! It also contains glycerin, which is great for hydrating the skin.
12. Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Brightening Spot Ampoule
Brighter skin and lighter spot in two weeks? This ampoule promises to help you achieve that. It has the brand’s proprietary Melasolv™ ingredient that targets dark spots and a blend of tranexamic acid, vitamin C derivative and glycyrrhizic acid that birghten the skin.
13. LANEIGE Radian-C Spot Serum
Looking for vitamin C in a serum? This has 15.2%! With the help of niacinamide, this serum promises to give your skin radiance and clarity in a lightweight formula that’s a joy to wear.
14. Sunday Riley C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum
Fight dullness, discoloration and dark spots with the help of this serum that contains THD ascorbate, a powerful form of vitamin C. It also has phystosterols complex that helps soothe the appearance of redness on the skin.
15. Good Molecules Niacinamide Serum
Get rid of dark spots and make your pores look smaller with this serum from Good Molecules. It’s also great for treating clogged pores and acne.
16. Cetaphil Bright Healthy Radiance Perfecting Serum
Yes, in case you missed it, Cetaphil has entered the brightening arena. This serum from the brand promises to provide 7x power for a more radiant complexion. Aside from brightening niacinamide and vitamin C, it also has natural sea daffodil and peptides.
17. Kiehl’s Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution
This paraben-free serum has stabilized vitamin C that brightens the skin and dark spots and salicylic acid to keep acne at bay (so there’s a decreased risk of getting dark spots!).
18. OLAY Luminous Niacinamide and AHA Serum
Looking for a serum that lightens dark spots that are up to 10 layers deep? This one from Olay promises to do that. Aside from niacinamide and vitamin C, it also has lactic acid that targets hyperpigmentation. It’s also free from pore-clogging ingredients.
19. L’Oreal Glycolic Bright Instant Glowing Face Serum
This serum from L’Oreal contains 1.0% glycolic acid that helps brighten the skin in two weeks. Yes, all of the products do the same, but this one is said to have been tested specifically on Asian skin!
20. Bioten Whitening Face Serum Skin Glow
If an ingredient-packed serum is what you’re looking for, this one fits the bill. It has white ten or ten brightening ingredients to help get rid of dark spots and give your skin radiance — Centella Asiatica, Camelia Japonica, Matsutake Mushroom, Mulberry & Paper Mulberry, Green Tea, Apple Fruit, Rhus Semialata extracts, Glucosamine, Niacinamide. It’s also said to be made with 93% ingredients of natural origin.
21. Dermaction Plus by Watsons Triple Vitamin C Intensive Serum
On top of three vitamin C derivatives, this serum also contains hydrolyzed collagen for plumper and smoother skin and carrot oil CLR that’s packed with beta-carotene for nourishment.
Looking for more additions to your skincare routine? Check these out: