We all want brighter, clearer, infinitely flawless skin. Yet, sun damage, dark spots and uneven tone can make that goal difficult to achieve. Even hormonal conditions, like melasma and those pimples of the past can leave your skin with discolorations you would rather be rid of, sooner rather than later.
Even worse, whether or not the damage due to UV rays and sun exposure is showing itself on the surface of your skin yet or not, it’s already developing beneath the surface, waiting to show itself in your complexion.
While many women turn to hydroquinone to fade spots and discoloration, the ingredient can come with multiple drawbacks that make it unsafe for long-term use. That’s why more and more, achieving the gorgeous, radiant skin you want and revealing a brighter, more even tone means turning to natural, yet highly potent ingredients proven to deliver results.
With this in mind, we’re breaking down the top skincare actives that work to reduce pigmentation, correct tone, and lighten and even the skin safely.
#1 - Vitamin C
Possibly one of the best-known skin brighteners, vitamin C boasts extensive antioxidant powers as well and plays a vital role in collagen synthesis. Since the vitamin powerhouse has also been shown to inhibit melanin production in the skin, which helps fade hyperpigmentation and dark spots, the vitamin is a must-have ingredient to banish photo-damage and even tone.
#2 - Licorice Extract
Licorice extract is a complexion hero thanks to its rich sources of glabridin, liquiritin and isoliquertin, antioxidants with amazing skin-brightening properties.
The main compound that powers the extract, glabridin helps to inhibit the process by which melanin is produced in the skin, to lighten the complexion, while liquiritin naturally disperses melanin to reduce pigmentation issues and brighten the skin.
Isoliquiritin rounds out the skin-brightening trio by helping to inhibit the activity of an enzyme known as tyrosinase, which plays a significant role in the melanin production in the skin to combat discoloration.
#3 - Bearberry Extract
Bearberry extract delivers potent levels of arbutin, a natural compound that has been shown to inactivate the enzyme responsible for skin pigmentation. This helps to specifically target and improve the appearance of uneven pigmentation, fade dark spots on skin’s surface, and provide enhanced anti-aging benefits!
#4 – Other Antioxidants
Because much of the uneven tone and pigmentation problems that come with aging are due to sun exposure and free radical damage, a range of additional antioxidants are necessary to rewind those issues, including:
- Green tea extract – This extract contains one of the most powerful antioxidants. Known as EGCG, the free radical fighter combats cell damage to diminish the signs of aging.
- Alpha lipoic acid – Soluble in both fat and water, this potent antioxidant absorbs deeply into skin to improve texture, even tone and gradually fade sun damage.
- Vitamin E – When combined with Vitamin C, this vitamin works to restore your skin’s natural barrier and brighten and even tone even more effectively than Vitamin C alone.
- Grapeseed oil – Rich in proanthocyanidins, this powerful antioxidant diminishes pigmentation issues and fades acne marks and dark spots when used consistently.
#5 – Skin Conditioners
However, as powerful as the antioxidants above are when it comes to diminishing hyperpigmentation and revealing a gorgeous, glowing complexion, it takes even more to truly even tone and lighten age spots and signs of sun damage. You also have to condition your skin in order to restore it’ natural lipid barrier and improve discoloration.
And just like with the antioxidants, a range of potent skin conditioners provides the most bang for your buck to help you achieve this goal.
Skin conditioners that transform your complexion include:
- Lonicera Japonica – From honeysuckle, this natural treatment for uneven skin tone and dullness, helps restore the glow your skin has been missing.
- Glycerin - A humectant, glycerin works to trap the moisture it draws into your skin, providing necessary hydration while your other actives take the lead to reverse uneven pigmentation.
- Squalene - Naturally present in your skin's lipid barrier, squalene guards your skin by preventing moisture loss, leaving it soft and supple.
- Aloe – Aloe vera not only helps to rejuvenate skin cells to combat photo-damage, it also conditions skin, alleviated pigmentation and improves your overall complexion.
- Oat beta glucan – A powerful active for glowing skin, oat beta glucan helps the other actives in your formula penetrate faster and more deeply, where they can go to work to even your tone. As an added bonus, the glucan even accelerates natural collagen production for firmer, more lifted skin.
- Panthenol – Another potent humectant, panthenol attracts and holds moisture in your skin to enhance its look and feel.
Introducing Depigmentation Serum by Knutek
Because these powerful actives work best in synergy, Knutek’s Depigmentation Serum is formulated to deliver them all in one gentle, yet highly effective serum.
Created to be an all-in-one skin discoloration solution, the advanced technology lightens and evens skin tone. In fact, in a controlled study involving volunteers of Asian descent, aged 25 to 50 years, use of Depigmentation Serum resulted in a significant reduction in pigmentation in comparison with other products.
Created from complex plant extracts such as bearberry, whose primary mechanism of action is tyrosinase inhibition, combined with magnesium ascorbyl phosphate (Vitamin C), which has an antioxidative and stabilizing effect the serum goes to work immediately to reveal an even, youthful, radiant complexion.
With Depigmentation Serum, you’ll see:
- A lighter, more even skin tone
- Diminished acne marks and dark spots
- Smoother skin and a supple texture
- Hydrated, plumper, more youthful skin
- A brighter, more vibrant complexion
By making Knutek’s Oxygen Plasma a part of your skincare regimen daily, you can put the power of the most powerful skin-brightening and lightening antioxidants along with potent skin conditioners to work to transform your complexion and banish pigmentation issues for good.