Best Skin Brightening Ingredients for Your Routine
Dull skin is often referred to as dark skin, which is rich in melanin (skin color pigment), frequently, caused by multiple factors, like sun damage, hyperpigmentation, aging, dark spots, and more. On the opposite, bright skin marks well-toned “glowing” skin that’s lower in melanin. If you’re prone to dark spots, don’t worry, there are plenty of amazing ingredients that can help you brighten your overall complexion, so you won’t need to rely on makeup products (concealers, foundations, BB creams, setting powders) anymore to hide these imperfections.
These ingredients work to reduce melanin production, and over time fade or heal the concerns you’re facing, and you can safely include these ingredients into your skincare regimen. Below, you’ll find the list of the 6 best skin brightening ingredients. Learn what they are, their full benefits, how they work, what products contain them, the best time to use them, and what to avoid using them.
1. Vitamin C
Vitamin C or in other words L-ascorbic acid is one of the best ingredients that can brighten your skin. It’s also among the most popular and researched ingredients.
Benefits: Brightens, reduces hyperpigmentation, hydrates, protects from sun, soothes, and minimizes fine lines.
How it works: Vitamin C restrains the production of the enzyme tyrosinase (used in melanin production), which can trigger and lead to dark spots. By blocking this process it helps to brighten the skin. It also neutralizes free radicals that are caused by the sun (reducing sun damage) and boosts collagen synthesis, to keep the skin firm and smooth.
2. Alpha Arbutin
It has a brightening ability like hydroquinone (known for “bleaching” the skin), it’s just a safer and gentler alternative for sensitive skin you can use every day.
Benefits: Brightens, repairs skin, reduces dark spots and acne scars, treats hyperpigmentation, protects from the sun, and is safe for sensitive skin.
How it works: Almost the same as vitamin C, by blocking the enzyme tyrosinase, to reduce dark spots and types of discolorations.
What products contain Alpha Arbutin: Serums, cleansers, masks, lotion, and creams.
Best time to use: Morning, and before bed.
What to avoid: Mixing it with Retinoids, or AHAs/BHAs.
3. Kojic Acid
Kojic acid is extracted from fungi species (Aspergillus oryzae), and can also be obtained from rice wine, vinegar, and soy sauce fermentation process.
Benefits: Brightens, evens skin tone, treats acne scars, fades melasma and helps with aging.
How it works: Blocks the enzyme tyrosinase, which stops melanin production. Over time it starts to fade age spots, dark spots, and hyperpigmentation.
What products contain Kojic Acid: Soaps, serums, creams, exfoliators, and lotions.
Best time to use: Mainly nighttime, because it increases skin sensitivity to sun.
What to avoid: You might want to avoid high concentration (1-2%) kojic acid, because it can lead to irritation.
4. Niacinamide
Vitamin B3 or niacinamide is found in foods, like meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, and more. It’s one of the most used ingredients that can treat many skin concerns.
Benefits: Controls oil, brightens, reduces hyperpigmentation, fine lines, and wrinkles, minimizes redness and irritation, and calms acne.
How it works: Unlike other ingredients, it doesn’t block the enzyme tyrosinase. Instead, it blocks the movement of melanin, to slow down the developing dark spots, resulting in a brighter skin.
What products contain Niacinamide: Serums, toners, moisturizers, cleansers.
Best time to use: Night, morning, evening, basically any time of day.
What to avoid: Using it with high-concentration glycolic or salicylic acids, may cause skin sensitivity.
5. Glycolic Acid
It’s also known as a type of alpha hydroxy acid, or for short – AHA, which comes from sugarcane. It’s one of the most popular ingredients that is used to exfoliate and brighten the skin.
Benefits: Improves and evens out skin texture, brightens, hydrates, minimizes pores, and reduces fine lines and wrinkles.
How it works: Simply put, glycolic acid exfoliates the skin. Over some time of using it, it will break down extra melanin, this action reduces dark spots, and hyperpigmentation, which overall, brightens the skin.
What products contain Glycolic Acid: Cleansers, masks, toners, and serums.
Best time to use: It can make your skin photosensitive, so it’s recommended to use it in the evenings.
What to avoid: Mixing it with other strong acids like lactic or salicylic, and fragrances, can irritate.
6. Retinoids
A lot of people mistake retinol for retinoids. Yes, retinol and retinoids both come from vitamin A, they both have anti-aging properties, and both can brighten the skin. But, retinoids are stronger ingredients used to achieve a faster result, but they can lead the skin to dryness, or redness.
Benefits: Anti-aging, acne treatment, brightens, minimizes pores, and firms.
How it works: Retinoids bring down the activity of melanocytes (cells that produce melanin), which are responsible for dark spots. It also stimulates the production of collagen and accelerates cell turnover to reduce the visibility of dark spots.
What products contain Retinoids: Many retinoids require a prescription, but you can use a strong retinol formula to replicate the benefits that retinoid has. Retinoids and retinol can be found in serums and creams.
Best time to use: If it’s your first time using retinoids, start slowly (1-2 times a week), to build tolerance, then bit by bit you can use it more frequently. It’s recommended to use it in the evening.
What to avoid: Sun is the biggest concern of retinoids, as they make your skin more prone to sun damage. Avoid using retinoids with vitamin C, BHA, AHA, and fragrances, to avoid irritation.