Beauty & Wellness

Adios, Dark Spots!

You can lather on the foundation and pile on the powder but the only way to treat dark spots is to address your skin directly. The amount of melanin produced by your skin is at the core of addressing these very common aesthetic ailments.
Text by Francesca Cruz | May 20, 2018 | Beauty & Wellness

GET ME VITAMIN C
Vitamin C is one of the best skin brighteners on the market. It helps decrease the dark spots that are already visible while preventing more from appearing. It’s best to combine supplements with a topical serum. When using Vitamin C, it’s necessary to be sure that the treatment is paired with other ingredients, such as white birch or peony, for better absorption. Keep out of harsh sunlight when incorporating Vitamin C to your beauty routine. It can make your skin sensitive and ultra vulnerable to the sun.

A LICK OF LICORICE
Relatively new to the spot-correcting repertoire and beauty regimen, licorice has shown that it has great skin-lightening properties due to its ability to inhibit the enzyme responsible for melanin production; it’s actually the concentration of glabridin that’s responsible for this. All you need to do is apply a few drops of licorice extract to a cotton ball or cotton swab and rub a thin layer over your face in the morning and at night. For sensitive skin, make sure to moisten the cotton with some water first.

THE SUN IS BLINDING
I bet you’ve heard this time and again, but it’s the honest truth. We need the Vitamin D the sun provides, but hours of exposure without protection is harmful. The tan that results from exposure to the sun is the result of melanin production, which means that repeatedly exposing yourself to the harsh rays of the sun increases your potential for developing dark spots — and even far worse, skin cancer. Apply sunscreen, and splurge on some quality self-tanners to avoid dark spots.

WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS
A word of caution, make sure it’s not summertime and you’re not bathing in the sun because it will be counterproductive. Lemons contain mild acid, which helps lighten the skin, get rid of dead skin and remove skin spots. Let the lemon juice sit on the skin spot for about 20 minutes, then lightly wash off. If you have dry skin, it will make it feel drier so try to incorporate a soothing moisturizer and ALWAYS use an SPF of 30 or more.