Dark spots don't have to be a fact of life. Dark spots can occur from acne to sun exposure to pollution (Yes! Did you know pollution can create dark spots that look just like sun spots?). So, it's no wonder so many of us struggle with dark spots.
To tackle hyperpigmentation, let's quickly examine how dark spots form in the first place. First, a trigger like acne or pollution will send a signal to hormones that stir up your melanocytes where melanin is formed. This signal activates an enzyme called tyrosinase, which then tells our melanocytes to make more melanin.
When melanin is produced, they clump together into melanosomes. And then this is sent up through our layers of skin and shows up on the surface of our skin as dark spots. Our skin doesn't evenly distribute the melanin, so the dark spots show up here and there and makes our skin look uneven and discolored versus just being tanner.
Why is this happening? Our bodies are amazing and a trigger like acne or pollution essentially causes a chain reaction of producing more melanin to protect our skin.
So, what can we do to make these dark spots go away? Three things!
1. Give your melanocytes what they need to help them calm down! This translates to less dark spots. We highly recommend these products to reduce melanin production:
- Eco Your Skin Vitamin C Boost Powder: pure vitamin C powder which is clinically proven to help improve dark spots and provides tons of antioxidative benefits. Plus, this comes in a non-liquid form so that there's no oxidation and stays potent.
- Peach & Lily Glass Skin Refining Serum: niacinamide is also clincally proven to powerfully suppress melanocytes. The formula also includes licorice to help brighten and soothe, hyaluronic acid to hydrate, and a bevy of other ingredients so that skin doesn't just become more even, but luminous like a pane of glass.
- Ground Plan Cell Power Energy Essence: niacinamide comes together in a unique blend of soothing oatmeal and antioxidant-rich rose extract to pamper skin while it helps improve those pesky dark spots.
- Mizon Mela Defense White Capsule Essence: sakura, white flower and niacinamide join hands to powerfully brighten up those hyperpigmented areas.
2. Resurface and exfoliate regularly so that dark spots get lifted off quickly. As we get older, cell turnover slows down quite a bit, and our skin not only gets duller but also these dark spots stay longer. Exfoliators we love:
- Femmue Flower Infused Fine Peel: the softest grains made of flower petals completely slough off dead skin cells and the outer layers of skin with the extra pigment. Meanwhile, camelia extract nourishes skin and the whole experience feels like you stepped into a stunning bathhouse drenched in freshly cut flowers and you walk out refreshed, renewed and relaxed.
- Peach & Lily Super Reboot Resurfacing Mask: a potent blend of chemical exfoliators that resurfaces in the most powerful way, but our special formula makes it safe for even delicate, sensitive skin. The experience is like walking out of a pristine facial where a pro-grade chemical peel was done and you have that super newborn feeling on the skin -- totally resurfaced, beaming with radiance and impossibly soft to the touch.
- Be the Skin Non-Stimulus Face Polisher: a bestseller now for six years earns this exfoliator a spot in the cult-classics. This gently polishes skin to help bring about the kind of glow you always found elusive.
3. Hydrate skin and befriend anti-inflammatory ingredients. Our melanocytes love protecting us, but sometimes they get a little over-enthused. Once activated, they keep producing melanin even when the threat is gone! Case in point: acne happened, melanin is produced to help protect our skin, but now the blemish is gone, but the dark spot won't go away. Melanocytes need to be reassured that there isn't a threat and if it senses inflammation in the system, they can stay activated. Hydrate skin and use anti-inflammatory ingredients to let those melanocytes know you're good without the extra melanin! Here are products that help to hydrate and quell inflammation effectively:
- Peach & Lily Wild Dew Treatment Essence: we formulated this to literally sink deep into skin instantly and to also quell inflammation and brighten up dark spots with power ingredients like niacinamide, saccharomyces ferment extract, hyaluronic acid and lotus extract.
- Atoclassic Real Tonic Soothing Origin Essence: especially formulated by a century-old esteemed herbal medicinal clinic, this tried-and-true formula uses natural ingredients to bring deep calm and a big concentration of anti-inflammatory ingredients to the skin
And then of course, always, always wear SPF, friends! So in summary, help your melanocytes calm down, resurface, quell inflammation and hydrate. Then, repeat. In no time, you'll see more even skin tone, and even stubborn dark spots be visibly improved.
We hope this was helpful! If you have any questions, as always, you can email us at lily@peachandlily.com and one of our licensed skincare experts will be able to provide personalized guidance.
Cheers to radiance! Peach & Lily
