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Score a more even-toned complexion without the derm appointment. Sun spots, acne scarring, and melasma all fall into the category of dark spots, but the causes and treatments can be very different for each. They do share a similarity of being a giant pain to get rid of, especially those that have taken up residence on your face for months.
Enter: the best dark-spot corrector serums, which work to minimize discoloration and even out skin tone with targeted ingredients that work by either fading pigmentation that’s already there or inhibiting the pigment cells from creating it in the first place. Depending on the type of hyperpigmentation you’re experiencing, you can opt for formulas with ingredients like retinol, vitamin C, AHAs, BHAs, and tranexamic acid to clear away dark spots. But the ingredients you chose will depend on the type of pigmentation you are experiencing—post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation won’t respond to the same treatments in the same way as melasma or sunspots.
So how to find your perfect dark-spot defeating treatment? We spoke with dermatologists about what causes different types of hyperpigmentation, plus the best serums to try, then had our editors test out dozens of formulas to find what works best for everything from acne scars to tackling stubborn dark spots on darker skin tones (without the damage). Scroll on for options to brighten skin fast and ensure your complexion stays even, no matter what’s causing your pigment problems.
Our top dark-spot correctors Best for Overall: Topicals Faded Brightening & Clearing Serum, $18 Best for Brightening: Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Vitamin C Serum, $70 $44 Best for Sensitive Skin: The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + Hyaluronic Acid, $12 Best for Sun Spots: Eucerin Radiant Tone Dual Serum Dark Spot Corrector, $45 $32 Best for Dark Skin Tones: Eadem Milk Marvel Dark Spot Serum, $68 Best for Acne Scars: Medicube TXA Niacinamide 15 Facial Serum, $19 Best Overall: Topicals Faded Brightening & Clearing Serum What we love: What could improve: Lightweight texture The original formulation had a bad smell (though this should be fixed in the new unscented iterations) Fades discoloration without irritation If you're looking for a tried-and-true pick that fades a variety of dark spots, this serum has got you covered. From age spots to acne marks, this little tube does it all. But what really sets it apart is its ability to make an impact on the toughest of all hyperpigmentation, melasma.
A chronic skin condition, melasma is typified by light brown patches that creep up on large areas of the face—particularly on the cheeks, around the forehead, and nose. Hormones, heat, and sun exposure are all culprits to its formation and once you have it, those dark patches can be particularly stubborn to get rid of. Dermatologists recommend prescribing hydroquinone or a mild corticosteroid to help mitigate its appearance, but those both come with side effects you may not be willing to endure.
If you’re not ready to take the leap into prescriptions, this lightweight serum-cream gently exfoliates with kojic acid and targets the formation of dark spots by interrupting the messages from pigment-producing cells. It stacks those benefits with azelaic acid, another overachieving acid to help interrupt that pigment formation process. To help keep skin calm and avoid irritation, it also features centella asiatica to gently hydrate and soften skin.
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