6 Tools For Evening Out Your Skin Tone

If you feel your skin shows your age, wrinkles may not be the culprit. After all, wrinkles show maturity, wisdom, and a life well lived, but poor skin tone reveals "how much rest you’ve had, whether or not you are sick, or how well you’ve been maintaining a good skincare regimen,” says L.A. esthetician Gina Mari. According to Mari, an indicator of poor skin tone is that it looks ashy and discolored, and lacks smoothness in texture, appearing irritated, dehydrated, and blotchy. 

An uneven skin tone can be caused by hyperpigmentation or melasma, which are common skin conditions that can be caused by sun exposure or hormones, and are revealed as brown patches on the face, Mari says. Many women will have to deal with melanoma during pregnancy. Hyperpigmentation, on the other hand, “occurs when there is an excess of skin pigment producing melanin, which forms deposits in the skin,” Mari says.

Wear Sunscreen

L.A. esthetician Sonya Dakar says it all comes down to the common refrain: Sun protection equals prevention. “Wear a minimum of SPF 30 on your face, neck, chest, and hands daily — rain or shine,” she says. “Especially if you are pregnant, on the pill, or have previously had melasma.” As she explains, melanoma is stored in the skin’s blueprint so even when it is not visible, it can be triggered but the sun, light (even indoor light), and heat.

Exfoliate Regularly

Regular exfoliation increases cell turnover, which means fresh, new skin replacing dry and discolored skin far more quickly,” Dakar says. Try the Detox Micro Scrub for a fresh, gentle treatment.

Vitamin C

This is an essential ingredient to your daily regimen for many reasons, but especially for an improvement to skin tone,” Mari says. “Vitamin C is an antioxidant which neutralizes life’s harmful substances as it comes into contact with your skin — basically preventing any damage or condition from getting worse.” She recommends using a Vitamin C serum for the best results.

LED Light Therapy

Dakar recommends a session of LED Light Therapy as a painless, non-invasive way to lighten sunspots and brighten up your tone. “It’s been proved to increase tissue regrowth, reduce wrinkles, and dramatically lighten sun-damaged skin,” she says.

Daisy Flower Extract

Dakar’s favorite ingredient to tackle dark spots is the daisy flower. “It’s a specific species of European daisy that is considered a gentle, yet highly efficient, natural skin lightener,” she says. “It works by influencing pathways involved in melanin formation, counteracting age spots and balancing hyperpigmentation.” She uses it in her Fade Away Dark Spot Corrector.

Supplement Your Routine

Taking a Vitamin E or C supplement following sun exposure may help reduce the likelihood of sun damage and sunspots,” Dakar says. Take a Vitamin A, C, and E supplement daily to counteract sun exposure.