Whilst I am all for vitamin C in a serum; I use it often in my own, it does tend to get all the credit and there are other players in there who are doing much of the heavy lifting… of pigmentation.
I use a-arbutin (a natural source of hydroquinone - not to be confused with just ‘arbutin’ or b-arbutin), it works well at fading pigmentation. My other staple for a serum such as this, is kojic acid, again, it does good work, gets some attention, but possibly not enough. I always add zinc oxide and titanium dioxide as they are well-tolerated and keep out more of those pesky UV rays that start the trouble in the first place. Glutamine is another one, often overlooked and earns it’s place in my serum. Then there’s azaleic acid , it does all sorts of helpful things, and when formulated with the right partners, it can really help the outcome for melasma, acne scars, even rosacea and other troublesome conditions.
The only other thing I would add is, that it may be worth targeting the scars and hyperpigmentation with one serum (looking out for the ingredients already mentioned), but the fine lines and wrinkles will respond better to a really good moisturiser, which shouldn’t cost the earth and should nicely hold onto your serum for longer. You need to find one that is well-designed and has some soothing ingredients: a nice fruit oil or two or a less oily ester; some hydration muscle from hyaluronic acid, sodium hyaluronate, PCA (pyrrolidone carboxylic acid), or good old panthenol (Vitamin B5). Ceramides are wonderful, but possibly a bit expensive for an everyday moisturiser. A straightforward emulsifier to hold them all together and you’re pretty much there. I appreciate that it’s nice to have a few brands recommended, but you may have different skin, a different climate, different budget and the recommendations just might come from someon… selling serum.
Ignore the marketing and read the back of the box - the ingredients should tell you if it’s likely to work for you - it shouldn’t break the bank and should actually do what you want it to do.
Happy hunting!
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