The Best Brightening Skincare For Dull Skin

Put the brakes on dark spot formation, and prevent uneven and dull skin with these hot weather must-haves.

- Goh Yee Huay

Drunk Elephant C-Firma Fresh Day Serum, $110

Its vitamin C comes in the form of 15 per cent L-ascorbic acid powder, which is mixed with the serum base before first use. The serum is also packed with antioxidants, nutrients and fruit enzymes that not only brighten, but firm skin.

It’s not only high-protection sunscreens that should be whipped out when the going gets blazing hot – it’s also brightening treatments that carry out the damage control and repair on dull-looking skin.

While different products may have different mechanisms for achieving a brightening effect, Dr Kok Wai Leong, a dermatologist at DS Skin & Wellness Clinic, says most generally work to even out areas of hyperpigmentation.

“These formulas either block melanin production and aggregation, decrease activity of melanocytes – which are the cells that produce melanin – or interfere with signals between skin cells and pigment cells,” he says.

Some products function by boosting skin renewal, removing the outer layer of dead skin cells to bring about a fresher, brighter and more even complexion. In doing so, they also create a smoother skin surface for light to bounce off.

Dr Hong Foo, founder of Bespoke Aesthetics, says that some key ingredients worth looking out for when choosing a brightening product are niacinamide, exfoliating enzymes and acids, arbutin and liquorice.

Tranexamic acid and retinoic acid are even more potent, especially in oral form, he says, but are usually not available in off-the-shelf products in pure or high concentrations.

There’s also vitamin C, an ingredient that’s almost de rigueur when it comes to brightening skincare.