If you’re like us, you’ve probably battled some scars at one point or another. Acne scars and dark spots are among the worst offenders, interrupting otherwise perfectly even complexions. And for those of us ladies with more melanin, we know all too well just how frustrating it can be to rid ourselves of these not-so-minor skincare concerns, with dark spot treatments, skin lighteners and numerous home remedies.

Chances are, in your quest to remedy dark spots and acne scarring you may have tried or at least considered skin lightening. After all, if spots or even entire sections of your face are darker than they should be you do want to lighten it to match the rest of your face, right? While it might seem like a good idea on the surface of things (no pun intended!) you may be headed in the wrong direction.

As a matter of fact, before we go any further we just have to ask: do you know the difference between skin brightening and skin lightening?

SKIN LIGHTENING

Skin lightening, which most people have heard of, is all about reducing your skin’s pigmentation. It’s usually associated with uneven skin tone and is viewed as a path to glow, radiance. You know, your typical skincare buzzwords. Skin lightening isn’t necessarily a bad thing–it has its place, usually as a limited use method to target areas of hyperpigmentation on the face to produce a more even complexion overall.

On the flip side, skin lightening can lead to patchiness on the face and for more melanated individuals, often causes discoloration or loss of skin color that is unintended. Ethnic skin is extremely sensitive to these kinds of treatments, so it’s important to know that skin lightening is not the only option that you have. There are skin lightening alternatives you should know about, and that’s where brightening comes in.

SKIN BRIGHTENING

Skin brightening is all about restoration. It works to restore the vibrancy of your skin by removing dead cells so your complexion glows and appears more even over time. By implementing brightening into your routine, you can ensure younger, healthier skin. While every skin type may not benefit from skin lightening (due to patchiness, loss of color, etc), literally everyone can benefit from skin brightening.

That’s why–in our humble, yet very experienced opinion–we believe skin brightening is the best way to go if you’re desperate to lighten dark spots. A natural brightener is the way to go if you’re looking for something to add to your skincare routine.

So now that we’ve convinced you to go the skin brightening direction, you’re probably wondering what should I look for? Recent research has discovered more natural ingredients such as Turmeric and Dong Quai to be just as effective as hydroquinone without the harsh side effects. There are ingredients like Acetyl Glycosamine (NAG) and Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) that are more effective in reducing melanin production when they are coupled together. These are some of the few hydroquinone alternatives that are rising stars

Coming up, we’ll discuss what ingredients to look for in a brightening product, which produces the strongest results and how we incorporate brightening into our own products here at LeCerre.