What’s the best skincare routine to get rid of dark spots, especially for someone who’s spent their entire life in the sun? Cos let’s be honest, the sun seems to say: “Come out and play under my warm rays.” It’s a promise full of light, warmth and carefree fun. How can you resist?
What that sneaky sun never tells you is the price you have to pay for it: premature wrinkles and sun spots. They appear one day completely out of the blue. You’re caught off-guard but you know who to blame. FYI, the sun isn’t the only cause of dark spots. Hormonal imbalances, acne, inflammation… all this and more contributes to giving you dark spots.
Pointing the finger now is useless. Save your energies to get rid of them. It’s not easy but it can be done – if you know how. Here’s the best skincare routine to get rid of dark spots:
What Causes Dark Spots?
Short answer? Your skin’s just doing its job… a little too well. Anytime your skin goes through something (sun damage, a breakout, a scratch, stress), it goes, “Oh no, better protect us,” and sends a bunch of melanin to the area. That’s the pigment that gives your skin colour. Except sometimes it sends too much, and you’re left with a dark patch that just… stays. So what sets it off?
- Too much sun: The obvious one. UV rays hit your skin and your body panics, producing extra pigment to protect you. It sounds helpful. It’s not. This is how you end up with freckles, sun spots, or those annoying patches that make you look like you’ve been slapped with bronzer in weird places.
- Old breakouts: You finally get rid of a pimple, and bam – a dark spot takes its place like it owns the joint. That’s called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Super common, especially if you’ve got melanin-rich skin.
- Hormones: If you’ve ever noticed random patches on your face during pregnancy, after switching birth control, or during a hormone spiral – yep, that’s melasma. It’s stubborn. It shows up out of nowhere and takes its sweet time leaving.
- Skin trauma: Anything from a scratch, a burn, an eczema flare-up, even waxing… if your skin gets irritated or damaged, there’s a chance it’ll leave a mark behind.
- Some medication: Some medications can make your skin more sensitive to the sun or trigger pigmentation issues. So if the spots started popping up after something new, maybe give your GP a heads-up.
Bottom line? Dark spots are your skin trying to “help” but being a little dramatic about it. It means something happened and your skin responded… it just didn’t know when to chill.
Morning Skincare Routine To Get Rid Of Dark Spots
Let’s start with the best morning skincare routine to get rid of dark spots:
Step 1: Cleanser
Let’s start with the basics: if you want your dark spots treatments to fade away the damn things, you need to help them penetrate deeply into your skin. The easiest way to do it? Cleansing. Remove all that dirt and grime that’s sitting on your face and those actives won’t find anything blocking their path. It doesn’t matter much what cleanser you choose. As long as it cleanses everything and doesn’t leave your skin feeling tight afterwards, you’re good.
Best picks:
- CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser ($16.99): My fave cleanser for dry skin, it leaves it clean and soft. Available at CeraVe, Dermstore, Look Fantastic, Superdrug and Ulta
- Cosrx low PH Good Morning Gel Cleanser ($14.00): A low-ph (5.5), foaming cleanser for oily skin. Leaves your skin clean without any tightness. Available at Boots, Look Fantastic, Soko Glam, Stylevana, Ulta, and Yes Style
- La Roche Posay Toleriane Dermo-Cleanser ($25.99): A no-frills, simple cleanser for sensitive skin. Available at Boots, Dermstore, Look Fantastic, Sephora, Superdrug, and UIta
Related: How To Choose The Best Cleanser For Your Skin Type
Don’t know which skincare products you can mix and match together and which ones deactivate each other? Download your FREE “How To Layer Actives Like A Pro” cheat sheet to get the most out of your skincare products:
Step 2: CEF Serum
CEF stands for Vitamin C + Vitamin E + Ferulic Acid. One of the most powerful antiaging combos you can use on your skin. This trio:
Yep, CEF helps fade away the dark spots you already have AND prevent new ones for forming.
Best picks:
- MaeLove Glow Booster ($27.95): The cheapest Vitamin C serum in this list, it does everything the others do, but it contains a citrus extract that may be irritating for sensitive skin. Available at Maelove.
- Paula’s Choice C15 Booster ($46.75): It’s enriched with Hyaluronic Acid and glycerin to deeply hydrate skin. Available at Cult Beauty, Dermstore, Paula’s Choice, Sephora, and SpaceNK.
- Skinceuticals CE Ferulic ($169.00): The original Vitamin C serum, it costs an arm and a leg, but it works wonders and delivers what it promises. Available at Dermstore and Skinceuticals.
Related: Why You Should Add Vitamin C To Your Skincare Routine
Step 3: Alpha Arbutin Or Azelaic Acid
If you’re tired of trying every brightening serum on the shelf and your dark spots are still laughing at you in the mirror, start here. These two are the real deal. FYI, you only need ONE of them. I’m giving you both options, then you decide which one is best for you. I have clients who try each for 3 months (that’s how long it takes to see results), before deciding which one to continue treatments with.
ALPHA ARBUTIN
Alpha arbutin is basically a gentler version of hydroquinone (which used to be the gold standard for dark spots but comes with a lot of risks). It’s derived from plants like bearberry, but let’s not pretend it’s “all natural”. It’s made in a lab so it’s stable and actually works.
It blocks tyrosinase. That’s the enzyme your skin uses to make melanin. Less tyrosinase = less pigment. So your existing dark spots start fading, and new ones are less likely to form. The best part? It targets pigment without bleaching or irritating your skin. It’s safe to use every day, even if your skin is sensitive. And it works well on all skin tones.
Best Picks:
- Good Molecules Daily Brightening Serum ($8.00): A simple serum with Arbutin and Hyaluronic Acid to hydrate skin and reduce discolourations. Available at Ulta.
- The Ordinary Alpha Auburn 2% + HA ($11.50): A no-frills Alpha Arbutin serum with hyaluronic acid to plump up skin while fading away dark spots. Available at Beauty Bay, Cult Beauty, Look Fantastic, Sephora, The Ordinary, and Ulta
AZELAIC ACID
Azelaic acid is found in grains like barley and wheat, but again lab-made is what you want. It’s technically a dicarboxylic acid (if you care), but what matters is that it does three big things at once:
- It stops melanin from going overboard: yep, it also blocks tyrosinase (like alpha arbutin), but it goes even further.
- Kills acne bacteria: If your dark spots are from breakouts, this helps stop the cycle.
- Calms inflammation: Red, angry skin? Post-acne marks? Rosacea? This stuff is made for that.
Azelaic acid fades dark spots and prevents new ones, it helps with acne and the marks it leaves behind, and is safe for sensitive skin, melasma, even during pregnancy
Best picks:
- Paula’s Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster ($36.00): This booster contains both azelaic acid and salicylic acid, an oil-soluble exfoliant that can get inside your pores and unclog them from within. Great at treating acne, you can use it on its own or mix it with your moisturiser. Available at Cult Beauty, Paula’s Choice, Sephora, and SpaceNK
- The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% (£5.50): This serum has a thick texture that’s not the most pleasant to use. But if you’re on a strict budget and want to try azelaic acid, it’ll do the anti-acne and skin-brightening jobs. Available at Beauty Bay, Boots, Cult Beauty, Look Fantastic, SpaceNK, The Ordinary, and Ulta
Related: 10 Ingredients That Fade Away Dark Spots
Step 4: Sunscreen
Here’s the truth: you can do everything else I tell you to do in this post but if you don’t wear sunscreen religiously every single day, nothing’s gonna work. CEF, alpha arbutin and whatever else you throw at your dark spots may fade them a little but all that unprotected sun exposure will bring them back with a vengeance.
By the way, it’s not enough to apply a thin layer in then morning. You need to apply a whole glass shot for your face and neck every few hours. A pain, I know. But you’re sabotaging all your efforts if you don’t.
Best picks:
- Drunk Elephant Umbra Tinte Physical Daily Defense Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 30 ($36.00): A tinted mineral sunscreen that’s gentle enough for sensitive skin. Available at Boots, Cult Beauty, Drunk Elephant, Look Fantastic, SpaceNK, and Ulta
- EltaMD UV Pure Broad-Spectrum SPF 47 ($40.00): One of the best sunscreens for oily skin, it provides broad spectrum protection without the stickiness. Available at Dermstore
- Paula’s Choice Super-Light Daily Wrinkle Defense SPF 30 ($33.00): My fave mineral sunscreen, it’s super lightweight and doesn’t leave a greasy residue behind. It’s suitable even for oily skin. Available at Cult Beauty, Dermstore and Paula’s Choice
Night Skincare Routine
Now you know what to use in the morning, here’s the best night skincare routine to get rid of dark spots:
Step 1: Cleanse skin
We’ve already covered this, so I won’t bore you again. I’ll just tell you that you can safely use your morning cleanser at night too, unless it’s not powerful enough to remove every last trace of makeup. You want those skin-lightening products to penetrate deep into the skin, so cleanse it well!
Related: Do You Really Need To Double Cleanse?
Step 2A: Glycolic acid
This is where your skincare routine gets a bit tricky. To get the best results, you’ll have to throw more than one active at those dark spots. But all those actives are harsh. You can’t use them all at the same time. One trick is to use some of them in the morning and others at night. Another its to use them on alternate nights. That’s what I suggest you do here.
One some nights, use glycolic acid. It’s a powerful exfoliator with a very small molecular structure that allows it to easily penetrate skin and do its magic. Those dead cells on the surface of your skin are the darkest, most sundamaged. Remove that layer and you’ll uncover the one underneath, which is brighter and more even-toned. This takes time but, after a few months of this cycle, your dark spots will start to fade.
Bonus points: glycolic acid also hydrates skin and boosts collagen.
WARNING: If you have acne (including blackheads), skip Glycolic acid and use Salicylic Acid instead. Salicylic acid doesn’t work as well on dark spots, but it’s the only exfoliant who can treat acne and you don’t want to miss out on that. Just follow the rest of your skincare routine with this tweak, so you can tackle both dark spots and acne at the same time.
Best picks:
- Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum ($90.00): This exfoliant contains two exfoliants. Glycolic Acid to fade away dark spots and Salicylic Acid to unclog pores. Available at Cult Beauty, Sephora and SpaceNK
- Paula’s Choice Resist Daily Smoothing Treatment with 5% AHA ($33.00): A wonderful low strength Glycolic Acid exfoliant that makes skin softer, smoother, and brighter. Available at Paula’s Choice
- The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution (£6.80): A gentle, no-frills Glycolic Acid exfoliant for people on a budget. Available at Beauty Bay, Cult Beauty, The Ordinary, and Ulta
Related: The Complete Guide To Glycolic Acid
Step 2B: Retinol Serum
On the nights you’re not using glycolic acid, opt for retinol. This antiaging superstar speeds up cellular turnover, i.e. the skin’s exfoliating process. That alone makes your dark spots less visible overtime. Bonus points: retinol also boosts collagen production and destroys the free radicals that cause wrinkles. It’s an all round antiaging powerhouse.
Just don’t go overboard! Retinol is harsh so a bit of irritation at the beginning is normal. Start with a small concentration and increase the dose gradually.
Best picks:
- The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion ($12.10): This simple formula contains both retinol and granactive retinoid (great at treating acne). Available at Beauty Bay, Boots, Cult Beauty, Sephora, The Ordinary, and Ulta
- Paula’s Choice Resist 1% Retinol Booster ($52.00): A high dose retinol serum infused with antioxidants to help you fight premature aging. You can use it on its own for maximum effect. Available at Cult Beauty, Dermstore, and Paula’s Choice, and SpaceNK
- Paula’s Choice Super Antioxidant Concentrate Serum With Retinol ($39.00): This serum has a tiny dose of retinol that’s suitable for beginners. Available at Dermstore and Paula’s Choice
Related: The Complete Guide To Retinol
Step 3: Moisturizer
It’s time for the last step: moisturizer. Pick one with plenty of antioxidants to help keep wrinkles at bay for longer. But make sure it’s packaged in an air-tight, opaque tube, or they won’t be effective for long!
Best picks:
- Paula’s Choice Omega+ Complex Moisturizer ($35.00): One of the richest moisturisers I know, this baby is loaded with fatty acids to deeply moisturise even the driest of skin types. Available at Cult Beauty, Paula’s Choice, and Sephora
- CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion ($19.99): A basic moisturiser with ceramides and niacinamide to strengthen the skin’s barrier and keep skin soft and smooth. Available at Beauty Bay, Cult Beauty, Look Fantastic, and Ulta
- Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream ($68.00): A lightweight cream that plumps up wrinkles and gives oily skin all the moisture it needs. Available at Cult Beauty, Sephora, and SpaceNK
The Bottom Line
There you have it, the best skincare routine to get rid of dark spots. It won’t work overnight, but if you keep at it, you’ll start seeing a noticeable improvement in a few short months.
About Gio
Hi, I’m Gio. I’m a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is skin coach and writer on a mission to help you achieve your best skin day ever – every day. I bust skincare myths and debunk marketing jargon to help you figure out what’s worth the splurge and what’s best left on the shelf – using science, not hype. I also offer skincare consultations to help you create the best skincare routine for your unique needs.
