Out, Dark Spots! The 10 Best Brightening Products for Winter Skin

There’s nothing quite so photogenic as a pristine canvas, be it a deserted city street post-blizzard or—camera flipped around—a snow-bunny selfie revealing otherworldly skin. But for all but the most hermetic among us, now is the time when that vacation glow has faded and a certain seasonal pallor sets in, laying bare all the sins of beach days and boat rides past—that is, sun spots.

Fortunately, winter also happens to be the right time to correct them. Bundled up and cooped up, most of us are keeping our UV exposure—which triggers the skin to overproduce melanin—to a minimum, so the ingredients have a chance to work undisturbed. Cold-weather hibernation is also an excuse to layer up: socks, sweater, serum, mask (and come March, Charlotte Tilbury’s new Magic Foundation, with a super-charged form of vitamin C that’s been shown to minimize hyperpigmentation). Here is some inspiration for a retooled skin-care regimen designed to lighten discoloration, even the complexion, and reveal a new kind of lit-from-within glow. Just think: There are brighter days ahead.

 

The Serums

 

Whether formulated with ultra-gentle acids to encourage cell turnover (like Glytone Enhance Brightening Complex, out in March) or with patented brightening technology to help lift stubborn spots (Shiseido White Lucent MicroTargeting Spot Corrector), these concentrated treatments are your first course of action.

 

The Masks

 

Think of these add-on treatments as a built-in partner for your Netflix account: You can unwind while the active ingredients get to work. Depending on your preferences, slather on one from a jar (like GlamGlow’s potent FlashMud) or drape a Korean-style sheet mask over your face (Dr. Jart+ Dermask Micro Jet Brightening Solution is made from ultra-fine microfibers).

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