Get Skin Other Girls Dream Of

Skin Stress 4: Blotchiness
We all want a fresh face that glows with health. But pigmentation problems can take the shine off an otherwise perfect complexion. Thankfully, there are many products out there to give clarity to complexions; the big beauty buzzwords right now are “brightening” and “lightening”. They give skin a more even tone and an all-over gleam, whether you’re as porcelain-pale as Cate Blanchett or latte-hued like Jennifer Lopez.

“Excessive and uneven pigmentation occurs gradually over time, mostly due to continued UV exposure,” explains Dr Geoffrey Heber, cosmetic physician. The production of pigment in the cells becomes uneven due to damage to the cells.” While pigmentation problems show up more quickly (and more obviously) on lighter skin, all complexion colours are prone to such spots if not adequately protected from the sun.

Your first skincare fix is therefore, not surprisingly, sunscreen. The next step: a lightening treatment. There are a number of ingredients used to target ‘age spots’ and block pigmentation being formed in the skin; two of Dr Heber’s favourites are bearberry extract and vitamin C.