Women are donning beat faces and flawless skin now more than ever. In fact, just about every other video on Instagram is a makeup tutorial.
But just like weaves, we have to make sure that what's underneath the extensions of our beauty is carefully maintained as well. That made us wonder how women are keeping their skin tight and right. One of the biggest culprits that adds years to your appearance is dark spots. While they can be harmless, the presence of hyperpigmentation can decrease your self-esteem and make you extremely self-conscious.
Here at xoNecole, we asked some of our readers to let us in on the ways they tackle dark spots and achieve glowing, radiant skin. Here's what they had to say:
Shanelle
What She Does:
Freelance Writer
How She Gets Rid of Dark Spots:
"The number one thing that has UNDOUBTEDLY helped with my dark spots is Vitamin C serum. It's a natural brightener and it helps your skin glow from the inside out. I have sensitive/combination skin so I was a bit apprehensive about putting an oil like this on my face, but I'm so happy I did! I use that twice a day, morning and night, and it's definitely a MUST HAVE in my skincare routine."
The Products She Swears By:
"A product I can't live without would be either the Vitamin C serum or my Noxzema Ultimate Clear Anti-Blemish Pads. The pads are made with salicylic acid, which sounds harsh, but it works like an astringent. In addition to blocking blemishes from forming, they also help to reduce scarring from previous ones. Without those two, my skin would NOT look as cohesive as it does."
Mel
What She Does:
Business Owner, RN, CMSRN, Professional Makeup Artist
How She Gets Rid of Dark Spots:
For Mild - Acne Scarring
"I use a salicylic-based skincare line, Clinique, to prevent more breakouts. In a nutshell, salicylic acid is a naturally occurring alpha hydroxy acid family derived from willow bark (the same place we get aspirin). Salicylic acid is both highly keratolytic and comedolytic, which means it not only dissolves dead skin cells on the surface of the skin, but it's also able to get down into the pore, dissolve the oil and break apart the debris inside that commonly leads to acne. Additionally, it can correct dark spots without irritating your skin because it's derived from willow bark, which has some topical anti-inflammatory benefits."
Olamide
What She Does:
PR Consultant/Brand Strategist/Multi Media Journo
How She Gets Rid of Dark Spots:
Morning Routine
"I battled with acne and as a result dark spots for years, but after reading up on maintaining a flawless skin and getting to understand my skin, I stuck to a routine that has worked for me till date. My routine is pretty simple enough for every day and doesn't take my time. I start with wiping excess oil with unscented wipes, then I go on to wash my face with a gentle wash from Beauty Formula when taking a bath. Afterwards, I leave my face to air dry and then use my ever-trusted Palmers Skin Success Deep Cleansing Astringent (I've used this for over 15 years!), which is followed by Palmer's Skin Success Toner. Then, I moisturize."
Nighttime Routine
"My night routine is also pretty similar, from wiping my makeup to cleansing, toning, and using a green tea serum that works on my skin overnight. I exfoliate once a week using a sugar scrub from Arami Essentials. I interchange this with my electric facial brush that also works for exfoliating and deep cleansing so my skin is clean and clear. I also drink lots of water and make sure I never touch my face. I wash my makeup applicators often and sometimes I go makeup-free, leaving my skin to breath. I never pop pimples, I make sure to apply topical cream to them till they dry off and the scar slowly fade out."
Naomi
What She Does:
Purpose & Soul Creator of @yourstrulyclub & @inspofinds/Host of Yours Truly Podcast Design + Direction
How She Gets Rid of Dark Spots:
Skincare Journey
"I normally have very good skin and then around October 2017, I suddenly had constant breakouts for a good couple of months, which led to, of course, picking and leaving me with quite a lot of scarring around my cheeks. My main problem was the spots not clearing up at first as I couldn't fix the dark spots if I was still getting acne. I tried so many products and even the famous DuDu black soap, but I have now learned that too much irritation to the skin can cause more breakouts. I have discovered that I have highly sensitive skin and combination skin. I think learning what skin you have is so important to know what products work well for you. For instance, at night I use an oil and I tried coconut oil, which is highly popular but it was too much for my skin and clogged my pores but Vitamin E oil isn't as heavy and contains antioxidants to help acne and smooth uneven tones."
Dietary Restrictions
One big part of my routine now is no dairy. I realized that a lot of my skin problems came from the dairy and after taking it out I no longer have breakouts and my eczema is also clearing up. It's not just about what you put on your skin but what you feed your body too and, that said, I also drink a minimum of 1.5L of water. It's so easy to say, water doesn't do anything when you drink a lot, but a friend reminded me that imagine your skin if you didn't drink anything!"
Skincare Routine
"I think everyone needs to be 100% committed to a morning and night routine to transform and maintain good skin."
"Every morning, I wash my face with Shea Moisture African black soap, which unlike the Dudu African soap, is very nourishing. I don't feel like my face has been stripped away. I then follow up with Body Shop Aloe Toner. I then follow the Body Shop Vitamin C moisture serum, which honestly, this range has transformed my skin. The only difference is my night routine. I change my moisturizer for pure Vitamin E oil and smooth a few drops onto my skin. For around six weeks, I did this every night but now I do this twice a week as it is starting to get warmer in the UK."
The Product She Swears By:
"Now the magic product I just LOVE is the Body Shop Vitamin C Glow Revealing Liquid Peel. It has honestly transformed my skin. I use it twice a week and it subtly lifts a layer of my dead skin off and you feel it doing so! Because I use this twice a week, it lifts the dead skin sitting on my dark spots allowing them to fade."
Do you have any other natural ways to remove dark spots? Let us know in the comments!
Featured image by Getty Images