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1. Neogen Bio-Peel Chemical Exfoliator is a physical and chemical exfoliator in one: with double-sided pads and powerful ingredients like glycolic acid (amazing for hyperpigmentation) and vitamin C, this helps fade scars, clear clogged pores, and reveal a bright, clean layer of skin. Chemical exfoliation is great for brightening dark spots!
2. Missha Safe Block Sun Milk leaves behind no oiliness or that white cast everyone hates. It has SPF 50, enhances skin tone and texture, and leaves a soft matte finish (perf for makeup). Sunscreen plays a vital role in preventing hyperpigmentation and acne scars from darkening so wear it, people!
3. Klair's Freshly Juiced Vitamin C Drop helps fade dark spots, prevent future pigmentation, firm and brighten, and reduce fine lines. Vitamin C is absolutely key for fading scars and the 5% in this one means it's gentle enough for sensitive skin, especially if you're just getting started!
4. Good Skin Days C's The Day Serum contains a higher percentage (10%) of vitamin C if your skin is ready for something stronger! It's balanced out with licorice root and niacinamide, both skin-brightening ingredients, and camu camu, a fruit that has 40 times more vitamin C than oranges. This will help diminish scars and fine lines and improve tone, leaving you with a radiant complexion.
5. Cosrx Snail Mucin Power Essence intensely works with 96% snail mucin for extreme repair and hydration that's still gentle. It's packed with replenishing nutrients that help prevent and repair damage, hyperpigmentation, dryness, and acne until your skin's elasticity and glow is at its best. Sometimes I have nightmares they'll stop selling this 😳.
6. Skinfood Black Sugar Mask exfoliates away dead skin cells and fights dark spots and dullness with mineral-rich Brazilian black sugar. Daily exfoliation will help lighten and fade acne scars so with weekly use, you might see smoother, brighter skin.
7. Banila Co Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm starts off as a sherbet-like balm and transforms into a silky oil for the first step of your double-cleansing routine. It gently melts stubborn makeup while brightening with vitamin C-rich acerola fruit. Double-cleansing does wonders for properly cleansing and brightening your skin!
8. Missha Super Aqua Snail Cleansing Foam rescues skin from acne scars and hyperpigmentation, helps rebuild skin cells, and restores brightness. Cleansing with this every night will put that 3% snail mucin to good use. We've already established snails are the best! 🐌
9. Mediheal W.H.P Charcoal Sheet Mask Set recharges your skin using niacinamide and açai fruit, which hydrates and brightens uneven tone and texture. The mask itself is made from ground charcoal layered over a bamboo sheet to pull out impurities. Me: *adds to cart*.
10. Innisfree Dewy Glow Jelly Cream boosts skin's radiance and brightens with Jeju cherry blossom, sourced from South Korea's Jeju Island. The bouncy texture hydrates and absorbs quickly because of its lightweight texture, leaving you with a lovely envy-worthy glow. No one will know your secret!
11. Son & Park Beauty Water cleanses, tones, mildly exfoliates with willow bark and papaya, and hydrates with lavender and rosewater because proper cleansing is the first step of course. You'll see brighter tone, smoother texture, and easier absorption of other skincare.
12. The Face Shop Rice Water Foaming Cleanser cleanses, moisturizes, and brightens with rice water (of course). Ingredients like moringa oil and soapwort purify, rejuvenating your complexion so you look, well, more alive.
13. Peach & Lily Original Glow Sheet Mask ultra-hydrates with potent brightening botanicals like ginseng and camellia flower, and ingredients like niacinamide, peptides and AHAs, blasting skin with antioxidants, plumping, soothing, and even helping keep breakouts away. You're left with glowing, bouncy skin after!
14. Missha Time Revolution Ampoule uses powerfully charged ingredients, including 10 probiotics and five purple superfoods like purple carrots, plum cabbage and more, to strengthen your skin barrier, improve elasticity and tone, and moisturize so you'll end up looking like you should be doing skincare commercials. Its reparative properties mean it's (rightfully) gained a cult following too!
15. A derma roller helps transform skin so you wake up a new person. Use it in tandem with a hydrating serum like the one above; micro-needling is painless and consistent use helps rid skin of hyperpigmentation, large pores, dark circles, and wrinkles, smoothing texture to reveal vibrant skin. With professional sessions costing hundreds, this alternative is both effective and affordable.
16. Bomb'd Aesthetics Turmeric Milk Bar helps reduce inflammation, irritation, and redness with turmeric, which also brightens and corrects acne scars and dark spots. Its strong blend also fights free radical damage and leaves skin nourished and soft. It's a win-win!
17. Acwell Licorice Cleansing Toner lets you achieve the much-coveted "honey skin," which is skin that's luminous, dewy, and smooth. This'll deep clean, balance, and brighten with peony, licorice water, and green tea. It'll also help drastically reduce hyperpigmentation so this one's holy-grail status, people.
18. Missha Snail Hydro-Gel Mask uses snail mucin and ✨gold✨extracts to smooth texture and restore your skin to a bright and hydrated complexion.
19. Saturday Skin Brightening Mask boosts your natural glow and helps your skin become translucent with a dose of antioxidants. A peptide complex supports your skin's renewal process and evens tone. Your skin will thank you!
20. Alaffia Neem Turmeric Cleanser uses skin-brightening turmeric, neem leaf, and nourishing moringa to clarify and wash off impurities, making it a good choice for uneven skin tone and acne!
21. Dermal Collagen Essence Sheet Mask Set comes with 16 sheet masks, each targeting different concerns to truly pamper your skin and brighten it up! contain vitamin E and collagen for plump, hydrated skin. *Cue happy dance.*
22. Mizon Snail Repair Intensive Ampoule uses 80% snail mucin to moisturize, smooth, and brighten acne scars, and regenerate skin damage so your skin is restored to its former glory once more! Like I said. Snails are our friends.
23. Glow Recipe Watermelon + AHA Sleeping Mask works overnight to exfoliate, refine pores, brighten, moisturize, and boost your glow. With peony root, hyaluronic acid, and glycolic acid added, it'll unveil a brighter complexion, soothe, and smooth. I'm already making heart eyes.
24. TruSkin Naturals Vitamin C Serum contains hyaluronic acid and vitamin E to support the vitamin C, helping to lighten dark spots and sunspots. Reviewers also say that it helps prevent breakouts and lighten dark circles!
25. Radha Beauty Rosehip Oil organically deals with blemishes, discoloration, and dry skin — all those pesky things that contribute to a dulled-down complexion with a blend of fatty acids and antioxidants. It has thousands of 5-star reviews for a reason!
Your skin after all of these:
Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.