Relevant: Your Skin Seen’s Skin Care Collection Is All You Need to Combat Hyperpigmentation

We’ve all been there: You wake up one morning, get out of bed, and head to the bathroom to brush your teeth. Then there it is—right in the middle of your forehead a huge pimple has decided to set up shop.

You know better than to touch it, but the satisfaction of the pop is too tempting. So you go for it, and it feels damn good. But every rose has its thorn, as they say, and now you’re left with a dark spot—otherwise known as hyperpigmentation—which isn’t always easy to treat. Thankfully, Relevant: Your Skin Seen’s skin care collection is all you need to even out your skin tone in just a few simple steps.

Here, we spoke with New York City-based celebrity board-certified dermatologist and founder of Rose Ingleton MD skin care, Dr. Rose Ingleton, to get into the nitty gritty of the product line, and what makes the ingredients in Relevant: Your Skin Seen’s offerings so effective.

What is hyperpigmentation?

“Hyperpigmentation appears as patches of skin that are darker than the normal skin color,” Dr. Ingleton explains. “This is the result of the excess production of melanin in the skin.”

It’s also important to note that while hyperpigmentation can show up across all skin tones and types, it is more prevalent in skin of color.

“Skin of color has more melanin, and the skin is highly reactive,” the MD shares. “When this type of skin is injured or gets a rash or acne breakout, it becomes inflamed. That inflammation brings numerous inflammatory cells into the area and revs up the activity of the melanocytes—melanin-making cells—in the skin, resulting in dark patches and spots.”

The best routine for hyperpigmentation

In order to treat hyperpigmentation, you’ll need to build a skin care regimen using products with active ingredients that can help push cell turn over and encourage brightening. Relevant: Your Skin Seen’s full arsenal has everything, from cleansers to serums, that help to target dark spots and work to even out skin tone over time.

Step 1: Cleansing 

The best way to fight hyperpigmentation is to prevent it in the first place, which means thoroughly cleansing the skin twice a day. 

First, you’ll want to start by applying the Melt It Off Balm Cleanser ($28) on dry skin to gently remove makeup, while leaving skin feeling moisturized and soothed with ingredients like squalane and chamomile extract.  

Next, follow up with the Complete Cleansing Serum ($30). The gorgeous formula blends a mix of green coffee seed oil for a burst of anti-aging antioxidant benefits, along with squalane and aloe vera for hydration, and banana fruit extract to gently exfoliate with natural AHAs. 

“Fruit extracts like these encourage the skin cells to speed up their cell turnover rate,” says Dr. Ingleton. “This encourages the sloughing off of dull, discolored skin cells on the surface, thus revealing the underlying fresher, clearer skin.”

Step 2: Exfoliate and Brighten

For your daytime routine, using a vitamin C-rich product is vital when it comes to combating hyperpigmentation and preventing future skin damage. 

“Vitamin C causes a natural brightening of the skin,” Dr. Ingleton shares. “It is also a potent antioxidant, which prevents the formation of free radicals in the skin when it is exposed to sunlight, which causes the formation of sunspots.” 

The Sunburst C+ Superfruit Serum ($76) uses 15% tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, a stable form of the superstar ingredient, along with vitamin C from baobab oil—which works overtime to prevent water loss, thus helping to soften and soothe skin. Buriti and jojoba oils round out the formula and aid in maintaining elasticity and reducing redness. 

At night, be sure to reach for Sol Ton Resurface & Glow Solution ($58), which hosts a combination of ascorbic, mandelic, tranexamic, and lactic acids, along with alpha-arbutin and banana fruit extract to penetrate various layers of the skin to improve discoloration and leave your skin feeling smoother than ever.

Step 3: Eye Serum 

The eye area is extremely sensitive, and the skin is a lot thinner than what’s found on the rest of your face, which is why it needs a little extra TLC when it comes to combating hyperpigmentation. Use the Beam + Glow Eye Serum both morning and night to help improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles with Inst’Tight technology, while also helping to combat puffiness and dark circles with superstar ingredient niacinamide.  

“​​Niacinamide is one of several ingredients that helps to clarify the skin,” explains Dr. Ingleton. “It is a gentle ingredient that is safe for use around the eyes.”
Step 4: Moisturize and Protect

Sunscreen should be worn every single day, rain or shine. However, when you have a skin care routine that includes active ingredients that can increase sun sensitivity, SPF protection becomes even more vital. Without it, treating hyperpigmentation can become counterintuitive. 

“SPF is necessary as the skin that is brought to the surface with the use of fruit acids is very sensitive to the sunlight, and can result in worse discoloration if these areas are not protected from the sun,” says Dr. Ingleton. “Also, some of the products that are used to manage hyperpigmentation can cause the skin to become more sensitive to the sunlight and ultimately will darken. You cannot make progress if you skip the SPF.” 

Thankfully, the One & Done Everday Cream with SPF 40 ($38) is a moisturizer and sunscreen in one that also provides antioxidant protection, along with hyaluronic acid to keep skin feeling plump and nourished. 

At night, the Lights Out Resting Mask ($34) is all you’ll need to wake up with beautiful skin in the morning. Azelaic acid helps to gently exfoliate and reduce bacteria on the face, thus preventing future breakouts. Other ingreidents like squalane keeps skin moisturized, chamomile extract works to fight free radicals, and shea butter keeps dryness at bay.