The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. Why trust us?

15 best hyperpigmentation products for dry, sensitive and acne-prone skin

Improve the appearance of dark spots on the skin, with these tried-and-tested serums and moisturisers

Olivia Petter
Freelance beauty, fashion and culture contributor
Wednesday 25 September 2024 15:45 BST
Common types of pigmentation are melasma, post-acne marks and solar lentigines from UV exposure
Common types of pigmentation are melasma, post-acne marks and solar lentigines from UV exposure (iStock/The Independent)
Our Top Picks

Knowing where to start when browsing the best skincare products for hyperpigmentation can be overwhelming but we’re here to help. Pigmentation is a common skin problem that affects many people. It can present in myriad ways, and to varying degrees. While it might seem hard to pinpoint the cause at first, once identified, the best hyperpigmentation products are designed to help.

“Skin pigmentation can present in different ways. There is hyperpigmentation, which is an excess production of melanin, which can lead to darker patches of skin. There is also hypopigmentation, where there is a low amount of melanin, often due to trauma or damage, which will result in the area of skin looking lighter than the surrounding skin,” explains Charlotte Lundy of sk:n Clinics.

“Hyperpigmentation can be a result of sun damage, causing a build of melanin in the skin. It can also be due to hormonal changes and can often sometimes develop during pregnancy. You can also get post inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), which is a result of injury, trauma or inflammation. This is very common in people who suffer with acne.”

According to the British Association of Dermatologists, some of the most common types of pigmentation are melasma, post-acne marks and solar lentigines. Melasma, also called “pregnancy mask”, is more common in women (particularly during pregnancy) and usually sees brown or grey patches appearing on the face.

Meanwhile, post-acne marks are small, dark spots usually left behind once a blemish has healed. They are sometimes called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and can appear as reddish or brownish marks on the face. Then there are solar lentigines – round, brown lesions that occur after UV exposure and can be reduced or prevented by wearing a high SPF over your moisturiser.

Generally, the appearance of pigmentation can also be reduced by incorporating certain ingredients into your skincare regime, such as vitamin C, niacinamide, alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) and azelaic acid. Many of these feature in the products we’ve reviewed, which range from serums to moisturisers. Some will be better suited to your skin type – and type of pigmentation – than others, so, it’s best to read through the list of products and identify which is likely to benefit you most.

How we tested

We put a range of hyperpigmentation products to the test
We put a range of hyperpigmentation products to the test (Olivia Petter)

To help you find the best solution for your skin, we’ve spent months putting toners, serums and moisturisers to the test, looking for the most effective treatments for hyperpigmentation. Taking into account budgets big and small, as well as different skin types, from oily to dry, these are our top-rated picks.

The best hyperpigmentation products for 2024 are:

  • Best overall – La Roche-Posay pure niacinamide serum anti dark spots: £48, Lookfantastic.com
  • Best budget buy – Nivea cellular luminous 630 anti-dark spot face serum: £29.99, Boots.com
  • Best for reducing malasma – Pai fade forward marine algae dark spot serum: £47.20, Lookfantastic.com
  • Best for dry skin – SkinCeuticals phloretin CF antioxidant serum: £165, Lookfantastic.com

La Roche-Posay melaB3 serum intense anti-dark spot serum for hyperpigmentation

best skincare products for hyperpigmentation indybest
  • Best: Overall
  • Size: 30ml
  • Key ingredients: Niacinamide, Melasyl and hyaluronic acid
  • Product type: Serum
  • Why we love it
    • Suitable for all skin types
    • Long-lasting

Previously the brand’s pure niacinamide 10, this is a particularly good serum for those with UV pigmentation, as it’s designed to target dark spots. This is partly thanks to its unique formula, which comprises niacinamide, salicylic acid, hyaluronic acid and the L’Oréal group’s patented and hyperpigmentation-fighting ingredient: Melasyl. The product is smoothing, hydrating and exfoliating after just a few drops. It’s suitable for all skin types, too, so, there should be no issues regarding dryness or sensitivity.

We noticed an improvement in dark spots after using the serum in the mornings for a week. It also had a great all-round brightening effect and you don’t need to use very much of it each time, so it should last a while.

Back to top

Nivea cellular luminous 630 anti-dark spot face serum

Nivea best skincare products for hyperpigmentation indybest
  • Best: Budget buy
  • Size: 30ml
  • Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid
  • Product type: Serum
  • Why we love it
    • Hydrating
    • Brightening
  • Take note
    • Takes a little longer than others to deliver noticeable change

This light, creamy serum can be applied twice a day after your morning and evening cleanse. It takes a little longer for any noticeable effects but, after roughly four weeks, we saw a reduction in age spots and an overall brighter complexion. It also includes Nivea’s luminous 630 formula, which is one of the brand’s USPs, thanks to a decade of research that went into creating a set of ingredients that work at a cellular level to brighten the skin and tackle dark spots.

  1.  £29 from Boots.com
Prices may vary
Back to top

Sunday Riley C.E.O. 15% vitamin C brightening serum

Sunday riley best skincare products for hyperpigmentation indybest
  • Best: For an instant boost
  • Size: 30ml
  • Key ingredients: Vitamin C, saccharide isomerate extract
  • Product type: Serum
  • Why we love it
    • High potency of vitamin C
    • Doesn’t last as long as it should for this price

This is an all-round delightful product, providing instant results in terms of brightening. Over longer-term use, we noticed a major reduction in dullness and a firmer complexion, with dark spots and discolourations appearing lighter and less obvious.

The serum’s high potency of vitamin C helps to combat signs of ageing, and gives you more protection from the sun when paired with an SPF.

We also love the stylish orange bottle that it comes in, which is true to form for all Sunday Riley products. It’s no wonder this is one of the brand’s most popular offerings.

Back to top

Pai fade forward marine algae dark spot serum

Pai best skincare products for hyperpigmentation indybest
  • Best: For reducing melasma
  • Size: 30ml
  • Key ingredients: Marine algae, vitamins C and E, hyaluronic acid
  • Product type: Serum
  • Why we love it
    • Effectively reduces signs of pigmentation quickly

This is a particularly good product for anyone struggling with melasma, as we found it reduced signs within just two weeks of regular use, in addition to brightening and evening out our complexion.

Fans of Pai will know its products are made with organic ingredients, with this one including natural vitamin C sourced from corn and coconut; marine algae that helps with pigmentation control; hyaluronic acid to hydrate the skin; as well as vitamin E, which reduces inflammation. It also comes in a stylish recyclable bottle, making this an all-round good choice.

Back to top

Dr Barbara Sturm the good C vitamin C serum

Dr sturm best skincare products for hyperpigmentation indybest
  • Best: For an all-round glow
  • Size: 30ml
  • Key ingredients: Vitamin C, aloe vera and hyaluronic acid
  • Product type: Serum
  • Why we love it
    • Offers multiple benefits

Dr Sturm’s products never disappoint, and this vitamin C serum is no different, giving users a brighter and firmer complexion within one week of regular use.

We love how easily it is absorbed into the skin, and how it also contains aloe vera, for added moisture. It also contains zinc, which helps to activate the vitamin C on the skin and provide the all-round glowing effect. When it comes to reducing pigmentation, it isn’t as strong as some of the other products listed here but it offers a more all-round boost for the skin that is hard not to love.

Back to top

La Prairie white caviar essence extraordinaire

La prairie best skincare products for hyperpigmentation indybest
  • Best: For clear skin
  • Size: 150ml
  • Key ingredients: AHAs, peptides, vitamins C and E
  • Product type: Serum
  • Why we love it
    • Evens out skin tone
    • Skin looks more luminous
  • Take note
    • Expensive

This is one of the most expensive skin products money can buy but it really is worth every penny. As the name suggests, it contains white caviar pearls combined with Swiss golden caviar extract, which means it’s rich in minerals that help to even out skin tone and enhance the skin’s ability to reflect light, subsequently reducing signs of ageing and sun damage.

Beyond that, though, it instantly creates a more luminous skin tone and targets dark spots quickly – we saw a reduction within just a few days – while also helping contribute to improving elasticity and even reducing blemishes, too. It’s an all-round exceptional product for every skin tone, with a price tag to match. It also lasts longer than you’d expect, given how loose the serum is.

Back to top

Sunday Riley CEO afterglow brightening vitamin C cream

Sunday-riley-skincare-products-for-hyperpigmentation-indybest
  • Best: For improving skin texture
  • Size: 50g
  • Key ingredients: Vitamin C
  • Product type: Cream
  • Why we love it
    • Hydrating
    • Non-greasy formula

This is a hyperpigmentation product that is not strictly a hyperpigmentation product. However, thanks to its high vitamin C content, it still does a brilliant job at reducing pigmentation and evening skin tone.

We loved the way it brightened our skin, resulting in long-lasting hydration and a non-greasy complexion. We’d recommend using this underneath your go-to sun protection face cream, for maximum protection against further pigmentation caused by UV exposure.

It’s a light cream that goes a long way, too, so, this tub should last you a while.

Back to top

Wild Science Lab root + fruit light switch hyperpigmentation serum

Wild science best skincare products for hyperpigmentation indybest
  • Best: For acne-prone skin
  • Size: 30ml
  • Key ingredients: Tranexamic acid, azelaic acid, hyaluronic acid, cucumber extract, aloe vera and betaine
  • Product type: Serum
  • Why we love it
    • Natural ingredients
    • Vegan-friendly
  • Take note
    • No immediate result

This serum contains some unique ingredients, such as azelaic acid usually found in grains, which aim to brighten and even skin tone while also evening out skin texture. We noticed a difference after just a few days of use – it managed to get rid of some blemishes, too.

It’s mostly made from natural ingredients, so it’s a good option for those who favour these sorts of products compared with purely acidic ones. It’s also vegan-friendly and cruelty-free as well as being a good, all-round skincare product suited to all skin types.

Back to top

SkinCeuticals phloretin CF antioxidant serum

Skinceuticals best skincare products for hyperpigmentation indybest
  • Best: For dry skin
  • Size: 30ml
  • Key ingredients: Phloretin, vitamin C and ferulic acid
  • Product type: Serum
  • Why we love it
    • Immediate results
  • Take note
    • Thicker serum
    • Expensive

This serum is excellent for all skin types, but it works particularly well if you have combination and dry skin. It uses a patented blend of ingredients to reinforce the skin’s natural function while boosting overall texture and tone. We found the results to be immediate – we noticed a smoother, more hydrated texture after just one application. Plus, over time, skin tone became brighter all round, and sun spots faded.

It’s a slightly thicker serum than some of the other products listed here, but dries surprisingly quickly, so you can use it as part of your normal skin regime quite easily.

Back to top

Katherine Daniels treatment boost for pigmentation and dark spots

Katherine-daniels-best-skincare-products-for-hyperpigmentation-indybest
  • Best: Anti-ageing formula
  • Size: 50ml
  • Key ingredients: Antioxidant plant stem cells
  • Product type: Serum
  • Why we love it
    • Lightweight
    • Fast-acting
  • Take note
    • Scented
    • Pricey

This serum is incredibly hydrating and, after just one application, it made our skin feel and look plumper. It’s very light to apply, and dries almost instantly.

It’s made from antioxidant plant stem cells and uses this to lighten existing pigmentation marks, and we did notice a slight difference after about a week of usage. The fresh and floral scent is subtle but pays homage to the brand’s organic make-up.

If you like this product, we’d recommend investing in the rest of Katherine Daniels’s range, to use alongside it, for maximum effect.

Back to top

Clarins calm-essentiel redness corrective gel

Clarins best skincare products for hyperpigmentation indybest
  • Best: For oily skin
  • Size: 30ml
  • Key ingredients: Clary sage and white horehound extract
  • Product type: Gel
  • Why we love it
    • Minimises blemishes
    • Suitable for all skin types

This is another product that isn’t strictly for pigmentation but helps with it nonetheless. It has a light-blue colour to it, which might put you off at first but don’t let it – on application, it’s completely clear and has an instantly soothing effect on the skin, almost as if you’ve just put aloe vera on a fresh burn.

After two to three days, skin appeared smoother and more even, while existing blemishes also started to fade – another added bonus of this multi-use gel.

We would recommend this for all skin types as an essential product for any discolouration or texture issues, while its price is also fairly decent for such a high-end brand.

Back to top

Sisley-Paris sisleya l’intégral anti-age radiance anti-dark spot serum

Sisleya best skincare products for hyperpigmentation indybest
  • Best: For dark spots
  • Size: 30ml
  • Key ingredients: Lansium extract, hexylresorcinol, soy peptide extract and adenosine
  • Product type: Serum
  • Why we love it
    • Firming
    • Fast-acting
  • Take note
    • High price point

This is one of the most expensive skincare products available, but for those who can afford it, it’s a worthwhile investment. Not only does it effectively reduce dark spots, it also doubles up as an anti-ageing serum.

You can feel the benefits as soon as you apply it. Our complexion appeared firmer and smoother instantly. It doesn’t tighten the skin like some other anti-ageing serums but makes it feel smoother and lifted. It has a non-greasy texture, too, and dries very quickly, meaning it’s great for those on the go.

We used it in the morning and evening and noticed a huge difference in dark spots after just one week. For those who can stretch their purses this far, we would definitely recommend the investment.

Back to top

Zelens power C collagen-boosting and brightening

Zelens best skincare products for hyperpigmentation indybest
  • Best: For brightening
  • Size: 30ml
  • Key ingredient: Squalane derived from olive oil
  • Product type: Serum
  • Why we love it
    • Dries very quickly after applying
  • Take note
    • Can feel a little greasy at times

This is a particularly concentrated serum, so, despite its measly size and large price tag, it should last you a while. With 20 per cent highly stable vitamin C, the product is designed to brighten and tighten the skin while also boosting collagen, resulting in a reduction in the appearance of fine lines. We noticed a difference within a week of using it right before our moisturiser each morning. It also contains entirely plant-based ingredients, such as lysophospholipids obtained from soybean seed, which is said to boost the skin barrier.

Back to top

Eucerin anti-pigment dual serum

Eucerin best skincare products for hyperpigmentation indybest
  • Best: For evening skin tone
  • Size: 30ml
  • Key ingredient: Hyaluronic acid
  • Product type: Serum
  • Why we love it
    • Reduces redness

This product noticeably reduced the appearance of dark patches on the skin within two weeks, thanks to its high volume of Thiamidol. We love that it also contains hyaluronic acid, meaning it hydrates as well as smoothes the complexion.

The strong spa-like scent reminded us of stepping into a luxury hotel. Plus, it’s very reasonably priced and you only need to apply it once a day after your regular cleanser. Benefits are said to increase the longer you use this serum.

Back to top

Antipodes diem vitamin C pigment-correcting water cream

Antipodes best skincare products for hyperpigmentation indybest
  • Best: For re-energising tired skin
  • Size: 60ml
  • Key ingredient: Kakadu plum
  • Product type: Cream
  • Why we love it
    • Instant tightening effect
  • Take note
    • It’s a cream rather than a serum, so can take longer to absorb into the skin

With its thick, creamy texture, this product is entirely unique from the others listed here. Being cream-based, as opposed to a serum, means it works a little more like an additional moisturiser than a purely hyperpigmentation product. Nonetheless, it leaves the skin feeling bright and tight after just one application. Plus, it contains kakadu plum, which is the richest natural source of vitamin C you can find, meaning it delivers results quickly. We noticed an improvement in radiance within a few days.

Back to top

Hyperpigmentation FAQs

What causes hyperpigmentation?

Hyperpigmentation occurs when the skin produces excess melanin, causing the colour to become darker in certain areas, appearing as red, brown or grey patches. Increased sun exposure, hormonal changes, age and skin injuries and inflammation can all contribute to this melanin increase, causing hyperpigmentation to also be called age spots, sun spots or liver spots.

How long does it take for hyperpigmentation to fade?

The earlier you treat hyperpigmentation, the easier it should be to start reversing the skin discolouration, and this is where the products you use are key. Skincare ingredients, including vitamin C, niacinamide, alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA), and azelaic acid, can reduce mild cases of hyperpigmentation, while more serious forms will benefit from professional peels and laser treatment. The length of time it takes to reduce the discolouration will vary depending on the size and colour of the hyperpigmentation as well as the strength of the products you use, so be sure to seek out a professional opinion if you’d like more specific timelines.

What facial treatment is best for hyperpigmentation?

Facial peels are often cited as an effective way to treat hyperpigmentation, and some of the most effective facial treatments include BHAs, such as salicylic acid. Treating the top layer of skin – the epidermis – where sun spots and melasma can occur, salicylic acid works to exfoliate away those inconsistencies in skin tone, leaving behind a more even complexion. Products such as La Roche-Posay’s melaB3 serum (£48, Lookfantastic.com) use salicylic acid alongside a cocktail of other hard-working ingredients. Something to note, though: salicylic acid won’t give hyperpigmentation an overnight transformation but, over time, it will work to smooth areas where extra melanin is present.

The verdict: Hyperpigmentation products

In terms of price and effect, it’s got to be the La Roche-Posay serum that pips the others to the post. An all-round excellent product that has an instant benefit on the skin but also lasts a long time, it’s a no-brainer. We couldn’t recommend it more highly to anyone of any skin type experiencing pigmentation issues.

If you can stretch the budget a little more, we’d recommend investing in Sunday Riley’s vitamin C cream. Not only is it a lovely product to use, with a citrus scent, it also boasts several benefits that will help prevent further pigmentation damage to your skin.

Cleanse skin and tackle redness and dryness with our round-up of the best face moisturisers

Voucher Codes

TUI Discount Code
TUI Discount Code
£50 per booking off selected package holidays using your unique TUI voucher code
ASOS Discount Code
ASOS Discount Code
10% off first orders £20+ using this ASOS promo code
Travelodge Discount Code
Travelodge Discount Code
Save 5% on bookings - Travelodge voucher code
Cult Beauty Discount Code
Cult Beauty Discount Code
Get 15% off + Extra 5% on select products with this Cult Beauty voucher code
The Body Shop Discount Code
The Body Shop Discount Code
Save 20% on orders with The Body Shop discount code
The Perfume Shop Discount Code
The Perfume Shop Discount Code
Save 15% on everything with birthday orders at The Perfume Shop - Member exclusive

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in