Dark spots & uneven tone
Pigment responds to patient, consistent treatment — and relapses fast without sun protection. Several actives have real trial support here.
What has evidence, ranked
Fades uneven pigmentation over a few months
Proven to fade spots at 4–5% — modest but real
Comparable to hydroquinone in melasma trials
Reliable gradual brightening through exfoliation
Multiple trials show hydroquinone-comparable melasma results
Trial-supported brightening, usually as a co-star
Popular for brightening; the trial data is surprisingly thin
Popular brightener, thin independent evidence
Sample products that cover it
From the demo catalog — ranked by their best evidence for dark spots.
Honest note: no serum outruns the sun
Every fading ingredient works only alongside daily SPF — UV re-triggers pigment faster than actives fade it. And skip DIY lemon juice: it's phototoxic, the opposite of brightening.