Finding an effective product to address post-acne marks and discoloration without spending upwards of $40.00 is not an easy task. Here are 9 drugstore products for hyperpigmentation that do the heavy lifting while still being easy on your wallet.
Fading hyperpigmentation and dark spots is one of the most frustrating skin concerns to tackle. You’ve dealt with the pimple, but now there’s the aftermath that hangs around for a lot longer than the actual breakout ever did. As a skincare fanatic whose main skin goal for the last 3 years has been fading spots left over from a raging 18 month bout with hormonal acne, these are some of the most effective, cheaper drugstore products for hyperpigmentation I’ve found that actually do something.
You’ll find a mix of serums, toners, cleansers, and leave-on treatments in this list, all of which target those stubborn dark spots. After reading through the options, you’ll be left with several, effective drugstore product options that don’t break the bank.
This post is all about the best drugstore hyperpigmentation products for fading acne scars and dark spots.
Best Drugstore Products For Hyperpigmentation:
1.) Drugstore Cleansers For Hyperpigmentation
Because of short amount of time they stay on your face compared to products like toners, serums, and moisturizers, cleansers alone aren’t the most effective products at the drugstore for fading those marks, but when used correctly and in conjunction with other products for hyperpigmentation, it can certainly be a beneficial step.
The Even Tone Cleansing Bar from Urban Skin Rx is an amazing choice for a drugstore cleanser for hyperpigmentation. It is absolutely loaded with ingredients that help fade sun damage, uneven skin tone, and acne scars. Namely, kojic acid, azelaic acid, licorice root, and alpha arbutin, and that’s not even all of them.
To use most effectively, lather it to the affected areas and let it sit for a few minutes on your skin. The few extra moments of contact between those ingredients and your skin will make a big difference over time. After that, rinse and proceed with the rest of your routine.
The peach slices Acne Clarifying Cleanser is another great option for a drugstore cleanser for hyperpigmentation. Although salicylic acid is widely known and marketed as an ingredient for combatting acne, it’s also an effective choice for diminishing dark marks. It’s anti-inflammatory and helps to remove skin cells damaged by the sun, and works to lessen any overall unevenness.
Besides salicylic acid, this face wash also has centella in it, another anti-inflammatory ingredient, and glycerin to help combat any potential dryness from the salicylic acid. Same as the other cleanser, just lather this on the affected areas and let sit for a few minutes before rinsing.
You can use it on your entire face, but if your skin leans on the drier side concentrating it on the areas where the most hyperpigmentation is will ward off any excess dryness.
2.) Drugstore Toners For Hyperpigmentation
You probably know Pixi for their iconic Glow Tonic toner, which I do believe is a great product and I’ve used it for years in the past, but honestly their Clarity Tonic takes it up a notch when it comes to fighting hyperpigmentation. It’s marketed more for breakouts than for evening the skin tone, but it does both wonderfully.
The Clarity Tonic contains the OG glycolic acid that the Glow Tonic does, but the Clarity formula also boasts salicylic acid, lactic acid, centella asiatica extract, and even licorice root extract. This is incredible for fading post-acne marks and scars as well as mitigating any irritation from the combination of acids.
I don’t think this product gets as much attention as it deserves! Start slowly as you would with any chemical exfoliant, and of course, make sure you’re using sunscreen everyday.
{ RELATED POST: 15 Game-Changing Salicylic Acid Skin Care Products That Fit Into Any Routine }
Going to say this before anything else, no matter how experienced you are with exfoliating acids in skin care, you need to start slowly with Naturium’s Glycolic Acid Resurfacing Solution. No more than once a week to start. In my experience, this is one of the strongest glycolic acid products out there, not just at the drugstore.
This means that if used too frequently or too much product is used on the skin, you will most likely get irritation. However, the strength of this also means that if you incorporate it correctly and build up a tolerance, the glow and and evenness in your skin will be off the charts.
Naturium is one of the best brands for producing high-quality and high-performing products at an accessible price point, and this product is a prime example of that.The lightweight, watery consistency sinks in immediately and is ideal for layering moisturizing serums, creams, and spf on top.
Good Molecule’s Niacinamide Brightening Toner is extremely well-loved when it comes to brightening the skin tone and fading discoloration. With over 190 5-star reviews on Ulta and only $14.00 for 4 oz of product, it’s hard to find something to complain about with this one. If your skin is too sensitive or reactive for acids that typically help fight hyperpigmentation, give this a go instead.
Niacinamide promotes an even skin tone and supports barrier function while arbutin and licorice root extract reduce the excess production of melanin and fade existing hyperpigmentation. In addition to visibly reducing acne scars and marks fairly quickly, reviewers say it’s also helped with melasma, clogged pores, and doesn’t irritate sensitive, acne-prone skin. Sounds like an all-around win if you ask me.
3.) Drugstore Serums For Hyperpigmentation
Technically this is a serum in a stick, but Hero Cosmetic’s Lightning Wand packs a serious punch in small packaging. I particularly like this after I’ve had a cluster of smaller breakouts in the same area. It’s perfect for situations in which you might not need an all-over serum, but rather something for small portions of discoloration.
Alongside glycolic acid, a trio of niacinamide, tranexamic acid, and vitamin c work in tandem with one another to slough away dead skin cells and return dark patches to their regular tone. It’s a thin, non-sticky consistency that doesn’t disrupt any additional skincare routine steps that come afterward. Comes in a super-convenient mini size too.
Azelaic Acid is a lesser-known ingredient for tackling hyperpigmentation, but thanks to products like the Azelaic Acid Emulsion 10% from Naturium, more people are becoming familiar with it’s benefits and incorporating it into their routines. This is a lightweight, cushiony lotion that can be layered under your regular daytime moisturizer without feeling too heavy.
Azelaic acid is a tyrosinase inhibitor, meaning it works to stop excess melanin production( the dark spots that occur after a breakout) in our skin. This makes it ideal for treating post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation- be it singular spots or larger patches.
On top of this, it’s also a soothing ingredient that lessens redness from irritation not related to acne scars or marks. And with niacinamide, allantoin, and squalane working in the formula too, this concoction is perfection for sensitive, easily-irritated complexions.
Neutrogena’s Stubborn Marks Pm Treatment utilizes the always-impressive power of retinol to fade hyperpigmentation left over from breakouts. In addition to lowering the chances of experiencing a breakout in the first place, retinol also will make it less likely that your already-existing breakouts will leave a dark mark behind.
This particular product features a slow release retinol that minimizes dryness and irritation throughout the night. It’s a very lightweight, creamy serum that can easily be layered on top or under your usual nighttime moisturizer. As always with retinol, begin slowly and work up to the frequency at which your skin best tolerates it.
Don’t get scared thinking that the Tranexamic Topical Acid 5% from Naturium is another acid you’re going to have to spend some time acclimating to. Although it is technically an acid, it’s not an exfoliating one like glycolic, salicylic, or lactic is. So this means that there is a much lower chance of it causing irritation.
Its anti-inflammatory properties are like that of azelaic acid. It’s a tyrosinase inhibitor which lessens the amount of excess melanin and pigment produced after a breakout. Tranexamic acid also plays well with others. You can layer this with pretty much anything and it won’t decrease in efficacy or affect that of other products.
There’s also niacinamide, kojic acid, and licorice root extract in this to further fade hyperpigmentation and dark spots. I use this as I would a hydrating serum. Sometimes it’s the only serum I use, and others times I might use an additional one before or after it. Either way it works wonderfully.
This post was all about the best drugstore hyperpigmentation products.
Other Posts You May Like:
- Target Skin Care Products | 21 Of The Very Best Picks You Can Snag On Your Next Run
- The 7 Most Effective Benzoyl Peroxide Skin Care Products For Acne
- 11 Must-Have Skincare Products For Dry Skin That Will Save Your Face During Colder Months
