Sun Undone: A Guide To Post-Summer Dark Spot Repair

You did all the right things. You wore a hat. You slathered sunscreen. You avoided the hottest part of the day. But you still ended up with some unwelcome mementos of summer—age spots, irregular pigmentation, patchiness, hyperpigmentation. UV exposure is kind of an occupational hazard of your job as a human. No matter how diligent, one hundred percent avoidance is impossible.

If summer is lingering in all the wrong places, here’s what you need to undo the damage and restore a glowing, even skin tone.

Antioxidants

UV radiation sets loose a cascade of free radical activity that spurs melanocyte production. Antioxidants scavenge and neutralize free radicals to stop that process. Combining two antioxidant superheroes, vitamins C & E, with niacinamide, a form of vitamin B3 that blocks melanin from reaching the surface of the skin, Vivant’s Spin Trap Antioxidant Serum helps repair and protect from further UV damage. Use it as a daily antioxidant shield.

Brighteners

Ingredients that lighten and brighten skin work by suppressing tyrosinase, the enzyme responsible for the production of melanin. The top performers in this arena are mandelic acid, kojic acid, vitamin C, niacinamide, and hydroquinone. Some, like mandelic acid, offer the additional benefit of exfoliation, which is an essential part of reversing summer sun damage.

Exfoliation

Exfoliation helps pull excess pigment to the surface and out of skin. Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and retinoids (vitamin A) are key retexturing agents. AHAs tend to work more on the surface by dissolving the “glue” that binds dead cells, while retinoids penetrate to a deeper level where they stimulate collagen and elastin production to thicken and plump the dermis. Formulated with kojic, lactic, and glycolic acids, plus vitamin A, Vivant’s Exfol-A is the perfect post-summer exfoliating cocktail for a more consistent, brighter, healthier tone and texture.

For more stubborn pigmentation issues, Vivant’s Bleaching Cream is the heavyweight contender. This targeted serum combines transformative vitamin A with the most potent of the brighteners, hydroquinone (2%) and kojic acid. It gets an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory boost from grape seed oil, oat proteins, and aloe leaf.

For skin too sensitive for glycolic acid or hydroquinone, 8% Mandelic Acid 3-In-1 Serum provides a more gentle brightening and exfoliating experience. The larger molecular structure of naturally derived mandelic acid means it penetrates more slowly and causes less irritation. Here, it’s paired with lactic acid and niacinamide in a triple-targeted formula (acne, aging, and irregular pigmentation) that’s safe for all skin tones.

The performance of any corrective serum is enhanced with the use of a toner to remove surface accumulation of dirt, oil and dead skin cells. For prepping and refining when unwanted pigmentation is an issue, the clarifying and brightening blend of mandelic acid, lactic acid, niacinamide, salicylic acid and zinc peptides in Vivant’s Daily Repair Pads provides the ideal solution.

Sunscreen

Just because we’re heading into fall, this is no time to back off on the sunscreen. Continue to use a daily sunscreen to protect from melanin-stimulating and age-accelerating UV radiation. Vivant’s lightweight Day Treatment Lotion SPF 15 with zinc peptide provides broad-spectrum protection that won’t clog pores or make your face look greasy. Make it part of your morning routine to speed repair and guard against further damage.