Skin Brightening

Sun damage and other skin issues can rob your complexion of its natural glow. If your skin is starting to look dull and uneven or you’re struggling with dark spots or post-blemish marks, Paula’s Choice skin brightening products can help visibly return it to a vibrant, healthy state.

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Skin Brightening Cream Ingredients to Look For

Paula's Choice C5 Super Boost Moisturizer with 5% Vitamin C Some of the most well-researched, best skin brightening ingredients are vitamin C, glutathione, arbutin, azelaic acid, niacinamide, mulberry, bearberry and licorice extracts. Each minimizes discolorations in its own unique way, targeting the many triggers that make skin tone uneven and lackluster. Most skin brightening ingredients are multi-faceted and offer antioxidant and hydrating benefits, too.

Our C5 Super Boost Moisturizer has a cream gel base specifically formulated with 5% vitamin C, a potent antioxidant, to visibly lift dullness, fight free radical damage, and promote a brighter complexion while still delivering barrier repairing moisture.

While it’s important to note that no skin brightening cream can make stubborn discolorations completely disappear overnight, with consistent use you really will see your complexion return to its natural, healthy glow.

Skin Brightening Serums & Treatments We Swear By

At Paula’s Choice, we only formulate our skin brightening products with research-backed extracts and other ingredients that have been shown to improve skin tone. We offer a variety of delivery systems and textures so you can pick the skin brightener that best suits your skin type and concerns.

For spot-treating discolorations... 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Clinical Serum

A powerhouse combination of 23% tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate and 2% ascorbyl glucoside (both stable derivatives of vitamin C) + glutathione goes to work on stubborn dark spots while visibly improving skin’s firmness.

For brightening a dull complexion… RADIANCE Renewal Mask

There’s no need to rinse this cushiony sleeping mask that goes to work overnight. It’s formulated with skin brightening niacinamide, arbutin and bearberry extract, plus replenishing hydrators so you wake up to softer, visibly plumper, glowing skin. You can also apply it anytime of day as your face brightening cream.

For discolorations + fine lines and loss of firmness… RESIST Triple Active Total Repair Serum

With a potent combination of hexylresorcinol, retinoid and niacinamide, this lightly hydrating serum targets key signs of aging by signaling skin to repair, renew and re-energize what time takes away.

The Best Skin Brightening Tip

Sunscreen is a must! No skin brightening cream can work effectively if you're not also protecting skin with a broad-spectrum sunscreen rated SPF 30 or higher. Spending time in the sun not only increases your risk of early signs of aging like brown spots, it also slows down skin’s healing process and increases the risk of skin cancer. Sunscreen is a non-negotiable if you want healthy skin.

For even more impressive results, consider an SPF 50+ sunscreen that combines 5% vitamin C, acetyl zingerone and soothing algae extracts to fight current discolorations and help prevent future dark spots.