With the warmer days fading and coming to an end, the only thing that may not be fading is your post-summer induced pigmentation. If you are seeking a clearer, brighter, and more even textured complexion, understanding what factors can exacerbate pigmentation concerns and knowing what skincare is best recommended to help treat it is a must…

What is hyperpigmentation?

Hyperpigmentation may display as different coloured patches on the skin and occurs when melanin, is increased and distributed unevenly. While pigmentation is largely non-irritating and generally painless, it indicates a cellular irregularity that can lead to stubborn discolouration on the skin.
When your skin goal is to improve hyperpigmentation it’s important to understand that certain factors or ‘triggers’ can increase pigment in the skin, with UV sun-induced exposure being highest on the list. Other factors may include skin injury, inflammation, medication, changes in hormones due to pregnancy for example, and artificial fragrances.

How to help achieve a brighter more even skin tone…

The first thing to look at when treating this condition is to look for the potential “trigger” factors involved.

1. Check your ingredient listing on your products – do any of them have artificial fragrance or essential oils labelled as “natural” fragrance? Fragrance is well- known for photosensitising the skin and when combined with UV can induce an increase of melanin. Other ingredients in a formula that make the skin susceptible to are retinols.
2. Do take any medications? Check with your medical practitioner if you are unsure if they could be contributing or what the side effects may be.
3. Throughout pregnancy, when hormones are changing, we may see the very common mask of pregnancy, also known as melasma.
4. Sun induced hyperpigmentation is a common cause post-summer.
5. Skin injury and inflammation from acne for example, can also increase melanin as its involved in the line of defence of the skin barrier.

Secondly, the most effective way to protect against and reduce pigmentation is to apply active ingredients that inhibit melanogenesis (the pigmentation pathway) naturally.

We recommend Biologi’s Bk Vitamin C Face & Eye Serum because it aims to improve the appearance of skin pigmentation without compromising healthy cells and without the use of synthetic activating agents. Bk is 100% active and the key phyto-actives contained are effective at targeting these skin ‘trigger’ pigment changes. This powerhouse serum brings clarity and brightening, safely, to all skin types and conditions, even throughout pregnancy.

Kakadu Plum Extract is the single-plant ingredient extract for the Bk which is rich in plant-based stable Vitamin C and pigment-inhibiting phyto-actives, Ellagic and Gallic Acid. Kakadu Plum Extract also reduces the visible signs of ageing caused by sun damage and brightens the overall appearance of the skin.

Biologi’s Vitamin C Face & Eye Serum Ingredients:

Terminalia Ferdinandiana (Kakadu Plum) Fruit Extract, 0.2% Sodium Benzoate.

Key phyto-actives include:

Vitamin C

• Helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines.
• Targets pigmentation conditions because it works on inhibiting the melanogenesis pathway.
• Healing for sun damage.
• Boosts collagen production.

Ellagic Acid

• Provides antioxidant protection.
• Helps to inhibit the formation of sun and age spots.

Gallic Acid

• Provides antioxidant protection.
• Helps to improve skin pigmentation.
• Aims to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, acne scarring and hyperpigmentation.

Sunscreen should always be included in every skincare regime but especially skin concerns of hyperpigmentation. Incorporating weekly exfoliation using the Bx Reveal Exfoliant from Biologi will also help to slough off dead dulling pigmented skin cells to encourage new cell regeneration from the deeper layers of the epidermis.

Finally, seeking the advice from our professional therapists and incorporating a customised signature treatment that includes LED can greatly increase your results with targeting hyperpigmentation.

The Biologi Bk Vitamin C Face & Eye Serum is available NOW from The Facialist.