Dark spots, banished!

They’re not called age spots because they make you look younger. Here’s how to get rid of every last one and achieve youthful radiance.

1 Check out the ingredients In your 20s and 30s, start using a serum with liquorice, soy and/or vitamin C to prevent excess pigment that’s already under your skin from surfacing and to prevent new spots.

2 Get hard core Stubborn discolouration? Ellagic acid is an antioxidant that “fades spots on all skin tones and lightens skin when paired with salicylic acid,” says dermatologist Dr Vivian Bucay.

3 Go for retinol If you’re not already using dermatologist-favourite retinol to smooth lines, start incorporating it into your routine to lighten dark spots – it’s brilliant at that, too!

4 SPF is a must! Without religious sunscreen use this is all an exercise in futility. The sun’s UV rays trigger new pigment production – and so do visible and infrared light, mounting research suggests.

Safety Check

There’s currently a big question mark over hydroquinone, a skin lightener that’s been around longer than Zendaya and Taylor Swift have been alive, combined!

What we know for sure

It fades dark spots faster than anything else on the market ( prescription-strength versions work in as little as eight weeks). Also fact It’s banned in Europe and is being reviewed for safety by the FDA in the US.