MID-TONED/ OLIVE

YOUR SKIN ISSUE Hyperpigmentation

Olive skin has a built-in SPF of about seven, so wrinkles typically hang back until you’re into your forties or fifties (you still need to slap on a high SPF every day, obvs). The not-sogreat news is another way in which mid-level pigmented skin ages. ‘It’s prone to melasma,’ says Dr Rabia Malik, a cosmetic doctor at Grace Belgravia, London. These brown patches of pigment often appear on the cheeks, chin and forehead and are prevalent in women in their mid-thirties – who are 10 times more likely to suffer than men. ‘These darker patches have been proven to add about six years to our perception of someone’s age,’ says Dr Malik. ‘Erase them and it’s like turning back the clock.’ Sun exposure is one cause, but studies show that hormones play a part, too. Hyperpigmentation can also occur as a response to injury or inflammation. ‘With mid-level pigment, a scratch or an eyewatering wax can cause a dark mark,’ says Dr Eckel. If dark hyperpigmentation patches are an issue, spot-apply brightening product, only until you have a uniform skin tone.

COMPLEXION BALANCER Activated C (that’s super-charged vitamin C), white birch and peony extract penetrate dark spots and revive uneven, dull skin.

Kiehl’s Clearly Corrective

Dark Spot Solution, £38 BRIGHTENING BOOSTER

Rich in ingredients that inhibit melanin, such as kojic acid. Think of this as a DIY dermatologist appointment. Medik8 White Balance Brightening Serum, £55