Hyperpigmentation, dark spots, brown spots… whatever you name it, if you have it, you want to get rid of it! You may not even know that you have it, but if you think your skin, even when it’s clean, sometimes look uneven in tone, dull or it has a slight ‘dirty’ appearance in certain places, you are most likely a victim of hyperpigmentation. As the name suggests,  hyperpigmentation is mostly caused by an excess production of melanin (the pigment responsible for producing colour in our body), and that causes the darkening of an area of skin. It can also be caused by sun exposure or acne, but whatever the cause, it’s not a pretty look.

I have these rather irritating dark spots pretty much all over my face, – eyelids, around the lips, under eye and cheeks – and although I live perfectly fine with it, when I’m not wearing any makeup (which happens a lot!), it does make my face look dull and super uneven in tone. I don’t know if mine is caused by excess melanin, sun damage (I blame Brazil!) or a combination of both, but I decided I’ve had enough of it and I want to do my best to minimise the look of my dark spots. So today I’m starting The Battle of the Dark Spot Correctors; both products make similar claims and target hyperpigmentation, so I’ll apply them on different areas of my face for 1 month, and see which one has improved my dark spots the most. Without further ado, here are the contenders:

Vichy Idéalia Pro Dark Spot Corrector, £29

Buy from: Boots | Escentual

• dark spots, uneven skin tone and dull complexion
• claims to reduce the appearance of dark spots in 4 weeks
• safe for sensitive skin
• paraben-free and hypoallergenic
• suitable to all skin types
• 30 ml
• slightly scented

This product is aimed at dark spots, uneven skin tone and dull complexion. Vichy draws on its 11 years of expertise on dark spots and researching the irregular production of melanin, to claim that Idéalia Pro Dark Spot Corrector will reduce the appearance of dark spots in 4 weeks; it’s safe for sensitive skin, paraben-free, hypoallergenic and suitable to all skin types.

It comes in a cute iridescent pink 30ml hard plastic bottle with a pump dispenser. The off-white cream feels really light, non-greasy and it gets quickly absorbed by the skin, leaving a barely noticeable, but slightly odd, scent behind.

Avène D-Pigment Rich Dark Spot Lightener*, £35

Buy from: Boots | Escentual

• localised or extensive brown spots and irregularities in complexion
• demonstrated effectiveness under dermatological control
• paraben-free
• available in Normal to Combination Skin or Dry to Very Dry Skin
• 30 ml
• fragrance-free

This product is targeted at localised or extensive brown spots and irregularities in complexion. Avène says that D-Pigment Rich Dark Spot Lightener works by combining the three active ingredients recognised by dermatologists to reduce skin pigmentation – Melanyde, Pre-tocopheryl and Retinaldehyde. It is paraben-free, fragrance free and it’s available in two different varieties: Normal to Combination Skin or Dry To Very Dry Skin (no mention of sensitive skin). In terms of results, Avène only states that the product has ‘clinically demonstrated effectiveness under dermatological control’, which is a bit of a less ambitious claim than the Vichy rival product.

D-Pigment comes in a white squeezable 30ml plastic tube with a silver cap. The cream is a mustard-yellow colour, also very lightweight and quickly absorbed, and completely scentless.

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Overall you can see why I chose to compare these two products as they are almost identical. I’m looking forward to testing them both and seeing which one shall be crowned champion of the battle against hyperpigmentation. I shall keep you informed! For now, I’d love it if you could let me know on the comments below if you’ve ever tried any of these products, and if they worked for you. :)