Birchbox

Uneven tone, roughness, and dark patches—sound familiar? Hyperpigmentation, the discoloration and darkening of skin tone due to an overproduction of melanin, can be tricky to treat because it can be caused by so many different things: that pimple you picked, a stubborn bruise, hormonal changes, or sitting out in the sun for too long. But you don’t need harsh prescriptions to bright dark spots and even out your tone, according to Dr. Chynna Steele, an Atlanta-based dermatologist. Instead, look for superstar products with these six skin smoothing ingredients: