My skin brightening routine: 4 products + 3 tips to get your skin glowing
Written By Jenny Wu on
Once upon a time, I loved being in sun and hated wearing sunscreen. I know, the horrors. By the time I realized my mistake, my skin had lost its glow and looked dull + uneven. After countless products and trials + errors, I’ve finally found a brightening routine that works.
For reference, my natural skin tone is NC20, but at the peak of my SPF-less days, I was around NC40 (when I tan, I friggin tan). Now there’s nothing wrong with NC40, except:
- I can’t pull it off. Some people look gorgeous tanned, but nope not me.
- The color was uneven and dull. Unlike an artificial tan, a sun tan is actually a defense mechanism of the skin to protect it from further UV damage and it’s not meant to be pretty.
So in order to restore my skin’s brightness and glow, I needed to undo as much of the sun damage as possible, which coincidentally means getting rid of my not-so-flattering tan. Trust me when I say it was a long journey with lots of disappointing products, but luckily these 4 proved to be total hits:
Kose Sekkisei Lotion
- Key Ingredients
- Coix Seed Extract, Angelica Extract, Melothria Extract, Licorice Extract – full ingredients here
- Available at
- SkinStore for $48/200ml (frequent 20% off sales + free shipping)
This is a skin-brightening cult classic, and that’s because it works. I credit this bottle to doing most of the heavy lifting during the earlier stages of Operation Restore Dat Glow™, fading my splotchy tan and helping brighten my overall skin tone. I also love how refreshing and light this feels on the skin, which is especially nice in the summer time when my skin gets oilier.
Keep in mind this does contain alcohol high up in the ingredient list, and parabens + artificial fragrance at the bottom of the list. There’s also the addition of octinoxate, a UV filter commonly found in sunscreens. What it’s doing in a brightening toner, I have no idea, but personally I haven’t had any issues with it or any of the other “questionable” ingredients myself.
SK-II Facial Treatment Essence
- Key Ingredients
- 90% Pitera (Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate) – full ingredients here
- Available at
- Net-A-Porter, Sephora, Nordstrom, Dermstore for $99/75ml
People either love this or hate this, and I used to be in the latter camp. Then I gave this another try a few years later and holy crap did this make my skin glow. When the Sekkisei Lotion plateaued in terms of its brightening abilities, the SK-II took just picked up where Sekkisei left off and took the glow to a whole new level. It sounds dramatic, but honestly even I was shocked by the almost immediate difference I saw in my skin from using this, and now I can never be without it. God help my wallet.
If you can, I’d highly recommend getting a sample – a travel-sized one should be enough to determine if this will work for your skin. If you’re not seeing results after you finish the sample (I saw results just after 1 use!), don’t bother with the full-sized bottle.
CircCell Dramatic Lightening Potion*
- Key Ingredients
- Resveratrol, Soy Amino Acids, Peptides, Yeast Extract, Licorice Root Extract, Soybean Seed Extract, Vitamin C – full ingredient list here
- Available at
- CircCell, AHALife (free shipping + returns) for $180/45ml
No this won’t lighten your skin beyond its original shade, but if you want to really brighten your complexion, this does just that. I was skeptical at first, because most brightening/lightening product tend to be disappointing (there’s a reason why there are only 4 products featured in this post), but in the 2 months I’ve been using this, I’ve noticed that my skin is now closer to my original tone than ever before. In other words, this is the brightest my skin has ever been (since I was a baby).
Bonus points for its non-sticky texture and matte finish on the skin, plus it layers well with other products. The foundation-like color did throw me off at first, but it actually doesn’t tint your skin in anyway. However, the price makes me want to cry. Why the hell are effective brightening products so expensive??? Also, this did nothing for my dark spots, but I wasn’t expecting it to either.
Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin E Mask*
- Key Ingredients
- Vitamin E, Niacinamide, Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramides – full ingredients here
- Available at
- Wishtrend for $27/90ml (currently 30% off for $18.90, plus get free global shipping for orders $69+)
I raved about the brightening abilities of this sleeping mask in depth already, so it’s no surprise that this is a star product in my brightening routine. Plus, it’s also the most affordable of the products mentioned here, so don’t be afraid to really lather this on at night. I promise, your skin will glow the next morning.
And of course, what good is me raving about brightening products if I don’t have the photos to prove it?
FYI here’s a timeline of the when I started using which products:
- Early 2016 – Kose Sekkisei Lotion
- May 2017 – SK-II Facial Treatment Essence
- Beginning of August 2017 – CircCell Dramatic Lightening Lotion
- Beginning of September 2017 – Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin E Mask
Also, I tried to take the photos in the same spot at around the same time of the day to get consistent lighting, and as always, no filters or editing whatsoever.
3 tips to help your skin glow
In addition to using the above brightening products, I’ve found that making the following adjustments to my routine are just as crucial in the success of Operation Restore Dat Glow, and some of them might be so obvious you’ll roll your eyes and think “Seriously?“
- Wear sunscreen everyday. *cue the eye roll* But seriously, sun damage is evil. It robs your skin of its glow, its smoothness, its softness, and its overall health. If you must tan, use an artificial tanning product. If you want to learn more about sunscreens and how to pick the right one, I’ve got a detailed guide for you.
- Layer and lock in the hydration. A big part of having brighter + glowing skin is making sure it’s hydrated, and I’ve found the best way to add hydration to a routine is by using a simple thermal water mist (I adore the La Roche Posay one). I like spraying it generously between each step of my skin care routine, as moist skin is also better at absorbing ingredients than dry skin (think wet sponge vs dry sponge).
- Exfoliate, but not too frequently. Sometimes the dullness is caused by dead skin cells accumulating on the surface of your skin, so using a gentle AHA occasionally can do wonders for brightening the complexion. As for which AHA to use, I’ve rounded up 13 exfoliants for different skin types and needs.
Lastly I want to make the disclaimer that this post is not about perpetuating the beauty trend that lighter = better. If you want to add color to your complexion, all the power to you, but there are plenty of skin-friendly options (ie. sunless tanners, bronzers) other than baking in the sun without SPF.
Hope you all enjoyed this post, and let me know if you have any favorite brightening products that you swear by! Have a great rest of the week!
Passionate about science-based skincare. Tested hundreds if not thousands of products since my 20's. Working regularly with brands like iHerb, Ulta, CurrentBody, and MedStar Health to share my knowledge and experience in all things beauty. Learn more.
Skin profile: 35+, dry/combination, focused on well-aging, hydration, and a healthy glow ✨
Comments & Questions
Linda Libra Loca
I used to be the same: No SPF, hours in the sun, burn before the tan and all these things. I pay the price not so much in dull skil, but in hyperpigmentation. Now I wear SPF every day and in the summer use selftanner and bronzer. And the klairs mask, which I love! Another product that worked really well for me is the Instytutum Serum.
Linda, Libra, Loca: Beauty, Baby and Backpacking
Jenny
I paid the price in hyperpigmentation as well, as you can see from the spots in my photo that stubbornly refuse to go away. But it did happen with years of damage, so I'm sure it'll take just as long to see significant improvements there. I definitely need to try that Instytutum Serum once I finish my current serum stash, it's been on my wishlist ever since I heard about it from you!
Naya // partyparrotblog.com
Beautifully written Jenny. I also don't like what tan does to my skin (be it my face or body). At the moment I look like 50 shades of beige lol so will make sure to try some of these! Thanks for the recommendation xx
Jenny
Thank you so much Naya! And yes, 50 shades of beige is definitely how I would describe my post-tan complexion as well!
Emily Vyse
Such a great, in depth review! I've wanted to try the SK-II essence for FOREVER, but it's hard to justify the price. I'll try and get my hands on a travel size like you recommend.
www.millievyse.blogspot.co.uk
Jenny
Thank you Emily! Honestly even though the SK-II works really well for me, I still find the price a bit insane. I might consider investing in their huge pump bottles which have a better value (albeit still super expensive!).
Becky
lmao @ operation restore dat glow. I've heard that drying alcohols just really depend on your skin type, some people are sensitive to it and it burns and some are okay with it. Personally I try to avoid them just because my skin is dry. My sunscreen has alcohol pretty high up and I'm trying to lie to myself that it's okay because I have a lot of skincare underneath LOL but I'm trying to find a replacement!
hoooLY crap I was hoping you wouldn't mention the SKII essence. It's so pricey for what it is, but so many people swear by it. There's so many times I've wanted to order those little sets that have the essence in it just to try it out, my heart flutters but my wallet says no :(
Are you familiar with the skincareaddiction subreddit? I know sun care is important and all, but they take that shit to a whole other level. I went there for help asking if I should use SPF for a certain body product I used once a week (it contained aha or bha), saying that I usually don't because I don't like how it feels even though I know I should, and the first comment was "you should always wear sunscreen" like okay I KNOW I ALREADY MENTIONED THAT. Just a lil rant hahaha, but anyway my point is that they used to do this thing where it'd be lighter skinned people comparing themselves to friends or family that tanned/didn't use sunscreen and they were like, "look how light I am compared to so and so!" Then someone called all of that out, saying that it's an inconsiderate thing to do since not everyone is born with a light skin tone.
and holy crap, your skin changed so much!!!
Jenny
Just curious, do you notice any dryness with your sunscreen? I'm in the boat where if I don't notice any issues with certain debatable ingredients on my skin (eg. alcohol or parabens), I'm fine with them being part of the formula. But if it does dry your skin out then yes, time for a new sunscreen!
Trust me I didn't want to mention the SK-II essence either, and I've tried several other dupes like the Missha one before in hopes that my skin would like those better. I did like the Naruko one, but it's brightening/skin-refining abilities just pales in comparison the SK-II. I know a lot of people have had success with these SK-II dupes, so maybe try those? I'm starting to think my skin just has expensive taste now, haha
I used to frequent the reddit skincare subs, but honestly some people in there are such fucking pricks that I've stopped. Most people are nice, but the few with a holier-than-thou attitude about skincare really rub me the wrong way. Comparing skin tones with other people is the perfect example of this crap, like you said, everyone is born with different complexions, and honestly you can be pale AF but still with worse skin than someone who's naturally tan.
And yeah, I don't really notice it myself looking in the mirror daily, but when I took these comparison shots I was surprised myself!
Shireen
I am one of the them who are not a fab of SK-II Treatment Essence, it does nothing for my skin to be honest and I guess I am lucky that my skin doesn't like it. Lose is a huge brand back in Malaysia but I don't read about it much here in Canada or on beauty blogs. I'll have to look into the brand again and see where and what I want to try.
ps: And I noticed you are using Disqus! Why the change?
Shireen⎜Reflection of Sanity
Becky
(^ also curious of the change)
Jenny
I used to be in the same camp a few years ago, and I'm pretty sure my wallet still wishes I was! Kose is really popular in Asia, and I think they've recently started establishing a presence in the US market with some of their most popular products, so hopefully it'll be more widely accessible soon!
My reason for switching to Disqus is super nerdy, haha. Basically having WordPress/PHP load 50+ comments on a single page can be a server intensive task, so I wanted to offload that burden onto a third party site, ie. Disqus. The tradeoff is having to load all the resources from Disqus, but I use a plugin that basically only loads Disqus when the user scrolls to the comment section. So if they never scroll down, Disqus never loads and doesn't impact the page loading speed :) That and I like being able to reply to comments via email!
Hannah
I haven't heard of any of these before, but they seem amazing! You can't argue with the results, as your skin looks so good!xx
Hannah | luxuryblush
Jenny
Thanks so much Hannah! It took going through a lot of ineffective products to finally find ones that worked, but it was worth it!
Ladyofashion
I like Klairs and will have to use more of that brand. I did not favour the SK II, although my sister loves it so much. My skin can get very tanned up to like seven shades darker in summer, but I use sun protection pretty much everyday. P.S. I love Disqus by the way. It's also helpful since do blogging mobile/tablet and you can keep up with comments easier.
FASHION TALES
Jenny
Klairs is one of my favorite brands, and I hope they’ll release more brightening products in the future soon! I tan very easily as well, even with sunscreen daily, but using these products definitely helped prevent the dullness and unevenness associated with past tans.
Glad you liked the switch to disqus! I figured it might be good for you guys as well since a lot of other blogs already use it :)
Amanda
All these products look great!
https://styledwithamanda.blogspot.com
Jenny
Thank you Amanda!
Sal UmmBaby
I really want to try that Klairs mask - I use their Vitamin C serum and love it, and their toner is one of my favourite products so I have high hopes about the mask. The SKII is on my wish list xxx
UmmBabyBeauty
Jenny
I believe this mask was designed to layer with the Vitamin C serum, so I'm sure you'll get really great results if you use both! The SK-II is fantastic as well, definitely recommend trying a sample if you can!
Sam Hodgett
wow your skin has really brightened and looks amazing! I love the the SKII essence, such a classic x
Jenny
Thank you Sam! I agree, the SK-II is a classic, no wonder it's so many people's favorite!
Rowena @ rolala loves
Oh Jenny, me too! And I totally regret all the time I spent in the sun without proper sun protection to this day O_o I feel like I always have some sort of brightening product in my routine to correct my past sins LOL Currently I'm very high on a Cailyn Vitamin C serum and a retinol oil which I will be introducing on my blog soon. most of my sheet masks are usually geared towards brightening. The SK-II FTE is one of my faves and I need to get back to it at some point. I really wanted to try the Klairs mask after your glowing review of it. Great point about not over exfoliating. That is such a slippery slope.
Jenny
Yes, I forgot to mention my ridiculous collection of brightening masks in this post! I've tried a lot of vitamin c serums but for some reason they just don't seem to provide any brightening benefits :( Still I'm super intrigued by the Cailyn Vitamin C serum ever since I read about it on your blog!
Prettypeach Blossom
Wow Jenny your thorough reviews are always so welcome especially when we have indulged in the sun all summer. SK11 I should really take the plunge and try it myself so many people swear by it.
I am nodding my head as I read, too much of a good thing ie exfoliation, everything in moderation those are wise words.
Wonderful post Jen thank you. X
Esnath @ www.prettypeachblossom.com
Jenny
Thank you Esnath! I can't recommend trying the SK-II enough, it's one of those products that when it works, it *really* works! And yes, I learned the hard way that too much exfoliating is worse than no exfoliating!
Georgia Megan
I definitely need to start wearing sunscreen everyday! I've been told by so many people to start, but I always forget! I now only buy foundation with SPF in it so at least there's some sort of protection there! x
Georgia Megan
Jenny
It took some time for me to get used applying SPF as well, but the results were totally worth it, and some SPF is always better than none :)
A Very Sweet Blog
Wow, I do see the difference. I've heard great things about all of these products. Definitely saving this post and will try them. Thanks for sharing your experience.
http://www.averysweetblog.com/
Jenny
Glad you enjoyed the post, and I hope you'll get the same great results if you do try these products!
Lindsey @ sustainablysavvy
I am the WORST with remembering to apply sunscreen. It's not so bad in the winter, but in the Summer it's not good at all. I don't tan, I burn haha! Pretty impressive to see the difference these products make!
www.sustainablysavvy.ca
Jenny
I forget to apply SPF on my body as well sometimes, and the resulting tan looks extra silly because it's so much darker than my face. Oops!
Kiri Yanchenko
Oh yeah - self tanning or tanning in the sun is just not me.
I love finding new brightening products to try. So far the things that have worked for me have been laser and tretinoin cream/vitamin A except I have to stop using that now coz we are going into summer in oz.
Kiri
Set to Glow
http://www.settoglow.com.au
Jenny
I think one of these days I might just get laser to remove my stubborn dark spots, it'd definitely be the quickest option! I use tretinoin as well, though not everyday since my skin can't handle it, so it takes a long time to notice any changes in the spots.
Marina Rosie
I don't really like tanning myself but like you, i can definitely relate 100% - If tanning was an Olympic event, I'd win gold. The difference is clear Jenny, although you had stunning skin before as well! xx I apply sunscreen everyday in order to protect my skin and quite frankly reap the benefits, as it's a lot less patchy than it used to be. I love to exfoliate from time to time - works wonders! xx
Marina xx
https://marinawriteslife.blogspot.fr/
Jenny
Thank you so much Marina! It's amazing how applying sunscreen regularly can really improve your skin, or rather, allow you to see the difference other products are making on your skin!
Jennifer | MrsQBeauty
These are all new products to me but they sound really great. I'm not good with skincare and I'm trying to learn more. I'm also not the best at remembering sunscreen.
Jennifer | Mrs Q Beauty
Jenny
Maybe you can try a day time moisturizer with SPF built in? I usually prefer at least SPF30 or higher, but some SPF is always better than no SPF :) Thanks for stopping by Jennifer!
Emily
I reallyyyy want to try the SK-II one. I've heard a bagillion good things about it. I actually have never heard of anyone hating it. But damn does it look harsh on the bank account. The rest I haven't heard of. Currently I am holding out for the Sephora VIB sale, I think it's next month? It's so hard to not buy anything until then!
-Emily www.coatandcoffee.com
Jenny
I actually hated SK-II when I first tried it a few years back, not because it was horrible per se, but that it didn't do much for my skin then despite the ridiculously high price! I'm thinking of getting another bottle at the Sephora VIB sale as well, along with a bunch of other stuff, haha. You're right, this waiting period is the hardest!
Cat L
Such a great post Jenny! I love the SK-II essence as well. It is pricey but my skin seems to really enjoy the benefits. I would also like to try the Klairs Vitamin E mask. I don't think I've ever tried something similar to it before, but love all the ingredients.
~ Cat L.
www.CatsDailyLiving.com
Jenny
Thank you so much Cat! I agree, you can't put a price on great skin, so I'm willing to pay (albeit painfully) the high prices for SK-II. The Klairs mask is wonderful, I think you'll really enjoy it! :)
Veron
All of these products I frankly haven't heard of, but gosh, the results are amazing. In our country, everybody's obsessed about brightening their skin, mostly because we are a tropical country and everyone's naturally tan. Can't stress enough the need for SPF though.
Joy to the World
Jenny
Thank you Veron! The obsession with brightening is huge in Asia, and and I feel like there are so many more options there. But like you said, applying SPF is half the battle!
Alyssa
I haven't tried any of these products yet but OMG! I love how your skin brightened :) I may consider to try some of these you featured :)
xx Alyssa | STYLE VANITY
Jenny
Thank you so much Alyssa! I was super excited to see the change in the photos as well :D I hope you'll get the same great results I did if you do try these products!
Frankly Flawless
Some really great tips here and your photos are so useful I think you cans the difference in your skin x
franklyflawless.com
Jenny
Thank you so much lovely! It's hard to notice the difference from day to day, but taking photos periodically and comparing helps!
Kasie
It sounds like you and I are both recovering sun worshipers! I'm SO horrified to admit that, it's awful! I'll have to try all of these products, I have some sun damage as well that I could definitely stand to fade.
Jenny
Better late than never though right? ;) I hope you'll get the same great results I do if you do use these products! Thanks for reading Kasie!
Sonia / Chanel
Skin brightening is such a necessary thing for me! I'm always picking up products to help with my acne scars. I'll have to try some of these. PS new site, Jenny?! Love!
x,
S | Je M'appelle Chanel
Jenny
I know a lot of people also have success with Vitamin C products for fading acne scars, so those are worth looking into as well :) I randomly tweak the site designs here and there, so I'm glad you noticed and like it! Thank you!
Merel van Poorten
Aaah you picked amazing products! haven't tried the Mask though! I'm definitely going to!
X Merel
www.andathousandwords.com
Jenny
Thank you Merel! The mask is one of my favorite products ever!
Yiotou_La
I used to not wear sunscreen a few years back but this has changed now, I cannot leave the house without applying some and it's became a habit of mine. I really need to get my hands on the Klairs Vitamin E mask!
Yiota
PinkDaisyLoves
Jenny
The Klairs mask is truly fantastic, it might be my favorite product of mine from the entire range!
Valerie
Love this post! I'm on the same page as you on the SK-II essence. I stopped using it because I wasn't seeing any results, but this time around it feels different! Their packaging is to die for!
Jenny
Thank you Valerie! It's curious how our skin changes over the years and how misses suddenly become hits!
Nora Gouma
Great post, truly inspiring, I love it, love your blog as well, thank you for sharing!!!
xxx
www.modelonamission.com
Jenny
Thank you so much for your kind comment Nora!
Whitney
It was so sunny when I walked out the door today and I was like "darn I wish I wore sunscreen." It's a bad habit I got to stop! I definitely want to try the Vitamin E mask and the Sekkisei Lotion!
Jenny
Once you get into the habit it'll come so naturally you won't even think twice about it! :P I can't recommend the Vitamin E Mask enough, it's such an amazing + affordable product!
Syafiqah
I used to be really bad with sunscreen (even though i live in a place with strong sun all year round??) but i'm starting to repent now. LOVE the inclusion of the Sekkisei Lotion - I incorporated it into my skincare regime about 6 months back, but within 2 weeks I already could see that it worked wonders for my skin, it looks brighter and smoother. I pat it on first with cotton pad, and then a second layer using my hands.
I find that it works wonderfully when paired with the Sekkisei serum, or the DHC P2H4 Watergel. Until today I'm not exactly sure how the Sekkisei Lotion works, but it works and it's become the core of my holy grail skincare regime.
Tempted to try SKII, but I doubt whether my skin can accept ferment. Since it's so pricey anyway, I might hold it off for a bit longer...
Jenny
Thanks for reading! The Sekkisei Lotion definitely deserves more love, especially since it's such an effective brightening product. Glad to hear it worked well for you as well! I haven't tried their serum yet, but I'm definitely curious now! Unfortunately the DHC P2H4 Watergel isn't sold in the US, but I will have to check it out when I go back to Taiwan next year.
See if you can get a sample of the SK-II, or a decant from a friend who owns one. It should only take a few days (at most) to see the results!