Pigmentation describes the colouring of your skin, which is caused by melanin — the natural pigment your body makes to give colour to your skin, hair and eyes (as well as a few less obvious places like the brain and nerve cells)². 

We’ve known for a while that a ‘healthy tan’ is a misnomer, and seeking it out means inviting a bunch of other damaging effects, like premature ageing³ and an increased risk of skin cancer⁴. But pigmentation is more than just sun-induced skin darkening. It comes in many different forms, from the natural colouring of your skin, to the changes caused by tanning, to freckles or age spots⁵.

Melanin is produced in special skin cells called melanocytes, so that’s where we need to look to understand what’s really going on. These cells act like little factories, packaging melanin into tiny parcels and sending them to nearby skin cells. The amount they manufacture depends on⁶:

• UV exposure
• Hormones
• Genetics

There are around 1,000–2,000 melanocytes in every square millimetre of your skin⁷! When everything runs smoothly, this delivery system gives your skin an even tone. But as we age, some melanocytes become damaged, less responsive, or overactive. Years of sun exposure and hormonal changes—especially around menopause—can make melanin production patchy, leading to dark spots and uneven pigmentation⁶.

While melanin is the most important skin pigment, it’s not the only one. Lipofuscin, sometimes called the “wear-and-tear” pigment is a cell waste material made of damaged proteins, fats, and oxidised bits that can’t be fully cleaned up. That residue builds up inside cells and sometimes shows up as brownish patches in aging skin. Although lipofuscin is not as well understood, some research suggests it contributes to the dullness, discolouration, and age spots alongside melanin changes².

Hyperpigmentation and hypopigmentation are the polar extremes on the pigmentation scale: ‘hyper’ meaning excessively high or above normal, and ‘hypo’ meaning unusually low or below normal. 

In hypopigmentation, melanin is reduced or even entirely absent, leading to paler skin colouring. This can be caused by all sorts of things, including:

• Injuries or scarring that directly damage melanocyte factories⁵
• Yeast infection shutting melanocytes down (a condition known as pityriasis versicolor)⁸
• Genetic conditions like albinism where melanin isn’t manufactured properly throughout the whole body⁹
• Vitiligo, an autoimmune condition that destroys melanocytes in some areas of the skin.¹⁰
  

As we’ve seen, pigmentation can mean a lot of different things, and plays a role in many different skin changes and conditions. But if you’re wondering how to visibly reduce pigmentation on your face, or how to fix uneven skin tone, science has your back! Your skin is constantly renewing itself, so many surface level changes can be improved with time and the right care. Niacinamide can help brighten skin,¹¹ while AHAs (like glycolic acid and lactic acid) help exfoliate away surface pigmentation¹². Antioxidants—especially vitamins C and E for pigmentation—help protect against reactive oxygen species (ROS) that can damage your melanocyte factories¹³. And of course we have to mention SPF! If you haven’t realised already, the sun and photoageing are the major cause of pigmentation-related skin changes,³ so make sure you have your daily SPF locked down.

Step 2: In the morning after cleansing, try our highest concentration niacinamide 10% serum — Elucent Bright + Balanced Illuminating Serum — for targeted visible dark spot reduction. 

It’s never too late to make prevention a priority. Apply a good daily SPF moisturiser for protection, like Elucent Age Defying Day Moisturiser SPF 30* . Want to bring your own SPF? Try Elucent Bright + Balanced Day Moisturiser instead, which contains 5% Niacinamide for its pigmentation and skin tone benefits, and pair it with your favourite daily SPF.

Step 3: At night after cleansing, pair with a rich night cream, like Elucent Bright + Balanced Night Cream. Both include Niacinamide to help even skin tone and brighten skin.