Glow Recipe Guava Vitamin C Face Serum - Dark Spot Brightening Serum

That’s not the only way Guava Vitamin C Dark Spot Serum fades dark spots. The formula also contains tranexamic acid, an ingredient that’s long been used in medicine but is now gaining ground for its power to fade dark spots — some derms consider it as good (and safer than) hydroquinone, which has long been the controversial standard for evening out skin tone. (It’s been banned in the EU and Japan following safety concerns.) Whereas vitamin C inhibits an enzyme, tranexamic acid works by preventing a signal mediator—think of it as a crossing guard — from allowing mechanisms that lead to inflammation and excess melanin production. It also keeps melanocytes, which are the cells that produce melanin, from activating under UV exposure, helping to prevent dark spots. We chose tranexamic acid, which is only an acid in its chemical structure (like hyaluronic acid) over chemical exfoliants like beta hydroxy and alpha hydroxy acids, as other dark spot correctors do; that allows for a gentler, more user-friendly formula.

Up next are ferulic acid and vitamin E. Vitamin E is an antioxidant in its own right — and also known for its soothing, anti-inflammatory properties — but it has a synergistic effect, too, boosting vitamin C’s efficacy. Ferulic acid not only elevates that combo, but it also helps stabilize it so you get the best possible results.

Finally, the formula includes three peptides. These spur cell renewal, smooth and refine skin texture, and hydrate for all-around healthier skin. And unlike traditional vitamin C serums, this one is formulated to have a silky-soft texture that never feels sticky, and imparts a lightly tropical scent of guava. It’s free of both fragrance and essential oils.