Skin Tone Correctors

Skin tone correctors balance out skin tone and help to fade age spots

Age spots, also known as liver or sun spots, typically begin to appear around age 40, but they can show up earlier on some people. They are flat gray, brown or black spots that tend to appear on areas that receive a lot of exposure to the sun, most notably the face, chest, backs of hands and shoulders. Although they are harmless, they are telltale signs of aging that many would rather avoid.

Age spots can often be lightened with proven ingredients such as hydroquinone, arbutin and vitamin C. Hydroquinone is currently the gold standard for skin lightening and has more than 50 years of research showing it to be a safe and effective way to slow down the production of melanin (the component in skin responsible for producing color). Hydroquinone creams should be applied twice per day (morning and night) but require vigilant sunscreen usage to prevent further damage. They are available in over-the-counter formulas and prescription-strength creams.

Ambi Skincare Fade Cream (*Est. $5 for 2 oz.) is a longtime favorite of experts because it is both affordable and effective. It contains 2 percent hydroquinone -- the highest dosage allowed in over-the-counter formulas -- along with alpha hydroxy acid and vitamin E. The alpha hydroxy acid further helps to improve overall skin tone by sloughing off dead skin cells and allowing the hydroquinone to more effectively penetrate the skin. Both Allure and O, The Oprah magazines give Ambi high marks for effectively reducing the appearance of age spots "on the cheap". Editors at O, The Oprah Magazine point out, however that it takes longer than prescription formulas -- eight to 12 weeks versus four to eight. Users at Drugstore.com, MakeupAlley.com and Amazon.com agree. Most are pleased with the overall results but say that it takes up to two months of consistent use to see real results. Some never see any results at all, but experts say that some people -- especially those with melasma or major pigmentation issues -- require prescription-strength formulas or even laser treatments. Ambi Fade Cream is available in Normal and Oily Skin formulations.

Clinique Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector (*Est. $75 for 1.7 oz.) has garnered a lot of attention recently for its skin-lightening claims. Editors at several beauty magazines, including Allure, Women's Health, Self and Ladies Home Journal give the lightweight formula praise for its "silky, smooth" feel and for giving skin a luminous glow. Manufacturers claim that its unique blend of five ingredients (namely plant extracts, salicylic acid, vitamin C and black yeast) is as effective as prescription-strength hydroquinone. Skin-care expert Paula Begoun, however, points out that Clinique's supposed studies have never been published, nor are they available to the public -- so we have no way of knowing their testing protocols. She says that while some of the ingredients (especially vitamin C and salicylic acid) are known for their brightening effect, none of them have been proven to be as effective as hydroquinone in published, clinical trials. User reviews at MakeupAlley.com and TotalBeauty.com are mixed. Many claim to notice a skin lightening and brightening effect, but others notice no difference at all. Although Clinique Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector is covered more often in reviews, we chose to list Ambi Skincare Fade Cream in our best reviewed section because its ingredients are clinically proven to be effective and it receives higher overall ratings from users.