The ordinary skincare routine for acne scars and hyperpigmentation

Best The Ordinary Products for Acne Scars and Dark Spots

The best products from The Ordinary to treat dark spots and lighten acne scars Skincare shopping can be confusing - this guide breaks everything down for you so it's easy to pic… 

The best products from The Ordinary to treat dark spots and lighten acne scars Skincare shopping can be confusing - this guide breaks everything down for you so it's easy to pick the right ingredients to help reduce the look of dark spots and acne scars using Vitamin C treatments.

The best products from The Ordinary to treat dark spots and lighten acne scars Skincare shopping can be confusing - this guide breaks everything down for you so it's easy to pick the right ingredients to help reduce the look of dark spots and acne scars using Vitamin C treatments.

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The Ordinary’s affordable line of clinical-forward skincare products has amassed quite the cult following since it launched a few years back, and thanks to platforms like TikTok and Reddit, its popularity continues to grow. While TO’s expansive range of skincare and beauty (they do offer a few cosmetics now) was founded with the intention to “to celebrate integrity in its most humble and true form,” if you’re not an expert in decoding fancy skincare jargon, it can tricky to figure out what exactly you need based on your specific skin concern(s). With the help of Reddit and some brand research, however, we’ve rounded up a few of the best The Ordinary products for fading acne scars and dark spots left over from previous breakouts and sun damage.

While scouring through customer reviews and best-sellers on any e-retailer is always a good way to figure out which beauty products you should spend your hard-earned cash on, we know you don’t have time to scroll through endless threads and message boards. Lucky for you, we’ve gone ahead and done the work for you (you’re welcome!). And TBH, for me this very activity is actually fun (and a part of my job, of course). Besides, I’ve been using The Ordinary products since the brand first debuted, and I most certainly have lots of holy grail products I’ve repurchased multiple times—especially when it comes to erasing hyperpigmentation and pesky spots.

With that being said, I wasn’t all that surprised that many fellow Redditors and TO fans also named a few of my favorite products from line, including the Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% serum and the AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution (an excellent dupe for the cult-favorite Triple Berry Smoothing peel by Renee Rouleau) as their hero products, too. Oh, and while it’s always important to apply SPF on the daily, make sure to be extra diligent about applying your sunscreen when using the following products.

Courtesy of The Ordinary.

Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%

This lightweight cream-gel hybrid feels nourishing like your favorite moisturizer, but according to Redditors, it does much more than just hydrate. “TO’s Azelaic Acid 10% is doing wonders for my skin, pretty much overnight! It’s a skin brightener that targets acne and acne scarring well,” says one fan of the gel-cream treatment.

Courtesy of The Ordinary.

Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution

This popular exfoliating toner kept popping up during my research process, and I totally understand why it’s such a go-to for nixing acne scars given the Glycolic Acid content. ” I use [the] Glycolic 7% toner daily, and alpha arbutin a couple times a week. The aha is pretty strong for me, so I use it maybe 2x a month. It’s a process but worth it,” says one Reddit user.

Courtesy of The Ordinary.

AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution

This is probably my absolute favorite product from the brand—and it appears that I’m not alone. One Redditor gushed “Really noticeable improvements after one use! It’s also less than $8 you’re not going to find anything for such a good price!” I totally agree, and good point about the jaw-dropping cheap price.

Courtesy of The Ordinary.

Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

As one of my favorite brightening serums of all time (regardless of the budget-friendly price point), I wasn’t surprised by this product’s popularity. One loyal fan commented that “The niacinamide [serum] has faded my scars significantly! By far my favorite TO product so far.” I also find that it is a great brightening solution for sensitive skin types who don’t tolerate vitamin C skincare.

Courtesy of The Ordinary.

Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA

Arbutin works to reduce the look of dark spots and acne scarring because it helps to limit the production of excess melanin without causing further damage (and scarring, ironically enough) as popular anti-scarring ingredient, hydroquinone. “I have PIH around my mouth from cystic acne and using the niacinamide with the alpha arbutin has given me great results,” raves one acne-scar-sufferer.

Courtesy of The Ordinary.

Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres

Vitamin C multitasks to help improve so many skin concerns at once, including fading unwanted dark spots. The antioxidant “should be chosen according to the skin type and concentration, for daily use,” according to one Reddit user. This formula lightens lingering spots, and it also leaves skin ultra moisturized and plump thanks to its other powerhouse ingredient, hyaluronic acid.

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