Face Brightening Creams

Skin discolorations like brown age spots or a buildup of dead skin cells can dull your complexion and give you an uneven skin tone. With the right face cream, you can brighten your skin with proven active ingredients, such as exfoliating acids or skin-fading herbal extracts, while simultaneously moisturizing. For the best results, choose a product that's received positive reviews from beauty experts or industry insiders.

Good Skin Lumecin Overnight Brightening Gluco-Protein Treatment

Good Skin's Lumecin brightening cream is an "intriguing product," according to anti-aging skincare expert Paula Begoun. It includes salicylic acid, which she says may help exfoliate dull skin cells for a brighter complexion, plus plant extracts that may help to lighten skin discolorations. Basic moisturizers, hydrolyzed protein and antioxidants like glucosamine boost your skin health to prevent future discolorations.

Grassroots Research Labs Vitamin C Power Brightening Cream SPF 25 with Vitamins E and B5

Grassroots Research Labs' vitamin C-based facial brightening cream ranked as a top finalist in the Cosmetic Executive Women's 2010 beauty awards, one of the industry's largest and most prestigious ceremonies. It comes with potent antioxidants, including its namesake and vitamins B5 and E to help reduce and fade skin discolorations. Meanwhile, it hydrates your skin and shields it with UVA and UVB protection to prevent new spots from forming in the sun.

Good Skin Smooth-365 Intensive Clarity + Smoothing Peptide Treatment

Begoun rates the clarity-boosting cream from Good Skin as "very good," saying it has a "wonderfully silky" feel and herbal extracts like mulberry root that can help lighten skin discolorations. The manufacturer also adds silicone, which fills in fine lines for a smoother complexion, and light-diffusing particles for an immediately more luminous look. Begoun warns that the treatment has no built-in sunscreens, so you should avoid the sun or wear it with a sunscreen to avoid new discolorations.

Skyn Iceland Arctic Brightening Serum

Skyn Iceland's brightening treatment has a creamy consistency and contains peptides and retinol, which resurfaces the skin's surface by accelerating cell turnover and brightens your overall complexion. Its reliance on skin-brightening herbal extracts, like kombucha and mushroom extract, earned it a coveted nomination in the CEW's 2010 beauty awards.

Estee Lauder Hydra Bright Skin-Tone Perfecting Lotion

Estee Lauder's skin tone cream helps make discolorations disappear, thanks to camouflaging cosmetic pigments, antioxidants and skin-lightening mulberry extract, according to Begoun. She says it's a "worthwhile" moisturizer and ranks it as "very good." It has a lightweight feel, which makes it ideal for oily skin.