Five weeks ago I started to trial Garnier’s Darkspot Corrector. Although I’m being sponsored by Garnier to try it out and come back with my thoughts, I was a very willing candidate because I have chloasma (otherwise known as melasma or pregnancy mask) on my upper lip.
It’s a dark brown discolouration of the skin and can be quite common in women who take the pill, who have brown skin and during/after pregnancy. Three strikes and I’m out! I also had a very dark spot on my chin thanks to tell tale signs of adult acne scarring.
You can see my initial video with my fully naked face at the start of the trial here.
Garnier Dark Spot Corrector contains 5% pure Vitamin C which is the active ingredient that brightens the skin and breaks up the spots. In a consumer test over 4 weeks
- 85% of women noticed their skintone was more even and brighter
- Dark spots and imperfections were reduced for 74% of women
- Skin is more hydrated for 86% of women
I set out to crash test this myself!
I started using the Dark Spot Corrector on the 23rd of August, every day morning and night. I missed perhaps two applications due to being sick and not getting out of bed in the morning and then falling asleep on the couch that night! It is important to use it daily for 4 weeks because skin goes through a 4 week renewal cycle.
I always applied it directly to my lip area and chin, but then just started using it as a moisturiser on my entire face. Apart from any affect it had on my dark spots, my skin is less dry than it has been for a long time. It means that the new BB cream for oily/combination skin is working really well for me, which is fabulous because it’s coverage is amazing and super quick to apply.
My skin is also less red and feels smoother. I’m pretty impressed because the Dark Spot Corrector is quite light compared with much heavier moisturisers I’ve had to use in the past. It will be great for the summer.
So here are the results!
I took a photo each week, with the bathroom light on and natural light from the window. It was hard to get consistently lit photos, but I think you can see the difference. It goes without saying that the photos haven’t been edited in any way (otherwise I would have zapped that pre-menstrual zit!).
I’m writing this 5 weeks later, and unfortunately forgot to take photos in the fourth week, but as you can see the biggest impact has been the reduction in size of the dark acne scarring on my chin. It is almost gone.
The dark lines on my lips are tough customers and whilst I hoped they might fade, I was prepared for there not to be much success. They are still visible, but I’m pleased to say that they have started to fade.
In the third week I started to feel a little tingle when I applied it to my lips and the skin started to exfoliate. I can now see the pigmentation starting to break up, but I think it will still take some time.
I will keep using it because clinical tests prove in 8 weeks the intensity of dark spots appear reduced and in 12 weeks the size of dark spots appear diminished.
So would I recommend Garnier Dark Spot Corrector?
Yes, without hesitation.
Firstly, for me it does what it says it does. And secondly it’s RRP is only $16.95 for a 50ml tube. After using it daily for 5 weeks I still have a quarter to a third of a tube left. This is a habit that’s easy to establish and affordable enough to maintain, compared with a similar Vitamin C serum I was paying $50 for 15ml!!!!
Now it’s your turn
Instead of giving away something to just one or two readers I’m offering 10 readers to join a Crash Test Panel to trial and review the Garnier Dark Spot Corrector and BB Cream for Oily/Combination skin. To put your hand up:
- if you’re not already, make sure you’re registered as a Crash Tester with Crash Test Mummy
- tell me why in the comments below why you need to try these products
This is not a giveaway, I will be selecting the panel on a number of factors and you will need to write a short review for the Crash Test Mummies community review site. If you don’t submit a review it’s pretty unlikely you’ll be selected for future crash tests. Ps, sorry Australian residents only.
Be quick as I will choose the panel by the end of the weekend!
Laney x
I was only just thinking about you yesterday and how it was going. I was lucky enough to be gifted this product by Brand meets Blog, and are about to start my own test of it on the weekend. I also have a girlfriend who has dark pigmentation spots from pregnancy so I am getting her to try it out too. Loving the sound of it from your results Laney. I’m a garnier fan now, from using their BB cream and the Pure 3 in 1 cleanser. My skin has looked the best it has in 14 years! And that was after using antibiotic cream, a course of proactive and various other attempts to help my skin!! As soon as I started using the pure 3 in 1 within a week I noticed a difference. Great products.
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That’s great feedback Vicky. Maybe I’ll give the cleanser a go too!
Definitely give it a try. I have recommended it to several of my daughters friends, as well as getting my daughter to use it.
I’m not quite sure which word I was more affronted with when I was diagnosed with mature aged acne…
It commenced when I was pregnant with son no.1 and was terrible. I have a lot of scarring under my my chin/neck area.
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Wow! Great review Laney. I’ve got some big feckless under my eyes – they started on my nose as a wee child but moved under my eyes as my face grew and my skin stretched. Does the cream reduce pigmentation changes from sun damage like freckles?
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Hi Fi. Yes, it corrects dark spots caused by acne scarring, hormonal changes and sun and age spots caused by UV and sun exposure. I think your freckles will be a prime candidate!
I have loads of pigmentation around my top lip and cheeks from my 4 pregnancies, would love to find an alternative solution to laser treatment to make it go away.
I have blemishes on my face that I can’t cover with concealer or foundation. Looking for a product that will eradicate these unsightly spots.
I’m pretty much covered in freckles from years in the sun, but there are a few darker spots and acne scars that I would love to even out, sounds like my kind of product! Inexpensive, easy to use and stocked pretty much everywhere!
Would love to try this one out as nothing I’ve used so far has faded pigmentation from the pill or various spots that have appeared over the years.
Hi Laney!
Great results!
I would absolutely love to test drive this product. I am in my early thirties, and have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, so needless to say, my skin constantly needs some TLC! The hormonal issues associated with my PCOS mean my skin condition is up and down like a yo-yo, and coupled with the first signs of ageing, I am at my wits end! My skin tone is uneven, I fluctuate from really oily, to really dry skin on an almost weekly basis, and this all results in me constantly looking tired, drawn and just not as fresh as I would like to. I am on a constant, desperate search for products to combat this, so maybe/hopefully this may be what I have been looking for.
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Apologies but I didn’t notice until after my comment published – my website showed up incorrectly? My website is http://lifeloveandlattes.wordpress.com (to be launched next week), for some reason an alternative site came up in my original comment?
Apologies again :)
I know what I’m doing later…. Off to the shop to get some! Thank you for sharing with us, so nice to see an unedited photoshop-free honest opinion! I’ve been a fan of their BB cream for the for a while :-)
Those results have impressed me! I have also got the dark spots on my upper lip which unfortunately give the appearance of a she-tache. Yep I’m 25 and look like I have a moustache. All thanks to both my pregnancies. It makes me feel extremely self concious! Unfortunately it doesn’t end there – my skin has become a combination of dry and oily (yep – it really needs to get it’s act together).
I am a huge fan of Garnier BB cream and would love to selected to crash test the Garnier Dark Spot Corrector.
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Hi Laney,
I would love to be considered to review the Garnier Dark Spot Corrector. I have olive skin, but have a few pigment spots showing up as I age (aghhh!). I would also love to see if it has any impact on the dark circles around my eyes.
Melissa(Bright Side Up)’s last post..Aren’t you curious what else is out there?
Wow. I love that results.
I am glad to visit here and see this post about Garnier dark spot corrector. I’ve never tried any Garnier product, though I have heard about this. I just don’t really try a product without hearing an honest review from real users of course!
Thanks you very much for letting us know your experience with Garnier!
I guess I must try it now!
Ah, I’ve had my eyes on this since you were all tweeting about it from the Garnier event! I have fair skin with quite a few dark patches, which got a lot worse with each of my pregnancies. I seem to having more hormonal breakouts than what I used to too, and have been looking for something to use both skincare and makeup wise to reduce the oiliness of my skin. While I’d love to write a review for you, if I’m not lucky enough to get a trial pack, I’ll be grabbing some off the shelf next time I shop, as it sounds like it’s well worth it!
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Thanks for the great review as I have been wondering about this product. I have a couple of recent dark spots appear since having my first baby I would love to try and zap them. I also have dark circles under my eyes have you heard of any success for getting rid of these? :)
I would love to try this product! 4 pregnancies later, I look somewhat like a dalmatian myself!
Being 32, my skin should look better than it does.. With this uneven tone, I look weathered and feel so dull.
I also cross my heart and hope to die that I WILL leave a review.. :-D
Hope to hear from you!!!
Ally x
After having 3 kids I’ve developed some ugly brown spots on my face, I’d love to try something to lighten them
Wow, great results Laney! I would love to trial this out. After my second pregnancy I have been left with a few brown spots on the side of my eyebrows. Along with a few acne scars. Thanks again for a great review :)
At 47, I still have really oily skin, the bonus is not many wrinkles, but some of the spots, no doubt from being a sun bunny in my teens give away my age. Some fading and refining would be awesome and if my results were as good as yours I would be very happy :)
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Hi there! I have severe dark circles under my eyes that I can’t seem to do anything about. I was recently stopped in the street by a man who told me that I’m beUtiful but that my dark circles look terrible! Needless to say i wasnt impressed!
Turned out he was selling those dead sea products, and he talked me into buying some. Well, it hasnt helped :(
I’m always asked if I’m tired. I’m over it! I’ve tried lots of different things, some cheap, others not so much, but nothing is helping :(
If love to try this dark circle corrector and see if it helps!
Impressive, I would love to try these products and do a short review. I have been meaning to get my hands on the BB cream but as I am always in a rush it never seems to happen. I need some refining.
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I have suffered from chloasma on my forehead, cheeks and upper lip for years ever since trialing a new contraceptive pill which first triggered it. I was then warned it would get worse during pregnancy and it has :( … both times! I have tried bleaching, microdermabrasion etc. with limited success so I would be really interested in trying out this product.
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At $16.95 Garnier Dark Spot Corrector is within my budget – if it works during the trial then I’ll add it to my routine. Thanks
Hi Laney,
I would love to see how the dark spot corrector works on my skin. I have always had super rosey cheeks when I exercised but otherwise have been blessed with great skin. As an adolescent and throughout my twenties a brush of mascara and some lip gloss was about as much make up as I wore. Call it the hormonal changes from pregnancy or maybe even the fact that at 32 I’m not as young as I used to be, but these days I reach for the foundation bottle more often than not. I have developed dark freckles and red spots on my cheeks, one larger dark mark under my left eye and the red glow of my face is no longer restricted to post exercise.
Please please please pick me!!
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I got pigmentation on my forehead from my second pregnancy which was years ago and I also have age slots on my hands (and I’m only 38!), so I can test it on two hands and my forehead!
Yes please!! I have dark brown/grey patchy skin under my eye that I think is from the pill… :/
Thats a great difference! I reckon that after five boys, lots of teenage acne and adult acne you would be hard up finding something that would work on my face!!
Love the idea of helping dark spots disappear. Love the idea of having skin feel smoother. It must be the dry weather but I am sure my skin has never felt this dry before.
You can sure see the difference in your dark spot. Be interesting to see what happens after 8 weeks.
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It doesn’t work by my. I have got a dark spot after a huge pimple. now i use it 3 weeks and I don’t see a different
It takes longer than 3 weeks. Give it time. My dark acne scar is now gone.
Hey girls, it’s great to see a community of women supporting each other! I was reading about people’s worries about their ‘mask of pregnancy’ and I just wanted to say that I think they look beautiful. I have been trying to get pregnant for many years and I when I see women’s faces transformed by the amazing event that has happened in their bodies and to their lives I feel pure envy. I would love to have a mask of pregnancy because it would mean I had actually gotten pregnant. I don’t want to make people feel bad, I just want to suggest that maybe it isn’t so bad to have a few brown blotches here and there. Sure, you don’t look like you did at 18, but does that really matter? Anyway, just sayin’ . Ophelia x