8 Best Serums for Pigmentation & Dark Spots in Australia for 2025
Say goodbye to dark spots and pigmentation with this TikTok-viral serum that’s made a “big difference” to our skin.
These products are hand-picked by our team to help make shopping easier. We may receive payments from third parties for sharing this content and when you purchase through links in this article. Product prices and offer details are not assured, and should be confirmed independently with the retailer. Learn more
Dull and pigmented skin can result from a number of things – either ageing, acne, UV exposure or hormonal and lifestyle changes.
Of course you can get professional treatments to brighten and banish these dark spots, but they’re expensive and usually require downtime.
So if you want to stay on top of your skin from the comfort of your own home, we’ve rounded up the best serums to invest in.
Our top pick? The Caudalie Vinoperfect Brightening Dark Spot Serum is not only a TikTok cult favourite that sells every 30 seconds but it also is said to be 62 times more powerful than vitamin C. This is the perfect serum to add to your routine to brighten overall pigmentation and say hello to glass skin.
OUR TOP PICKS
EDITOR’S PICK: BEST SERUM FOR PIGMENTATION AND DARK SPOTS
Caudalie Vinoperfect Brightening Dark Spot Serum, $113 at Sephora
Why we love it: Brightens skin really well
What to consider: High price tag.
Formulation: Liquid | Skin type: All skin types | Size: 30ml
Tried and Tested by Philippa Tonkin, Shopping Writer
Never have I ever seen such immediate results from a new serum as I have with this one from Caudalie. I had seen people rave about it on TikTok but like with everything on social media, I took the praise with a grain of salt. But I’m happy (and a bit scared) to admit, the TikTokers were right with this one.
Around a month ago now, I made the (very brave!) decision to swap out my beloved vitamin C serum in my morning routine for the cult Caudalie Vinoperfect Serum to see if it really lived up to the hype.
Said to be 62 times more powerful than vitamin C, the recently reformulated serum is the gold standard when it comes to brightening skin. Texture-wise, it is incredibly lightweight and almost milk-like.
Full disclosure, I didn’t follow the instructions when I first started using this serum and did have a couple of issues. I thought I could slot it where my old vitamin C serum went in my routine, after my toner and my beloved COSRX snail mucin. I was very wrong. By the end of the day, I had seriously bad pilling. But, this was definitely my fault as it should go at the very start of the routine due to the lightweight consistency. Once I made this switch, I had no issues.
Overall, I’ve noticed my previously dull skin looks brighter and my acne scars are starting to lighten too.
At $113 for a bottle, it is expensive but you don’t need much so it really does last quite a long time.
Tried and Tested by Marina Tatas, Senior Shopping Writer
I’ve been using vitamin C for years so after learning about this alternative and seeing it go viral on TikTok, I was very keen to see what all the fuss was about. And I have to say – the hype is real. This has quickly become a staple part of my morning routine – I splash some water on my face, follow up with this milky serum, pop on a hydrating serum and lock it all in with my moisturiser and SPF. I’ve noticed a big difference in my dark spots – thanks to my adult acne – and overall my skin just looks so much brighter. Plus it’s great for sensitive skin types. I love it!
BEST BUDGET-FRIENDLY SERUM FOR DARK SPOTS AND PIGMENTATION
Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA, $18.30 at The Ordinary
The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA
Why we love it: Affordable price tag.
What to consider: May not be as effective as something more expensive.
Formulation: Serum | Skin type: All skin types | Size: 30ml
What You Need To Know
The Ordinary’s Alpha Arbutin serum is our top pick that’s also good for your wallet.
Ringing in at under $20, the water-based serum is formulated with a potent concentration of purified alpha arbutin, an ingredient known for its skin brightening properties, plus hyaluronic acid to hydrate.
It’s racked up almost 500 five-star ratings on The Ordinary’s website, with happy shoppers raving about how “amazing” it works.
“This product has completely transformed my skin … It has helped reduce my dark spots, reduce the appearance of a large scar on my face, and smoothed the texture of my skin”, said one five-star rating customer.
BEST HIGH-END SERUM FOR DARK SPOTS AND PIGMENTATION
Dermalogica PowerBright Dark Spot Serum, $159 at Adore Beauty
Why we love it: The top-rated serum is packed with skin-loving ingredients.
What to consider: High price tag.
Formulation: Serum | Skin type: All skin types | Size: 30ml
What You Need To Know
While the price tag is high, this stuff seriously works. Combining light reflecting pigment with skincare science to give you both an instant and long-term radiant complexion.
The hardworking serum is formulated with niacinamide and hexylresorcinol to fade dark spots, shiitake mushroom to brighten the skin, ashwagandha to smooth and black currant oil and peony flower to provide radiance.
Five-star rating Adore Beauty shoppers have named it “magic in a bottle”, noting it’s “made a difference” to the look of their skin.
BEST K-BEAUTY SERUM FOR DARK SPOTS AND PIGMENTATION
Beauty of Joseon Glow Deep Serum Rice + Arbutin, $25.99 at Amazon Australia
Beauty of Joseon Glow Deep Serum Rice + Arbutin
Why we love it: This K-Beauty serum is also budget-friendly.
What to consider: You may not want to use arbutin in the morning as it can be sensitive to light and heat.
Formulation: Serum | Skin type: All skin types | Size: 30ml
What You Need To Know
The Glow Deep Serum from Beauty of Joseon is super lightweight, yet nourishing to the skin. Packed with rice bran water and arbutin – the traditional Korean herbal ingredients brighten and prevent pigmentation and dark spots, while also leaving your skin dewy and totally smooth.
From almost 4000 ratings on Amazon, the serum has an average rating of 4.4 out of five.
Happy shoppers have named it their “holy grail”, noting it gave them “brighter and clear skin”.
BEST NIACINAMIDE SERUM FOR DARK SPOTS AND PIGMENTATION
La Roche Posay Mela B3 Serum, $79.95 at Adore Beauty
La Roche Posay Mela B3 Serum
Why we love it: Super lightweight feel on the skin.
What to consider: Price tag is slightly higher than other niacinamide serums on the market.
Formulation: Serum | Skin type: All skin types | Size: 30ml
What You Need To Know
The combination of the innovative Melasyl, 10 per cent niacinamide and hyaluronic acid in this La Roche Posay serum works hard to reduce dark spots and pigmentation.
Perfect for all skin types, the lightweight gel-like texture feels super comfortable on the skin and layers well with other skincare.
“This actually works!” said one happy Adore Beauty shopper.
Another five-star rating customer claimed “this serum has helped reduce the appearance of my melasma”.
BEST GLYCOLIC ACID SERUM FOR DARK SPOTS AND PIGMENTATION
Skinstitut Even Blend Serum, $64 at Adore Beauty
Skinstitut Even Blend Serum
Why we love it: This is an active correcting serum with an oil-free formulation.
What to consider: As it is very concentrated, your skin may need to adjust to using it.
Formulation: Serum | Skin type: All skin types | Size: 30ml
What You Need To Know
This humble serum has been named a “brightening must have” and a “game changer” by five-star rating Adore Beauty shoppers.
The Skintitut Even Blend Serum is packed with loads of ingredients to seriously transform the skin.
The exfoliating properties of glycolic acid help to clear pores and remove dead skin cells. The added botanical extracts like daisy flower and seaweed extract help to naturally fade your pigment, while the witch hazel helps your skin to look clear and even.
BEST VITAMIN C SERUMS FOR DARK SPOTS AND PIGMENTATION
SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic Vitamin C Serum, $242 at Myer
SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic Vitamin C Serum
Why we love it: This award-winning serum is worth the money, if you have the means to afford it.
What to consider: High price tag.
Formulation: Serum | Skin type: All skin types | Size: 30ml
What You Need To Know
If you’re looking for the best vitamin C serum to brighten pigmentation, you can’t look past the cult favourite C E Ferulic Serum from SkinCeuticals.
The price tag may be high, but it sure does perform well. In fact, it’s won countless awards for its formulation.
Packed with 15 per cent L-ascorbic acid, 1 per cent alpha tocopherol and 0.5 per cent ferulic acid, the potent serum helps to not only provide anti-ageing benefits but also totally brighten your skin.
Don’t just take my word for it – it’s been named a “holy grail”, “game changer” and “liquid gold” by happy shoppers.
BEST FOR SENSITIVE SKIN TYPES
Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner, $24 at The Ordinary
The Ordinary Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner
Why we love it: Affordable price tag and great for those with sensitive skin types.
What to consider: Some users can have an allergic reaction to the yeast.
Formulation: Milky toner | Skin type: Sensitive skin types | Size: 100ml
What You Need To Know
A gentle exfoliating toner that’s made for sensitive skin types? Sign us up!
There’s a 30 per cent concentration of saccharomyces ferment – a yeast ferment technology with 3 per cent fermented N-acetylglucosamine (NAG), that works hard to exfoliate your skin’s surface.
The unique milky toner has racked up well over 700 five-star ratings on The Ordinary website, with rave reviews claiming it “transformed” their skin.
“I love how it makes my skin brighter, more radiant, and youthful. It exfoliates well, leaving my skin silky smooth and helping any uneven skin texture,” said another five-star reviewer.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN BUYING A SERUM FOR PIGMENTATION AND DARK SPOTS
When choosing serums to include in our list, we evaluated several factors:
Price: We’ve sourced serums from low to high price points, so there’s something for everyone.
Skin type: There needs to be something suited for all skin types, whether you get oily or dry throughout the day. Or you may have highly sensitive skin, so you’ll need something that’s gentle enough.
Ingredients: What active ingredients are included in the serum to help brighten and lighten dark spots and pigmentation?
Formula: Is the serum lightweight enough to incorporate into a skincare routine, without disrupting the work of other serums? How well does it layer?
HOW WE CHOOSE PRODUCTS
With hundreds of serums available, it’s impossible to test every one. To help you find the best serums to combat pigmentation and dark spots, we tested a number of well-known brands at different price points. In addition, our shopping team read hundreds of customer reviews and looked at test results and ratings from product review sites to find the best serums for pigmentation and dark spots.
We also spoke to Mathilde Thomas, founder of Caudalie, about what causes pigmentation and dark spots and how to treat them.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT CAUSES PIGMENTATION AND DARK SPOTS?
There’s a few factors that can cause pigmentation and dark spots – prolonged or unprotected sun exposure, hormonal changes, ageing, genetic factors, as well as lifestyle and environmental factors can all contribute to pigmented skin and excess melanin production.
WHAT’S THE BEST SERUM TO USE FOR LIGHTENING PIGMENTATION AND DARK SPOTS?
Our top pick is the Caudalie Vinoperfect Brightening Dark Spot Serum.
According to Caudalie founder Mathilde Thomas, the serum is “clinically proven to reduce dark spots by 63 per cent after one bottle and is our number one product worldwide. It works on all skin types and skin tones, and contains our patented grape vine sap called Viniferine, which is 62 times more effective than Vitamin C and 42 times more effective than niacinamide.”
WHY ARE SERUMS SO EFFECTIVE AT TARGETING DARK SPOTS AND PIGMENTATION?
Mathilde explains, “due to the high concentration of active ingredients and lightweight textures that allow smaller molecules to penetrate deeply into the skin layers, delivering those active ingredients directly to the targeted areas where pigmentation occurs.”
HOW WELL DOES NIACINAMIDE WORK TO REDUCE PIGMENTATION?
Niacinamide is one of the hardest working ingredients to incorporate into your skincare routine, if you want a more even skin tone.
Mathilde said “it works by preventing the transfer of melanin (pigment) from melanocytes (pigment-producing cells) to keratinocytes (skin cells). This helps to block dark spots from forming on the skin’s surface.”
“Niacinamide also strengthens the skin barrier by boosting ceramide production, which helps reduce the appearance of pigmentation, improve skin radiance and reduce uneven skin tone.”
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO TREAT HYPERPIGMENTATION?
“Depending on the degree of hyperpigmentation, improvement can usually be seen after one bottle of the Vinoperfect serum, which takes two months to consume when used twice daily,” Mathilde said.
Elevate your beauty routine for less! Score discounts at The Iconic, The Ordinary, freezeframe, Adore Beauty, Sephora, Myer and more with news.com.au Coupons.
‘Instant results’: Cult item sold every 3 secs
It’s the most popular skincare range to come out of Japan and after trying it, the results shocked me.
‘Blew me away’: Best face serums for sensitive skin
Dodge inflammation and irritation troubles with these “game-changing” face serums – no flare-ups necessary!
’Liquid gold’ cult serum for radiant skin
We put the exxy and award-winning vitamin C serum to the test - and it’s safe to say, the results were shocking.
‘Holy grail’ skin buy 30k are ‘hooked’ on
A waitlist of 30,000 eager customers. Sellout success in just four days. Before and after pictures showing dramatic skin improvements.