The new Gleamin is almost here.

Vitamin C is one of the most researched ingredients for a brighter, more even-looking skin tone. It's an antioxidant, it slows the enzyme that starts pigment production, and it supports collagen. Trends come and go; vitamin C has decades of evidence behind it, so it's at the heart of every Gleamin formula.

Read more in Vitamin C for dark spots: how it works and how to use it.

Pure vitamin C breaks down quickly in light, air and water. We mostly use stable forms that hold up in a formula and convert to vitamin C in the skin: sodium ascorbyl phosphate, 3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid and tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate. We add botanicals naturally rich in vitamin C, such as Kakadu plum and desert lime, and choose packaging that keeps light and air out.

Hyperpigmentation is skin that is darker in some areas than the surrounding skin, caused by extra melanin, the pigment that gives skin its colour. It shows up as dark spots, patches or an uneven skin tone. Common types include post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (marks left after acne, cuts or irritation), sun spots from UV exposure, and darkening from friction. Hyperpigmentation is harmless in most cases and is especially common in medium to deep skin tones, where pigment cells respond more strongly to inflammation and light.

Dark spots on the face are caused by melanocytes producing extra melanin in one area. The most common triggers are: sun exposure (UV and visible light), inflammation from acne, eczema, bug bites or picking at skin, hormonal changes such as pregnancy or the pill, irritation from harsh products or hair removal, and certain medications. On darker skin tones, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation after breakouts is the leading cause of dark spots.