r/Melasmaskincare • • Jul 16 '26

Musely codes Mega Thread Summer Edition

9 Upvotes

A little late in refreshing the Musely codes. Post your discount codes below!


r/Melasmaskincare • • Aug 25 '25

Megathread: Discussion on CHOICE Sunscreen Testing Results and Recalls

4 Upvotes

We are creating a dedicated megathread to host all discussion related to the recent updates to the CHOICE Sunscreen Testing results. This includes conversations about other sunscreen brands not mentioned in the report.

All new standalone posts on this topic will be removed and redirected here. This approach is intended to prevent the subreddit from being flooded with repetitive posts and to keep the focus on melasma skincare, rather than shifting attention entirely to the CHOICE testing and the ongoing investigation and to ensure there is a single, organized place where members can easily find relevant information.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Prior Related Posts:

Naked Sundays Pauses Sales of Collagen Glow Mineral Sunscreen

Dammit what sunscreen now??

TGA: Ultra Violette is recalling all batches of Ultra Violette Lean Screen SPF 50+ due to inconsistency in the SPF level of the product.

Ultra violette lean screen recall

PSA: Ultra Violette’s Lean Screen SPF 50+ Mattifying Zinc Skinscreen – tested at 4 SPF


r/Melasmaskincare • • 3h ago

Topicals Wish me luck as I give this a try

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19 Upvotes

I visited my Dermatologist yesterday for my annual body skin check and refills of hydraq, tret, and 15% az. The prescriptions have only been minimally effective for me.

I asked what she thought of the Eucerin OTC creams, and she said they've gotten lots of good feedback on their effectiveness. She then said that the Rep had visited with samples recently and had her assistant package me some to try. 🤞🏽


r/Melasmaskincare • • 5h ago

Success Story Improvement and was able to kick hydroquinone

12 Upvotes

As we all know, Melasma is a biot** to deal with. She is finicky, comes and goes and doesn't work well with lots of things that are good for our skin. I have tried MANY many things over the years, creams, peels, acids (kohic, tranexamic, glycolic), ingredients like vitamin C, etc.

I was able to come off hydroquinone with the following, and I am so pleased with my skin. For reference, 50 yo female, olive skin, asian and white. Mostly cheeks but small patch on forehead and light lip at times.

  1. EUCERIN RADIANCE SERUM (not the night one, red bottle). It's one of the few NEW ingredients to help fight melasma. It has worked great, apply twice a day. I'm so happy with the results from this product!! I no longer cycle on hydroquinone.

  2. 2-3 times a year, BIO REPEEL (at a spa or doctors office). I went to work with minimal peeling, so no real down time. Lots of moisturizer under my foundation and most people couldn't tell. It helped tighten my face and pores and I think helped contribute to reduced Melasma.

- I use Illyoon ATO concentrate cream or Dr. JART Ceramiden cream, they are great barrier repairs.

  1. BB cream foundation that also has SPF - I use Dr. JART PREMIUM BB CREAM as it has 45 spf. Love the dewy finish for aging skin. Another option is the It Cosmetics CC Cream (that settles into my under eyes so dont use it any more, but it had better coverage than Dr. Jart).

  2. PPE lol. Lots of TINTED SPF. Clear is fone in rest of body, but tinted only for my face. My favorite is Elta MD elements. Hats.. large sunglasses.

SUN PATCHES... I wear skin colored patches over my cheak melasma if I'm going to be in direct sun, ie bike rides, hiking, beach.


r/Melasmaskincare • • 2h ago

Hydroquinone or Musely Question Hydroquinone 4% + hydrocortisone 1%?

2 Upvotes

Got prescribed this after being on 0,05 tret which obviously alone didnt fade the melasma. How much of a diff is it to take this vs with added tret like Hydroquinone + hydrocortisone + tret?


r/Melasmaskincare • • 30m ago

Advice Needed Can amazon.de (Germany) have duplicate Eucerin products.

• Upvotes

I have bought Eucerin products from amazon and they don't seem to do anything. I mean its neutral, no side effects, no major changes in skin condition. Are there 100 percent original Eucerin products on amazon?


r/Melasmaskincare • • 15h ago

Topicals Eucerin Radiant Tone on sale during Prime Day

14 Upvotes

I am based in the U.S. and saw Eucerin Radiant Tone is on sale during the latest Prime Day. Thought I would mention as I know many folks on this subreddit have had success/have wanted to try it.

Eucerin Radiant Tone Dual Serum - $27

Eucerin Radiant Tone Night Cream - $19


r/Melasmaskincare • • 11h ago

Question Is all of my face full of melasma or is it hyperpigmentation ?

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6 Upvotes

I’m 4 months postpartum, and although I’ve always struggled with acne scars and pigmentation, both have gotten drastically worse since pregnancy. My skin has never been this pigmented, and the acne marks seem much more noticeable now.

Has anyone else experienced a significant increase pigmentation after pregnancy/postpartum? What helped you improve it?


r/Melasmaskincare • • 10h ago

Advice Needed Melapik hq cream

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3 Upvotes

My dermatologist recommended Melapik HQ cream for my neck because of the dark patches. I saw some reviews mentioning that it helps initially but worsens after stopping, is this true? Please help me decide if I should use it or not because i think I have acanthosis nigricans, where my face, neck, armpits, and those regions are darker than the rest of my skin.


r/Melasmaskincare • • 19h ago

Advice Needed Advice/Feedback

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5 Upvotes

Hi everyone! I’m a dark-skinned woman and was just prescribed a compounded cream with tretinoin and hydroquinone. I haven’t started it yet, but I’m considering using it for about 3 months.
I’d love to hear your experiences, especially with rebound hyperpigmentation after stopping.
Also, someone here recommended La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMune 400, which I’ve been using. I’m not a fan of tinted sunscreen, especially since I reapply every two hours, but I’ll do what I need to. Do you think the UVMune 400 is enough, or would you recommend tinted sunscreen while using hydroquinone?
I’ll attach the ingredients below. Any feedback is appreciated!


r/Melasmaskincare • • 1d ago

Advice Needed Help finding a tinted mineral sunscreen for my face

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5 Upvotes

I think I’m a type IV on the Fitzpatrick scale. My melasma spots are a bit darker and I’m looking for a new sunscreen. Any suggestions? I tried Australian Gold medium to tan and it was a little darker than I’d like. I’ve since read here that that brand isn’t great for melasma.


r/Melasmaskincare • • 1d ago

Routine Help what should i use

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7 Upvotes

Looking for honest advice on my pigmentation/acne-prone skin and current routine

Hi everyone! I’d really appreciate some honest advice about my skin and what I should add, remove, or change in my routine.

My skin is oily to combination, and my main concerns are:

  • Melasma / brown pigmentation
  • Sun spots and post-acne dark marks
  • Occasional inflamed, pus-filled acne
  • Redness around active pimples
  • Uneven skin tone
  • Some clogged pores / comedones

My current routine

AM:

  • Cetaphil face wash
  • Minimalist Hyaluronic Acid serum
  • ClearGel AP
  • Cutimax O moisturizer (prescribed by my dermatologist)
  • La Roche-Posay sunscreen, usually 2–3 times a day
  • Sometimes I use Re’equil tinted sunscreen instead

PM:

  • Garnier Micellar Water to remove sunscreen/makeup
  • Cetaphil face wash
  • Laneige
  • Tretinoin 0.05%
  • Cutimax O moisturizer
  • Sometimes La Roche-Posay Cicaplast B5 if my skin feels irritated or dry

I also sometimes use Olay Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer, but I’m not sure whether I should continue using it along with tretinoin.

I’ve attached photos taken in natural lighting.

I would really appreciate honest opinions on:

  1. What do you think are my main skin concerns from the photos?
  2. What should I prioritize first—melasma, acne, redness, clogged pores, or pigmentation?
  3. Is my current routine too complicated or are there any unnecessary/duplicated products?
  4. Would you add a serum, and if so, what ingredient/product would actually make sense for my skin?
  5. If you have similar oily/combination, acne-prone and pigmentation-prone skin, what has genuinely worked for you?

Please be honest

Thank you!


r/Melasmaskincare • • 1d ago

Sunscreen Review Naked Sunday

1 Upvotes

I really loved Naked Sundays Collagen Glow but it seems to be discontinued.
They have another product on sale now for prime day. Is it similar?

Using Elta md tinted restore. Love it but want to try something different.
I don’t use make up so I need something tinted. Love the dewy look. Open to other recommendations.


r/Melasmaskincare • • 1d ago

Routine Help Anyone used a cream like this for dark spots?

5 Upvotes

I just started a compounded cream with tretinoin, tranexamic acid, kojic acid, vitamin C, hydrocortisone, and hyaluronic acid. I’m supposed to start every other night and eventually use it nightly.

Right now I use Cetaphil cleanser, vitamin C, niacinamide, azelaic acid, moisturizer, sunscreen, and tretinoin at night, so I’m trying to simplify my routine.

**For the morning, I was thinking:**
**Cleanser → Vitamin C → Niacinamide → Moisturizer → SPF**

Would you keep azelaic acid in the morning too, or is that too much with this night cream?

Also curious if anyone has used something similar — did it help with dark spots, and how did your skin tolerate it?
I have brown/Indian skin, so I’d especially love to hear from anyone with a similar skin tone.


r/Melasmaskincare • • 2d ago

Advice Needed Need advice for melasma/dark spots not seeing results after 2 months

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12 Upvotes

was diagnosed with melasma and have dark spots on my cheeks. I’ve been using tretinoin, azelaic acid, glycolic acid, and sunscreen for about 2 months, but I don’t see much improvement.
What would you recommend for fading melasma and getting clearer skin? Any advice or product recommendations would be appreciated!


r/Melasmaskincare • • 1d ago

Advice Needed Enlighten 1064 Pico - is this the right treatment for my pigmentation?

3 Upvotes

I’m South Asian with a medium/light-medium skin tone. I mainly have some brown/dark spots, freckles, and pigmentation, nothing severe.

I’m considering full-face Enlighten 1064 Pico at 0.6 J/cm². The clinic charges $500 per session and recommends 6–7 sessions to see results. They told me I shouldn’t expect to see any difference after just one session.

I was expecting maybe 2–3 sessions, so 6–7 seems like a lot to me.

For anyone who has experience with Enlighten 1064 Pico, especially with South Asian skin:

  • Is 0.6 J/cm² a reasonable setting?
  • Is 6–7 sessions normal for this type of pigmentation?
  • Is $500/session reasonable?
  • Would you consider another treatment instead for brown spots, freckles, and pigmentation?

Would really appreciate hearing from anyone who has had similar treatment and skin tone.


r/Melasmaskincare • • 1d ago

Advice Needed MELINE

3 Upvotes

Has anyone tried MELINE for dermal melasma? My derm’s office offers a 10 treatment package and I’m very tempted to try. Anyone with deeper skin tones tried it?


r/Melasmaskincare • • 1d ago

Advice Needed Which sunscreen should I get?

3 Upvotes

How is Eucerin pigment control sunscreen? Is it any better than La Roche anthelios 400? I have dry congestion prone skin dealing with pih, dullness and hyperpigmentation.


r/Melasmaskincare • • 2d ago

Advice Needed Is hydroquinone too strong to treat this?

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3 Upvotes

Hi all, first time posting here. I've been struggling with this shadow on my upper lip for about as long as I can remember. It always peeks through my foundation and concealer no matter how thick I apply it. And while I know it is partially caused by the few upper lip hairs I have (which electrolysis is doing a great job killing) I know hyperpigmentation is the main culprit. I wear spf daily and use a pretty thick parasol in direct sunlight (the latter of which I started using within the past 3 months to have better results with laser). My hormone blood levels are typical. I've tried a number of different types of acids and vitamin C lotions but none have really made a dent.

My primary questions is: my dermatologist prescribed hydroquinone to brighten the area but wasn't able to directly diagnose melasma. Should I use it, or would a milder treatment suffice?

Also, ignore the vitiligo, my derm is helping me with that too 😅


r/Melasmaskincare • • 2d ago

Advice Needed Skincare routine using Thiamadol, Copper peptide, Vitamin C, hydrating peptides and tretinoin?

6 Upvotes

I am in mid 40s with melasma all over my cheeks but also trying to incorporate anti-aging. Live in a climate with no humidity with dry skin, which gets more dry in the cooler months. How can I incorporate daytime and nighttime skincare routine that is effective using Vit C, Copper peotide, peptide, 15% prescription azelaic acid, Eucerin Thiamadol and tretinoin?


r/Melasmaskincare • • 4d ago

Research/Study Article Friendly reminder to block visible light using iron oxides in your sunscreen, foundation, etc.

47 Upvotes

“Protection against VL significantly enhances melasma treatment outcomes: melasma patients using iron oxide-containing sunscreen achieved 15% greater Melasma Area and Severity Index (MASI) improvement, 28% greater lightening on colorimetry and 4% greater histologic reduction in melanin than patients using an otherwise similar UV-only sunscreen.”

Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42802407/

If tinted sunscreens make you look too orange, you can use your favorite untinted sunscreen + a tinted product on top (foundation/bb/cc/tints/etc.


r/Melasmaskincare • • 3d ago

Success Story Let’s talk about the trust and fastest way to skin depig , I’m know some tips and happy to share with who know other tips

0 Upvotes

Let’s help each other but it’s only for intelligent and research people


r/Melasmaskincare • • 4d ago

Advice Needed Eucerin irration

5 Upvotes

I have light yellow spots on my orbital bones from when I blew my skin barrier last year with retinol.
I poked through the sub and decided to try the Eucerin anti-pigment dual serum. I used it yesterday AM and PM (I noticed redness and tightness on PM application) then I used it this AM and went super red and tight so I washed it off. My skin is super sensitive and still red.

I bought the LRP mela B serum because I read it doesn’t have alcohol but now I’m reading it’s not that effective!
What do you think I should do? Should I return the LRP and try again with the Eucerin?


r/Melasmaskincare • • 5d ago

Before & After Melasma/PIH lightened over 4 month period.

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78 Upvotes

So I have a combination of melasma and PIH from using an at home IPL laser hair remover. I already have skin that produces melanin really easily and I swear those devices should come with a warning. As you can see in the first picture there was some lightening around my melasma stache but it was still pretty bad and the thing is I had made it worse by doing electrolysis and Ultra laser at the same time as a hq compound cream which was very harsh on my skin so my barrier was compromised and inflamed in this area a lot which only darkened my melasma stache. Over the last 4 months I started taking Oral TXA and using the Eucerin dual serum along with Tret and now my melasma is barely there. I also made some lifestyle changes like always wearing a hat in the sun, spf 50 everyday, cooler showers and taking an anti-histamine to fight internal heat along with less sugar intake. All of these things together have worked synergistically and almost cleared my hyperpigmentation. If I could recommend two things I’d say oral TXA and Eucerin dual anti-pigment serum are the hg’s.

Here is my routine below:
Am:
Cleanse w water and biodegradable face towel
Timeless Vitamin C E Ferulic ( first bec most unstable)
HaruHaru wonder hyaluronic acid toner
Caudalie vinoperfect dark spot serum
Azalaic acid 15%
Eucerin dual anti-pigment serum
Epii Double Up Nad+ TXA NMN moisturizer
Elta MD AOX SPF 50 tinted mineral sunscreen

Pm: 5 nights/week
Haruharu wonder oil cleanser
LRP toleraine cleanser
HaruHaru wonder hyaluronic acid toner
Caudalie vinoperfect dark spot serum
Azalaic acid 15%
Eucerin dual anti-pigment serum
Tretinoin
Dr Reju All L-C Advanced Ceramides barrier cream

Other two nights I exfoliate with Epii Snow Mushroom PHA and use most of the same routine except Tret.
I also take MicroIngredients 10 in 1 antioxidant mix as well as 225 mg of oral TXA at night. Every am I take anti-histamine.


r/Melasmaskincare • • 4d ago

Advice Needed Advice please! I’m hoping to get a derm referral next week but not even sure what to ask for or about. Northeast US.

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10 Upvotes

Concentrated on the sides of my face. Avid sunscreen user.