How to balance an uneven skin tone

Before we get started, it’s important to understand that the idea of a perfectly even skin tone simply doesn’t exist. You’re never going to achieve a completely universal hue, but that’s not a problem! Colour provides you with shape and texture (that’s a good thing) – but troubles arise when that uneven skin tone edges into blotches or dark spots, otherwise referred to as hyperpigmentation. 

There are a broad range of potential causes associated with an uneven skin tone on your face, including too much exposure to sun (mainly stemming from a lack of adequate protection from UV rays) or the build-up of toxins on the surface of your skin. In some cases, your skin may simply have become uneven or patchy due to the passage of time, while lack of exfoliation can also be a major factor.

Fortunately – if you follow the right course of treatment – you can make that unfortunately uneven skin tone a thing of the past. There are two ways to deal with an uneven skin tone: cosmetics and skincare. We’ll run through the best products for uneven skin tone, as well as some of the treatments you can pursue to deal with discolouration like dark circles around the eyes and dark spots around the mouth.

Before you start applying makeup, it’s a good idea to mattify the skin with a priming base. By using the right primer, you can ensure that you’re creating an even base for the rest of your makeup, while prepping with primer can also help stop your makeup from fading over the course of a long, hard day. Need a recommendation? We’ve got you covered. L’Oréal’s Mattifying Primer Base can help prepare and smooth out the skin, minimising imperfections, pores, and shine. That makes it ideal for anyone dealing with an uneven skin tone.

Once you’ve primed your skin to full satisfaction, it’s time to think about colour-correcting creams (CC creams) and concealers. If you’re dealing with redness or dark circles around the eyes, L’Oréal’s Eye Concealer 5.5-7 Amber could be the perfect option. Powered by 0.5% hyaluronic acid, this age-defying concealer can help to disguise dark circles or spots and reduce the appearance of fine lines. Need to neutralise redness? Look no further. The Ultra-Lightweight CC Cream contains green toned mineral pigments that blend seamlessly into your skin, reducing redness and masking dark spots around the mouth or a blotchy complexion.

It’s also important to ensure that you’re wearing the best type of foundation for your skin tone. Foundation is a super-effective way to achieve gorgeous, even-looking skin, but for true-to-skin results, it needs to match your natural tone. L’Oréal’s 24H Fresh Wear Liquid Foundation 20 Ivory comes in 29 different shades, ensuring that your foundation matches both your skin tone and your skin’s undertone. Alternatively, why not try True Match, a skin-care infused foundation that’s enriched with hyaluronic acid and is now available in 40 different shades, matching 98% of female skin tones in the UK.

Beyond cosmetics, there are plenty of skincare treatments that can help you to create a more balanced and harmonious complexion. Excessive oil production (referred to medically as seborrhoea) can lead to bumpiness and irregular thickness, which can make your skin texture a little uneven. One of the best treatments for this sort of problem are face scrubs, which can help to purify and smooth out your skin. L’Oréal’s Smooth Sugars range features a selection of different face scrubs, including Clear Kiwi, Wake-Up Coffee, and Nourish Cocoa.

You can also brighten your complexion using chemical exfoliants (acids that react with your skin, helping to remove the excess oils that cause blemishes and get rid of built-up layers of dead skin cells). One of the most effective chemical exfoliants for dealing with an uneven skin tone on the face is glycolic acid, so why not explore L’Oréal’s range of products featuring glycolic acid, including Laser Renew Glycolic Acid Ampoules. Also, be sure to check out the Filler Renew Hyaluronic Acid Tissue Mask – this replumping mask is one of the best products for uneven skin tone, helping to smooth out and hydrate your skin.

Remember, sun damage can be a major contributing factor to uneven skin tone, and after years of overexposure, you may start seeing dark spots around the mouth or face, as well as other parts of your body. Put simply, it’s because your body starts producing excess melanin to protect the skin, which can lead to dark spots or hyperpigmentation. The solution? Using lots and lots of sunscreen, of course! Try L’Oréal’s Revitalift Classic Day Cream SPF30 or Revitalift Laser Renew Anti-Ageing Cream SPF20 for added protection against UV rays.

Want to balance an uneven skin tone? Check out L’Oréal’s best products for uneven skin tone, here.