Our 5 best products for skin brightening

January 08, 2024

Try them in 2024 for a lit-from-within glow

In the ever-evolving world of clean skincare, Indian sandalwood is emerging as the white-hot ingredient in the most effective beauty products and routines.

Celebrated for centuries for its heavenly scent and healing and moisturising qualities, science tells us that among sandalwood's extraordinary benefits is its magical ability to brighten skin for that coveted lit-from-within glow. Read on for the lowdown on our most potent skincare hero for combatting hyperpigmentation for clear, radiant skin.

Hyperpigmentation - what causes those dark patches?

After a life spent under the sun, hyperpigmentation in the form of dark spots and patches can appear on our faces. These splotches are caused by an overproduction of melanin, the pigment-producing substance that gives colour to our skin, hair, and eyes and protects us from the effects of the sun. When we overexpose our skin to damaging UV rays, melanin production goes into overdrive, disrupting the body's natural processes and causing hyperpigmentation. The dark patches are often worsened by hormonal changes, sun exposure, and certain medications.

How to get rid of pigmentation on skin

While not dangerous, hyperpigmentation can be tricky to treat. The solution? Add skin-brightening products to your daily routine. Science tells us that certain ingredients are more effective than others in the fight against hyperpigmentation. The brightest one of them all? Indian sandalwood.

Thanks to scientific advances, more skincare brands, such as About Time We Met, are harnessing sandalwood with glowing results.

Why you should add sandalwood to your beauty routine

Sandalwood has been revered for millennia, from traditional Chinese medicine and aromatherapy to some of the world's most luxurious perfumes. So, can you put sandalwood oil on the skin? Yes! In recent decades, modern science has explored the beauty and benefits of this precious elixir.

Sandalwood oil is derived from several highly aromatic sandalwood species, the most significant being Indian sandalwood (Santalum album) grown sustainably in Australia and the source of your favourite About Time We Met skincare products.

Sandalwood oil is concentrated in the tree's heartwood, and after maturing for over a decade and harvesting, the oil is extracted using a steam distillation process that is 100% pure and natural.

Alpha- and beta-santol, naturally occurring sesquiterpenes, comprise most of sandalwood oil's 125 naturally occurring active ingredients that offer various skin benefits. Scientific research shows that alpha-santol is a potent inhibitor of tyrosinase, an enzyme that triggers melanin production. So, along with its well-known antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-tyrosinase properties, sandalwood oil brightens and evens skin tone.

It's 2024 - let's glow!

A new year calls for fabulous skin. Head to our home page and take our skincare quiz to find your perfect natural skincare products, creams, serums and treatments that can be used alone or layered for luminous results.

Needs some inspiration? Here are some of our glow-to products:

Brilliant skin - naturally

Naturally Brilliant Face Oil is a best-seller for good reason. A recent clinical study* revealed over 89% of participants reported brighter-looking skin after using it for 2 – 4 weeks, making it your first step for creating smooth, clear skin. Formulated with glow-getting sandalwood oil, a daily dose brightens skin while actively reducing pesky pigmentation.

What does a serum do for your face?

Serums are super-concentrated liquids that provide skin with active ingredients to improve appearance and address complexion concerns.

Radiance Serum boosts dry skin with brightening sandalwood oil, hyaluronic acid, and acetyl hexapeptide-8 for a radiant complexion with an enviable, even skin tone. Apply 2-4 drops to a cleansed face and neck at night, and to boost brightness, use before applying the Glow Day Cream, Restore Night Cream or Naturally Brilliant Oil.

Skin brightening face mask

Even the best skin routine needs a little boost, which is why a powerful weekly face mask can make skin shine. AHA Clay Face Mask is formulated with clay and sandalwood powder that cleanses pores, while pineapple and kiwi fruit extracts buff away dead skin cells, giving way to a lustrous, gorgeous complexion.

Our best face creams to make every skin type glow

While you get your beauty sleep, your body works hard to turn over skin cells, so it's important to support this process with a hard-working product. Restore Night Cream moisturises, repairs, and brightens skin thanks to sandalwood oil, lactobacillus ferment lysate for skin elasticity and grapeseed oil for trapping moisture.

In the morning, treat your skin with our Glow Day Cream, which relies on natural ingredients like sandalwood oil to illuminate skin and protect your complexion from blue lights and pollutants.

Beloved worldwide for centuries for its creamy, dreamy scent and therapeutic benefits, sandalwood is now celebrated for its ability to create an even skin tone and a brilliant glow. Make sandalwood part of your daily beauty and wellness routine, and enjoy your brightest year yet.

*Based on a study of 27 men and women of various ethnicities. Results include slight, moderate, marked and very marked improvements/relaxation. Used over a 2-4 week period.