Beauty Clean Slate This Brightening Serum Is Like a DIY Facial In a Bottle No mixing required. By Kayla Greaves Kayla Greaves Instagram Twitter Website Kayla Greaves is the Executive Beauty Editor for InStyle, overseeing all beauty coverage on the site. She has previously held positions at HuffPost and Bustle. InStyle's editorial guidelines Published on April 1, 2022 @ 04:30PM Pin Share Tweet Email Photo: Herbivore/ InStyle Just because hyperpigmentation is a natural part of the skin healing process, that doesn't necessarily mean I want it lingering around 'til kingdom come. So whenever I hear of a product that can do double duty when it comes to combating dark spots, I'm all in. And one such product is Herbivore's Nova 15% Vitamin C + Turmeric Brightening Serum. These days, it's pretty common to find turmeric in skincare. And while there are always exceptions to the rule, it used to be an ingredient you would only find in DIY face masks. But regardless of whether or not you've used turmeric on your face or body, I'm here to tell you that when it comes to evening out skin tone, it's truly a holy grail ingredient. How Exactly Does Turmeric Benefit the Skin? Herbivore's serum is formulated with 15% THD vitamin C, a super stable form of the ingredient, along with arbutin, which also helps to curb discoloration, and, you guessed it, turmeric. And like all products from the brand, this product is clean and planet positive according to Sephora's standards, vegan, and cruelty-free. 01 of 01 Herbivore Nova 15% Vitamin C + Turmeric Brightening Serum Courtesy $64; sephora.com I've been using this serum consistently for over a month now, and I've noticed that whenever a dark mark pops up, it usually fades in about two to three weeks — amen. Another plus is that a little goes a long way, so while the price tag may be a bit steep, you only need about one or two pumps and you'll be good to go. It has lasted me for a good while and the bottle is only half empty. VIDEO: Can You Really Shrink Your Pores? Top Dermatologists Have the Answer The only downside (and it's really not even that much of a downside) is that it kind of smells like dinner. But the scent goes away almost instantly, and the results definitely outweigh the two seconds of turmeric-y smell. So go ahead and give this serum a try. I promise you won't regret it. From non-toxic makeup and skincare to sustainability practices, Clean Slate is an exploration of all things in the green beauty space. Find out what's really in your products — and what's being left out.