This $30 Body Treatment Reduced Hyperpigmentation and Smoothed My Bumpy Skin in Just 10 Days

The hyperpigmentation that plagues my face is very much present on my body too. It's uneven, dotted with dark spots, and reacts to the slightest physical contact — the accidental pinch of a watch or my leg grazing a desk quickly causes more discoloration. But, when I'm feeling especially insecure about my skin, I can't use a concealer or color correcting product to camouflage discoloration on my body as I would my complexion.

On the flip side, I use a number of products on my face to brighten and smooth, including vitamin C and retinol. One of my favorites is Topicals' Faded Serum, a hyperpigmentation-improving cream that's so good, I've gone through four tubes in a year. But, for the longest time, I wasn't able to find a similarly effective quick-fix for my body. That is, until the brand launched a Faded Body Mist, which I immediately added to cart in hopes it would address all of my skincare woes.

Available at Sephora

The star ingredients in the body mist are tranexamic acid, niacinamide, and kojic acid. The first two are known for reducing discoloration, dark spots, and evening out the complexion. Meanwhile, antioxidant-rich kojic acid brightens skin, reduces the appearance of blemishes, and helps to strengthen the skin barrier. And unlike professional, in-office procedures that can fade scarring, like laser treatments and light therapy, this powerful serum has zero recovery time and costs a fraction of the price (think $30 versus upwards of thousands of dollars).

While Topicals calls this all-over body product a mist, it's actually more of a spray-on serum. As someone who is much lazier with her body than with her face, I appreciate the easy, seamless application method. The formula is lightweight and absorbs quickly, and the immediate result is a gleaming finish and skin that seems to drink up the lotion I apply afterward.

I will admit, the smell is not great, which is to be expected if you've tried Topicals' Faded face serum which smells… sort of like Nair. But it's well worth the results, as I noticed a change in my skin's texture and hyperpigmentation in as little as 10 days. The bumpy skin covering my knees and upper calves smoothed out, and the ingrown hairs from shaving seemed to lessen in severity and disappeared quickly. Most importantly for me, it improved any and all spots — from the new mark left behind from walking into a desk to the long scar from a childhood injury.

A surprising bonus has been an immediate lustrous sheen that makes my skin appear healthy and hydrated — not like I only intermittently moisturize my body. Much like the brand's face serum, the Topical Faded Mist is now part of my everyday routine.