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Many of us have experienced the frustration of hitting a skincare plateau, where the journey to attain glowing, clear skin seems elusive

A skincare plateau is a phase where your efforts to improve your skin’s appearance seem to stall, with little or no noticeable progress in achieving your desired results such as a radiant or youthful complexion. This common scenario can sometimes leave us questioning whether the sought-after radiance is merely a distant dream.

But don’t worry, gaiss! There is still hope. Sometimes, all it takes to break through this skincare plateau phase and achieve bouncy, clear skin is a simple step, like making a tweak to our skincare routines.

We asked Malaysians to tell us what changes they made in their skincare routines that helped improve their dark spots and dull skin. Here’s what they had to say:

1. “I started using a face sunscreen with SPF 50 on a daily basis”

“I’m a runner, and I’m used to being under the sun most of the day. Previously, my usual skincare routine only consisted of cleanser, toner, and moisturiser, but I noticed that it wasn’t enough to see a significant difference in my skin complexion.

“My sun spots weren’t going away until I started using sunscreen with SPF50, specifically targeting those dark spots caused by long sun exposure. Now, I never skip it even on cloudy days.”

– Sarah, 27 years old

Picture used for illustration purposes only.

Picture used for illustration purposes only.

Image via Ketut Subiyanto (Pexels)

2. “One thing that helped was adding an anti-spot serum to my nighttime routine”

“When I was a teen, I never had problems with dark spots. But, since I moved away from home and started working, I have noticed patches of skin that are darker than my usual skin colour and my overall skin looks dull.

“What helped me was incorporating an anti-spot and brightening serum into my skincare routine, as well as layering with moisturising products before bed. Plus, I’ve also been more cautious about my dietary intake.”

– Alicia, 33 years old

Picture used for illustration purposes only.

Picture used for illustration purposes only.

Image via Alena Darmel (Pexels)

3. “The biggest change I noticed in my skin happened after I started going for facials”

“Before working, I didn’t have the money to invest in consistent skin treatments like facials. So, I only used products that targeted my acne.

“Over time, I saw that it didn’t really help with the root of the problem, as my pimples would reappear after a month or two. By going for facials at least once a month, I saw that I had fewer breakouts, which helped give my skin time to heal from previous acne marks.”

– Alanna, 29 years old

Picture used for illustration purposes only.

Picture used for illustration purposes only.

Image via cottonbro studio (Pexels)

4. “I added a serum that delivers multiple skin benefits”

“When I was pregnant with my daughter, I dealt with dark spots that didn’t seem to go away with my usual skincare routine.

“I used to just use a gel cleanser, simple moisturiser, and sunscreen, but that didn’t do the trick to treat my dark spots. However, to juggle motherhood and work, I needed a simple skincare step to fulfil my skin needs. So, I used a two-in-one serum that had anti-spot and brightening benefits. That’s when my dark spots went away, and my dull-looking skin came back to life.”

– Lana, 34 years old.

Picture used for illustration purposes only.

Picture used for illustration purposes only.

Image via Vecteezy

5. “Exfoliating my skin, which was a foreign term for me previously, is now something I look forward to”

“I grew up with three brothers and studied engineering in uni, so I’ve been mostly surrounded by boys most of my life. I didn’t know much about skincare, ’cause it’s not one of the common topics we talk about. And, since I’m a construction engineer, I work a lot on site, which means my skin gets exposed to dust often.

“I never knew that you had to exfoliate the skin on your face to remove dead skin cells. I always thought my skin would be fine by just washing using a cleanser. Ever since I discovered this new technique to add to my skincare routine at least once every week, I’ve seen a tremendous difference in my skin. It looks more youthful and radiant, and doesn’t look dull anymore.”

– Hannah, 28 years old

Picture used for illustration purposes only.

Picture used for illustration purposes only.

Image via Polina Kovaleva (Pexels)

6. “I’m obsessed with adding moisturiser on my face after using my brightening serum”

“Growing up, I have always had oily skin. Because of this, I often deal with acne, which then leads to acne scars. So, I thought avoiding products that contain moisturising ingredients would help solve the oiliness. Little did I know that when your skin lacks moisture, it actually compromises the skin barrier, affecting the maintenance of healthy-looking skin.

“Now, I make sure that I moisturise well, sometimes putting on two to three layers after using a serum that helps with my post-acne spots. And, as for serums, I’m now very careful with skincare ingredients, as not all brightening ingredients work on my skin. It seems like when I use these two products together, it helps my dark spots heal faster and I wake up to glowing and bouncy skin.”

– Aisha, 24 years old

Picture used for illustration purposes only.

Picture used for illustration purposes only.

Image via Dagmara Dombrovska (Pexels)

As we undergo lifestyle changes, our skin may also experience transformations, which may require us to adjust our skincare routine

This is when common concerns such as dark spots and dull skin may arise. But, fret not, as the NIVEA Luminous630 AntiSpot Advanced Spot Serum is designed to effectively address these issues!

NIVEA Luminous630 AntiSpot Advanced Spot Serum is a lightweight serum that can help reduce all types of dark spots, leaving you with brighter, luminous skin.

Picture used for illustration purposes only.

Picture used for illustration purposes only.

Image via Claud Lina (Pexels)

The World’s No.1 Anti-Spot Serum*, NIVEA Luminous630 AntiSpot Advanced Spot Serum is a serum with a groundbreaking formulation meticulously developed by NIVEA over a decade of dedicated research

Image via NIVEA (Provided to SAYS)

It contains the patented Luminous630 which is a potent ingredient serves as a brightening agent, exhibiting effectiveness that surpasses butylresorcinol by 10 times**, which is a well-known ingredient in brightening skincare. It is even highly recommended by many celebs and beauty influencers.

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A post shared by Christinna Kuan (@ms_kuan)

Check out how Christinna Kuan uses NIVEA Luminous630 AntiSpot Serum in her skincare routine:

If you’ve been grappling with persistent hyperpigmentation that has lingered on your skin for a long time, you may notice an improvement within just two weeks*** with the use of this serum.

Together with hydrating properties from 2X hyaluron, the NIVEA Luminous630 AntiSpot Advanced Spot Serum has been proven to reduce all types of dark spots, including acne spots, freckles, pregnancy spots, melasma, and sun spots. This serum reveals spotless, naturally glowing skin from the inside out.

*Supported by NielsenIQ, Market Track, Face Care Anti Spot Serum market (Beiersdorf defined category) analysis in 33 countries (Beiersdorf defined), volume sales in selling units, Oct 2020 – Jan 2022.

**Compared to 4-Butylresorcinol.

***Based on self-grading by 43 volunteers, Feb – Mar 2022.

Ready to get rid of your dark spots and have a more radiant skin? You can buy the World’s No.1 Anti-Spot Serum on NIVEA’s website, as well as online on Watsons, Shopee, and Lazada.

Look out for more #SAYSBeauty tips and trends!

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M’sians Share How Changes To Their Skincare Routines Helped Improve Dark Spots & Dull Skin