As for long-term solutions, Dr. Ukeleghe says, "Two of the best ingredients to help brighten your skin are vitamin C and retinol." No, they’re not the buzziest, but they are some of the most consistently proven. Ignore anything about extracts from certain flowers or plants that only bloom in the night or survive at the tops of mountains — that’s all very well, but good ol’ vitamin C and retinol have the data to back themselves up. Vitamin C provides brightness to the skin, as well as giving you ongoing antioxidant protection, while retinol speeds up your cell renewal, helping to increase collagen production and shed dead skin.