Everything I do to treat summer pigmentation, as a sun-loving beauty editor living in Florida

I’ve always enjoyed the sun. I’m a child of the '70s and '80s – the days you’d fry your skin on the sun lounger for the sake of a deep tan. At the start of the new school year, my post-holiday tan lines were my badges of honour. I remember showing them off proudly to my friends who were all jealous of how dark my skin had turned since the end of term.

Fast forward to my twenties: after becoming a beauty editor, I quickly learned how damaging the sun is to our skin, so I became more mindful with my approach. While I’d always used suncream in my childhood, the factors barely crept above SPF 15, but in my twenties they began to increase. And the older I got, the higher the factor on my best facial sunscreen climbed.

In my early thirties, after my first pregnancy with my now 21-year-old son, I noticed some darker pigmentation patches on my upper lips and cheeks. I now know that this was ‘melasma’ – a common postpartum skin condition that is triggered by hormones like oestrogen, but also by sun exposure. And while the upper lip darkness gradually faded as my hormones settled, the patches on my cheeks would flare up whenever I was in the sun.

And then, five years ago, I moved to Florida, so my sun protection game turned up a notch. SPF 50 became a non-negotiable on both my face and body. Hats began putting in an appearance on every beach and boat day. Shade became my best friend – and the due diligence paid off. My skin is in great condition, and my tan is never as deep as it had been after a fortnight in Florida when I was younger. However, I did notice when I first moved that my pigmentation worsened a little.

Living with pigmentation: Why I refuse to hide from the sun

For those wondering if skincare can fade pigmentation, lifestyle is a very important factor too. Experts say that once you have pigmentation, you’ll always be prone to it. But it can fade, as long as you minimise your exposure to the sun.

Living in Florida, staying out of the sun completely isn’t realistic – nor do I want it to be. I love the outdoor lifestyle too much. It’s part of who I am, and my routine, and while I know that exposure will prevent my pigmentation from fading completely – I refuse to let the fear of it stop me from living my life. I’m cautious, but I take a total "YOLO" approach: I love the sun, and I’m going to enjoy it, while being super strategic about how I repair and protect my skin.

My daily skincare routine for fading dark spots and melasma

Over years of testing products, I've found that a consistent mix of vitamin C, retinol and LED therapy makes a huge difference in keeping mine minimised. My morning routine is centred on protection and prevention. I apply a vitamin C serum every morning to help brighten and repair. I love the Murad Vita-C Glycolic Serum, which has the double benefits of brightening vitamin C and smoothing glycolic acid.

If I'm just working at home and running quick errands in the car, I don't mind wearing a lower SPF 30 like e.l.f. Woah Glow, which has a gorgeous built-in tint, too. But if I’m choosing to be out in the sun for prolonged periods, an SPF 50 is non-negotiable. I love formulas by SkinCeuticals, COSRX, or No.7. Their new Prime Forever SPF 50 is brilliant under makeup. If I want extra coverage, I’ll use a foundation base with built-in SPF 50 too – Naked Sundays are brilliant.

At night, my focus shifts entirely to repair. Advanced aesthetic nurse practitioner Emma Wedgwood,notes that "the skin’s natural repair processes continue overnight, making an evening routine a good opportunity to use targeted active ingredients." She recommends using serums containing ingredients like niacinamide and azelaic acid, while ones with retinoids deliver deeper results. “Retinoids can be more effective but should be introduced gradually – perhaps start with two nights a week initially. The key is not to overload the skin: introduce one active at a time and increase frequency slowly."

I currently use my favourite retinal, Medik8’s Crystal Retinal 10, about four nights a week to help fade dark spots over time. However, I’m extra cautious; if I know I have a long day in the sun the following day, I skip it as they can make your skin extra sensitive to the sun.

Alongside these actives, LED light therapy is another step in my routine that really helps. While it takes a conscious effort to make it a daily habit, using red light at home calms underlying inflammation that sun exposure can exacerbate, and as Wedgwood explained, it has been proven to help cells recover and heal after a day in the sun. "At-home LED devices may help support overall skin recovery," she explains, adding that they work best alongside targeted skincare rather than as a standalone fix for pigmentation.

Why do dark spots and pigmentation show up after a summer holiday?

It turns out there was a scientific reason for this slow creep of sun damage. If you’ve ever come home from a holiday only to notice dark patches cropping up weeks later, you aren't imagining things. Wedgwood explains that pigmentation is actually a delayed reaction. "UV exposure activates melanocytes, the pigment-producing cells in the skin, causing them to produce and distribute more melanin as a protective response," she explains.

"Unlike an immediate tan, this process does not happen all at once, Wedgwood continues. "New pigment can continue developing over several days and may become more noticeable once the surrounding tan begins to fade, which is why uneven patches often seem to appear after you return home."

She adds that heat and inflammation can further stimulate conditions like melasma, bringing previously subtle spots to the surface weeks after exposure.

The post-holiday reality check: Why you still need SPF when it’s cloudy

And if you’re reading this in the UK thinking grey autumn skies mean you can put your sunscreen away, Wedgwood offers a bit of a reality check. "UV radiation still penetrates cloud cover, and pigmentation-prone skin can remain particularly reactive to it," she tells me. "Skipping SPF once the weather feels cooler or less sunny is one of the most common reasons pigmentation treatment plans stall. I would recommend a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or above every day, all year round, regardless of how grey the sky looks."

How long does it take to fade pigmentation?

Fading pigmentation takes time, and Wedgwood stresses that most people need "around eight to 12 weeks of consistent treatment before they see a noticeable improvement," with daily SPF being the single biggest factor in keeping it from returning.

At the end of the day, loving the outdoors and protecting your skin don't have to be at odds. As Wedgwood sums up, "You don’t need to avoid the sun entirely, but it is important to enjoy it sensibly. Seek shade during the strongest midday hours, apply a broad-spectrum SPF and reapply it every two hours when outdoors... Enjoying the outdoors and protecting your skin are not mutually exclusive."

That’s me back off to the beach then…