My skin story is a layered one. I’ll spare you my dissertation in favor of the SparkNotes: I had horrible cystic acne as a teenager and into my early 20s. Once I got that under control (thank you, spironolactone and birth control), my skin became extremely sensitive. Exfoliators are out of the question, and intense chemical peels are a huge no-go, according to my derm. Where does that leave me? With more residual dark spots than I’d care for, a determination to fade them without sending my irritable skin into a spiral, and a jar of Chantecaille’s just-launched Blanc Peony Face Cream Dark Spot Corrector.
The luxe cream is the hero of the brand’s newest collection, sitting alongside the Blanc Peony Face Serum and Eye Serum. Its claims caught my attention—a clinical study done over eight weeks proved a 72 percent visible reduction in dark spots—and the ingredient list hooked me. The scientists behind the brand formulated a first-of-its-kind active called Thiamidol. Nearly a decade in the making, think of Thiamidol as a brightening vitamin C on steroids. The best part? While it works stronger and quicker to fade dark spots than its antioxidant competitor, it’s also supposed to be gentler, which is a huge pro for my sensitive skin.
