Eek! What are these brown blotches on my face?
Those brown areas are called hyperpigmentation and they occur when certain areas of the skin produce excess melanin, resulting in dark spots or patches. It can be triggered by inflammation, hormonal changes, and even skin trauma. What I see as a K-Beauty Skincare Specialists is melasma (hormonal), hyperpigmentation from an injury like acne, and the most prevalent is diet induced from seed oils (corn, canola, sunflower…..) and a higher carb diet (rice, oats, other grains, sugar, high sugar fruits, processed foods. . .) While topical treatments can fade discoloration to a point, fixing your diet is the best way to address this. WHY? Because if you are seeing this glycation on your skin, imagine how much is happening inside your body? This is not good for your skin, eyes, organs, joints. . . Like I said, EEK!
Let’s discuss this for just a moment: if someone has brown spots on their skin due to glycation, it’s a sign that glycation is also occurring inside their body. What does that mean? There’s a lot of detail here. For the TL;DR action plan, you can click .Jump to TL;DR Action Steps
GLYCATION
Glycation happens when sugar molecules attach to proteins or fats without an enzyme’s control. When this happens it is called Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs). This process accelerates aging and contributes to many health issues, including our unsightly brown spots, and probably a host of other “age related illnesses” that are actually lifestyle induces and/or diet induced illnesses.
What Does This Mean?
- Skin Aging – Glycation damages collagen and elastin, leading to wrinkles, sagging, and brown spots (also called “sugar spots” or “age spots”).
- Organ Damage – Internal glycation can affect the brain, liver, and kidneys, contributing to neurodegeneration, fatty liver, and kidney disease.
- Inflammation & Stiffness – AGEs increase oxidative stress and inflammation, leading to joint stiffness and mobility issues.
- Increased Disease Risk – High glycation is linked to diabetes complications, cardiovascular disease, and even Alzheimer’s.
- Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs) significantly impact eye health by contributing to various vision problems and eye diseases. Since the eyes have collagen-rich structures and are sensitive to oxidative stress, glycation can cause long-term damage.
- Eye Health – Cataracts as glycation causes the proteins in the eye to become still and cloudy. Macular degeneration from the oxidative damage to the retina. Glaucoma – this is from glycation damage to the optic nerve contributing to nerve damage, and reduced elasticity of the tissues in the eye impacting focus and function.
What Can You Do?
- Lower Sugar Intake – Minimize processed carbs, foods that turn into sugar in your body and high-glycemic foods.
- Eat Antioxidants – Support repair with vitamin C, polyphenols, and amino acids like carnosine.
- Stay Hydrated – Proper hydration helps remove waste and reduce AGEs. Think mineral rich water, not tap water. Not alkaline water. Mineral rich water or hydrogen water. Spring water is good, too. If you have a natural spring around you, go get some of that water.
- Use Targeted Skincare – Products with collagen-boosting ingredients and antioxidants can help reduce visible glycation effects. I got you. We will discuss that in a moment.
- Exercise & Sauna Therapy – Helps clear AGEs and improve circulation. I love sauna for this, but anything that makes you sweat. This time of year, that is the sauna as our gym is not heated and it can be single digits in there. LOL!
Your skin reflects what you eat, and certain foods can either contribute to or prevent pigmentation issues. A diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods, and essential vitamins can prevent excess melanin production and support skin repair.
How Diet Can Cause Hyperpigmentation
Certain dietary habits can worsen hyperpigmentation by increasing inflammation, oxidative stress, and glycation— this is where excess sugar binds to collagen, leading to premature aging and uneven skin tone. By the way, it isn’t that you ATE excess sugar, but what you ate turns into sugar in your body. Here are some of the biggest culprits for inflammation and sugars:
- Seed Oils & Processed Fats – High in omega-6 fatty acids, these oils (such as soybean, canola, and sunflower oil) can contribute to chronic inflammation, making hyperpigmentation worse and worse.
- High-Glycemic Foods – Foods like white bread, pastries, rice, and sugary drinks spike insulin levels, triggering inflammation and increasing melanin production. Now I can hear some of you now.
- “I only eat sourdough bread.” It still spike insulin levels.
- “I only eat gluten free whatever.” Insulin doesn’t care about gluten. It will spike just as high as your gluten filled whatever.
- “I only have REAL sugar or STEVIA or fill in the blank sweetener.” Sorry, girlfriend. You body responds to SWEETNESS! It senses sweetness and will respond whether it is sugar cane, stevia, or maple syrup. I fell for the “it doesn’t impact blood sugar” stuff, too. I do understand that everyone is different, but if you truly want to fix the problem, you have to stop repeating the habits that led to it. Your current diet, lifestyle, and choices have played a role in where you are now. Instead of defending them, let’s approach this with an open mind and be willing to make changes. I’ll be writing a blog post on this soon, but for now, consider this: what if the way you’ve been doing things isn’t serving you? Let’s try a different approach for a while and see what happens. Sound good?
- Excessive Dairy & Hormonal Foods – Dairy and processed meats may contribute to hormonal imbalances that can worsen melasma and other forms of hyperpigmentation. Best advice is to find a rancher or a farmer and buy direct from them. You get less processing to your food, and you support a farmer instead of a corporation.
Key Nutrients for Even Skin Tone:
The cool thing about this list is it works both for internal nutrition and topical nutrition. We want to bust through these glycation caused brown spots, well these are the nutrients that can do it for you. And if you change your diet, increase these nutrients both internally and topically with your skincare, you are tackling this issue the best way I know how. I put a shopping bag together with my ritual and you can buy it HERE . To shop Riman, click here.
- Anti-oxidants – think Vitamin C, E, A, nicotinamide, and D (Beauty Collagen, Collagen Masks, Calming Balance Gel, all of our creams and serums)
- Minerals with anti-oxidant properties – Selenium, Manganese, Zinc and Copper (Calming Balance Gel, all of our creams and serums)
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids – think DHA rich foods like sardines, salmon roe and egg yolks (Our Beauty Collagen, and Calming Balance Gel_
- Polyphenols – with the number of botanicals and nutrients in Riman products, you are getting a lot of polyphenol benefits.
Avoiding high-glycemic foods (like processed sugar and refined carbs) is also important, as they can spike insulin levels and contribute to inflammation, worsening hyperpigmentation.
Skincare for Hyperpigmentation: How Riman Products Can Help
TL;DR Action Steps
While diet provides the foundation, skincare accelerates the fading of existing dark spots and prevents new ones. Riman’s botanical-based products are formulated with potent ingredients to support an even skin tone and supply your skin with the anti-oxidants and nutrition that you need. Here is my ritual for eliminating brown spots: I put a shopping bag together with my ritual and you can buy it HERE . To shop Riman, click here.
Morning Ritual:
- Purecell Cleansing Oil – Removes impurities and brightens skin.
- Active Powder Cleanser – Gently exfoliates and brightens with papain enzyme and oat extract.
- Booster/Serum Dermatology Duo – Packed with Centella Asiatica, Niacinamide, and Vitamin C to heal and even out skin tone.
- RAD100 Microfluidizer Cream (spot treatment) – Targets stubborn dark spots with advanced brightening technology.
- Active Cream EX – Works long term on evening skin tone, brightening as well as antioxidant protection.
Evening Ritual:
- Purecell Cleansing Oil – Dissolves makeup, sebum and without stripping moisture.
- Active Powder Cleanser – Preps skin for nighttime repair.
- Booster/Serum Dermatology Duo – Supports overnight skin healing and regeneration.
- Melting Collagen Mask – Deeply hydrates and supports skin renewal.
- Booster to Melt the Mask – Enhances absorption of nutrients.
- RAD100 Microfluidizer Cream (spot treatment) – Works overnight to fade discoloration.
- Active Cream EX – one of our Flagship products that works for every skin type. It actually strengthens the skin barrier so you wake with better skin.
Action Plan: Steps to Smooth, Even-Toned Skin
Hey, I know you want this. I did as well. To make this happen we need to combine internal and external strategies:
✅ Eat Nutrient Dense Foods – Prioritize meats, fish, eggs and some fermented foods.
✅ Stay hydrated – Drink mineral rich water
✅ Commit to a consistent skincare routine – Use Riman’s targeted products to accelerate results.
✅ Manage stress and sleep well – Chronic stress and poor sleep can trigger inflammation and slow skin healing.
The best way to get gorgeous glowing skin is to stop doing the things that are damaging it and focus on dense nutrition both inside your body and on your skin. Let me know if you have questions.
Disclaimer:
The content on this blog is for informational and educational purposes only. I am not a doctor, medical professional, or licensed healthcare provider. Nothing I post, write, say, or share should be taken as medical advice.
Always consult with your doctor or a qualified healthcare provider before making any changes to your diet, lifestyle, supplements, or health regimen. The information shared here is based on personal experience, research, and general wellness knowledge, but it may not be suitable for everyone.
By using this site, you acknowledge that you are responsible for your own health decisions.
