Heads Up: These Are the 3 Skin-Care Ingredients Everyone Will Be Talking About in 2021

We're not the first to reveal that beauty routines have drastically shifted in the last year. While most people have lost interest in doing their makeup or extensively styling their hair, there's one part of our beauty routines that's become more prioritized than ever before: our skin care. Thanks to the all-time high stress levels we collectively experienced in the last 10 months, it's no surprise that a spotlight has been shone on the category of beauty that can help us recover both physically and emotionally from 2020.

These days, our skin-care routines are serious business, and we've got our eyes on the buzziest ingredients that are finally getting the attention they deserve. And if you take a closer look, you'll notice that three of the hyped ingredients as of late — vitamin C, squalane, and mushroom — share one thing in common: hyperpigmentation. While skin discolorations (i.e., acne scars, dark spots, age spots, etc.) are not a new or trendy concern to hit the skin-care community, they've become the kind of uphill battle we may finally feel ready to conquer in 2021.

Ahead, we break down the trendy ingredients, why you'll love them, and how the Biossance Squalane + 10% Vitamin C Dark Spot Serum, which houses all three, can transform your skin this year.

When it comes to A-list ingredients, vitamin C typically tops the list. However, it's still the kind of ingredient that people know will change their life, but aren't quite sure how it works. Allows us to share: when used topically, this antioxidant neutralizes free radicals and plays a huge role in the skin's regeneration process. In short, it helps skin to fight against pollution and UV filters while helping your complexion to appear brighter and firmer. Unlike other powerful ingredients out there (think acids or retinol), vitamin C keeps skin looking youthful and glowing without irritation.

The trickiest part about vitamin C is that it can be famously unstable when bottled and applied topically. The secret is to look for l-ascorbic acid, a stable derivative of vitamin C, in a product like the Biossance Squalane + 10% Vitamin C Dark Spot Serum, so you can trust that it'll deliver its most powerful benefits without fail.

Squalene (with an e) is a lipid naturally produced by the oil glands in skin that is known for fighting free radical damage and maintaining the skin barrier so it stays hydrated and healthy. Sadly, the natural production of squalene tends to dwindle as we get older, so supplementing our skin-care routines with squalane (with an a) is crucial, especially for people with dry and dehydrated skin who can benefit the most from the ingredient's emollient properties. Once upon a time, shark-liver oil was a popular source for the the squalene you'd find in most serums, but for obvious reasons it has since become less in-demand. Now, most brands, like Biossance, opt to source squalane from plant oils, like sugarcane, making it ethical and shockingly effective.

But what does squalane have to do with dark spots? Yes, maintaining a strong skin barrier is essentially the baseline to treating most major skin concerns, but squalane is also said to have antioxidant qualities that can visibly improve your skin tone, especially when mixed with other powerful antioxidants, like vitamin C.

In the last year, mushrooms have become the social butterfly of skin care. While mushrooms have been a staple in traditional Chinese medicine for years, it's only recently that the fungus caught the hype in mainstream shelf products. So, what makes them so special when used topically? Numerous mushrooms, namely shiitake and reishi, and their extracts have been said to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can address loss of elasticity and uneven skin tone. More specifically, many mushrooms have been found to possess a unique compound (kojic acid) that can naturally brighten skin and address discoloration.

The real magic comes when the fungus is cocktailed with other acids or an antioxidant, like vitamin C. Mushroom extract and the latter are each other's long-lost soulmates, and they not only start to degrade dark spots immediately when used in tandem, but also prevent future discoloration from forming in the long run.