March 1, 2012

Philosophy Miracle Worker Dark Spot Corrector Review

Ah the old dark spot corrector….

I thank Clinique every single day for bringing hyper pigmentation and dark spots to the beauty world’s attention. I tried to love their Clinical Dark Spot Corrector but technically it was more about me using it religiously and convincing myself of how great it was working when it actually wasn’t doing much at all.

Sad fact.

On the upside, I really appreciate the trend they created because the dark spot world was sadly lacking and now the market is saturated with a slew of options for correcting hyper pigmentation, dark spots, and sun damage. Praise the skincare gods!

I have a small amount of hyper pigmentation I’d like to correct that’s located on my jawline/lower cheek area so I’ve been trying every single dark spot corrector around.

Believe me I’ve been through numerous bottles that promise me the world and by far the best one I’ve tried is Philosophy’s Miracle Worker Dark Spot Corrector.

You NEED this.

Putting dark spots and sun damage aside this is an absolute essential item for girl’s with dull skin, aging skin, or those who desire whiter, brighter skin. On top of the benefits of correcting issues with hyper pigmentation, dark spots, and sun damages the product works as an all over brightener to ease dullness, create smoother, whiter, brighter skin, and to give lackluster, aging skin a much needed boast.

This comes in a stable, pump jar packaging and surprisingly does not use Hydroquinone to correct damage. I’ve always heard success stories with products that do contain this ingredient so I was surprised this didn’t contain it but still managed to even skin tone while brightening. I actually didn’t swatch it since it’s too precious to waste but its simply a beige/brownish thin cream which you apply two to three pumps of each night prior to moisturizer. For the best results I recommend using the entire Miracle Worker Collection particularly if your skin is starting to show the signs of aging or you’re just dull. I find the best combination that’s successful for me is Philosophy’s Miracle Worker Pads plus this and a moisturizer of your choice, I personally like the Miracle Worker one as part of the PM regime but you can use what you like.

This was designed to improve the appearances of skin discolorations associated with age spots, acne scars, sun damage, etc…plus it acts as an all over brightening so your skin looks fresher and more youthful. Your tone will be more uniform as well with continued use. It won’t whiten but it will brighten to a point that you may notice a change in the tone of your skin, this is a good thing in my opinion as it only gives you a more youthful glow as well as eases dullness commonly associated with dry and/or aging skin which isn’t producing collagen as quickly as it once did.

This contains stabilized vitamin C but you have to be aware of the expiration date for the best results. I’m not really a skincare guru but I did a fair bit of research on this when I noticed the results and I have to say that overall it seems to be a stable product with many good ingredients that work together to reduce the appearance of dark spots.

The good thing about this and all Miracle Worker products is the fact that it’s very gentle particularly if your skin simply can’t deal with ingredients such as hydroquinone. It effectively works without disturbing skin’s natural balance and creating havoc.

Of course, for the best results you have to be religious with use. I find my skin goes back to being dull should I skip a night or two however long terms results will lighten dark spots and those won’t return so long as you are diligent with the use of SPF. I’ve been using this since the release, so say 9 months or so, and I saw a huge improvement in dark spots over that time period. They aren’t yet completely gone but they are barely visible now.

Overall, Philosophy Miracle Worker Dark Spot Corrector is a product that successfully delivers on its promises. In a sea of dark spot correctors that promise but never deliver, this is a no brainer purchase. I highly suggest purchasing it. Don’t expect instant results but with continued use I think you’ll be more than happy with the results. I like that it not only corrects but successfully brightens and whitens skin. This improves the overall appearance of skin as well as treats it.

Amazing stuff, I just recently finished off my first bottle and have since purchased another (the original was a press sample).

It gains my highest approval. I honestly have never experienced this much success with a skincare product and I’ve used plenty.

Loves it!

Muse Approved for purchase.

Available from Sephora, Sephora.com, or get it at Philosophy.com

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

  • Mtammy

    Wow, thanks so much for this detailed review. Like you, I’ve been searching high and low for a dark spot corrector that actually works. Do you know if it would work on acne scars? That’s my main problem and would like those gone!

    • the Muse

      mtammy I don’t have acne scars but according to philosophy it will act on acne scarring so you might want to give it a whirl. I’d say try it a few weeks, if you hate it, return it. Sephora is so amazing about returns!

        • the Muse

          I think it would be fine for a man although you might want to get something specifically made for male skin, Lab Series has an entire brightening range for men!

  • Vic27

    OMG thanks for posting this! I was thinking of getting the Clinique one but havent read a lot of reviews about it yet. I think I’ll pick up the Philosophy one instead!

    • the Muse

      get the philosophy one. I used the clinique one for many many months and saw no improvement. Got this and within a few weeks saw results and keep seeing results with use! LOVE IT! seriously, second bottle here, will def purchase again and again.

  • Jolene

    Thank you for this review. I’d already heard the not so good reviews on the Clinque version, but I’m a Philosphy lover already so will grab this up next time I’m in Ulta.

  • Larie

    I actually found the Clinique one helped me out a bit, but it wasn’t dramatic or drastic. I think I’ll give this one a whirl.

  • Christina

    I got a sample of this as a BI from Sephora – super pumped about trying it now!

  • susan

    Wow – this is some review. I’m generally very skeptical now about cosmetic preps that are available over the counter and make such claims but am tempted to try after such a positive review. IPL does work for dark spots and pigmentation but of course is much more invasive.

  • Leticia – Cosmetics Aficionado

    I was curious about this, but hadn’t tried it due to cost. Thanks for the review!

  • Khalia

    I have hyperpigmentation in the same area as you and also felt pretty bummed by Clinique’s Corrector. It’s funny the way you said it cause I felt EXACTLY the same way! I just wanted it to work so bad and it really just did absolutely nothing for me at all!

    So I’m glad you found this new Philosophy item and reviewed it. I’m definitely gonna have to look into it!

    • the Muse

      khalia if you try I’d love to hear what you think and if it worked for you. Clinique’s version was such a bummer!

  • Joan

    I just got a sample of this from Sephora, but haven’t used it yet. I’m always afraid to use something new because I worry about breakouts. Muse, I also tried the Ciinique dark spot corretor and it did make me breakout. I think it was the Vitamin C. I had returned it. I will give this one a try. I would love to find something that works on my few discoloration spots that doesn’t cause breakouts. Thanks for this extensive review.

    • the Muse

      hi joan! I hope it works for you hun! Mmm no break outs here with Clinique but def didn’t see any difference 🙁 after use.

      • Joan

        Thanks. I know I should read the instructions, but quick question. Do you just put it on your trouble spots or on your whole face? I think everyone here will agree with me, your site is the best! Look forward to my e-mail every morning.

        • the Muse

          aw shucks Joan thanks hun! *hugs* I use it all over my face. after using the miracle worker pads and before my serum and moisturizer. Allow it to sink in for a bit prior to applying anything else.

  • NeenaJ

    Great post! Future Derm (blog) just posted about another of these non-hydroquinone lighteners and I think that when I’m through with my current course of hydroquinone, I’m going to pick this one up to use as my alternate.

  • JCz

    I’d wanted to try this because the Clinique product didn’t work for me. I have some discoloration mainly from prior sun exposure, some of it kinda prominent. When this was first available it was part of a kit and I didn’t need anything else in the kit so I passed. Instead I started using SkinCeuticals 0.5% retinol. I only used this for a couple of months and I was seeing a pretty noticeable difference. Now, I’m probably a lot older than your average reader and my skin isn’t really sensitive at all, so a retinol product isn’t for everyone, but you can use it every other day until you build up a tolerance. I probably will try the Phiosophy regimen though, maybe in the winter months when my skin is already dried out.

  • Maisie Lau

    Thank you so much for your review on this item. Will definitely try to look out for this product here in Malaysia.

  • Saara

    Any idea of a release date in the UK? It feels like its been released for quite a while in the US and I would’ve expected it to be over here by now. The other items in the miracle worker line are already here……

  • T

    I got a few mini tubes of this with my Sephora rewards points and was excited to try it because I’m starting to get sun spots and my skin isn’t as “bright” as it used to be. I’m pretty picky about my skin care products and will spend good money on something IF it works. This stuff so far, is working and I haven’t been a fan of Philosophy products in the past except for their Purity face cleanser. I actually noticed the brightening right away and have only been using it for a week. I think I may be using too much because I have noticed a few tiny breakouts on my chin and I very rarely breakout since the samples are in tube form, it’s harder to gauge the amount vs the pumps from the bottle. This happened when I first started using LaMer as well but my skin just had to get used to a new product. Hopefully that’s what’s going on with the Miracle Worker too because it really does work. I’m also going to try keeping it off my t-zone and see if that makes a difference. Most of the darker spots are on my cheeks anyway. I do recommend this product though. It’s definitely worth trying.