Spots, wrinkles, open pores… we all know what these issues look like. But sometimes, as we get older, our skin plays a sneakier trick on us. It goes a bit dull. Less even. Patchy. And all thanks to those annoying hormones and too much time in the sun when we were younger.

I had a right old mottled patch on my forehead after my first baby: I thought I was stuck with it until I invested in a product specifically to deal with hyper-pigmentation and a lack of brightness. And d’you know what? It worked. Add one to your routine, stick with an SPF at all times, and there is brightness at the end of the tunnel. Here are my current favourites.

I am really smitten with Indeed Laboratories Pepta-Bright (£29.99). It’s not a big tube, but you just need a little hazelnut-size blob under your serum and moisturiser and it doesn’t seem to ‘interfere’ with your routine, but rather does what it says it will, which is fade the shadowy bits and add a glow to your complexion.

Also one to layer on after cleansing is Perricone’s new Blue Plasma (£78). This comes in a gorgeous glass bottle with a dropper and is, as you would expect, bright blue. It’s actually a peel, but one that’s gentle and non-acidic enough to use every day. It’s runny, sinks in immediately and leaves your skin radiant and cheek-strokingly soft. A new favourite.

Instead of your usual serum, try Filorga Pigment-Perfect Spot Corrector (£45).I’m delighted M&S are now stocking Filorga, as well as some other previously fairly niche brands. This serum, which is more like a light cream, contains hop extract and vitamin C and smells like freshly-picked roses. I apply it to the remains of my forehead patchy bits and it’s seeing them off week by week.

Darphin’s solution to the patchiness problem is Melaperfect (£57), applied after serum and before moisturiser. This also smells divine but is creamier than a serum – I prefer a fairly light moisturiser on top. A good one for décolletage age spots: luxurious and hard-working.

Finally, Melvita’s new Nectar Bright range which launches next month. One to watch out for – I’ve only just started using the Brightening Cream (£36), amoisturiser to revive dull skin, but it’s a honey-scented cracker, containing low-molecular weight hyaluronic acid to leave skin radiant and glowing.

Click here for StyleNest’s roundup on dark circles remedies.