33 Ways to Tighten and Brighten Your Trouble Spots

Highlights are a quick and easy way to brighten up your skin tone. But unless you're a veteran at-home colorist, they're best left to the pros. Talk to your stylist about the best placement for lighter, face-framing pieces to see if he or she can help bring attention to your favorite features.

A bright smile can make you look tanner, younger, and, yes, even skinnier. To make your grin gleam, NYC cosmetic dentist Dr. Jeff Golub-Evans says to start by weening yourself off of drinks that can stain teeth (if you must, drink red wine and coffee through a straw), and ask your dentist about in-office diamond dust polishing treatments that can whiten teeth up to 8 shades in one session.

A trip to the dentist can cause major anxiety, so ask your doctor about Icon, a new drill-free approach from DMG America. It allows dentists to fix early cavities, remove stains, and even erase white marks just by adjusting resin levels in a non-invasive applicator. Now that's a reason to start smiling!

According to Golub-Evans, “Peroxide is peroxide.” So, even if you can’t foot the bill for a bleaching session at your dentist’s office, there are a ton of stellar over-the-counter products that can deliver sparkling results from the comfort of your own bathroom.

We like Crest 3D WhiteStrips Professional Effects, $55; target.com.

Investing in a high-quality powder brush allows you to better cover your mug with skin-perfecting makeup—the tightly packed bristles hold and distribute product precisely. Use a soft, concealing powder to get PhotoShop-perfect skin.

We like It Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores Heavenly Luxe Brush, $48; qvc.com.

Makeup artist Cindy Joseph swears that keeping skin quenched is essential for improving tone and coloration. This summer, keep a moisture stick handy to give parched skin a quick boost.

We like BoomStick Glo, $24; boombycindyjospeh.com.

Christina Zilber, founder of Jouer Cosmetics, suggests fighting discoloration by tricking the eye with an iridescent color-correcting powder. It diffuses light and attention away from imperfections.

We like Jouer Glistening Brightening Powder, $28; jouercosmetics.com.

Radiate from within by supplementing your diet with the right nutrients. NYC- and Miami-based dermatologist, Dr. Fredric Brandt recommends injecting your water with antioxidant-rich booster drops to help flush out toxins from your skin.

We like Dr. Brandt Detoxifying Water Booster in Goji-Maqui, $50; drbrandtskincare.com.

An at-home masque can yield major results when it comes to making your skin look taut, dewy, and healthy. If you have hyperpigmented skin, opt for a formula that promises a mega-dose of hydration.

We like Peter Thomas Roth Radiance Oxygenating Masque, $50; peterthomasroth.com.

Pale lipstick doesn't contrast with teeth as much bolder hues. Try out a subtle lip shade this summer to make your smile look brighter.

We like CoverGirl LipPerfection Lipstick in Rapture, $6.99; target.com.

Contrary to popular belief, dark eye liner can make the whites of your eyes stand out more and appear brighter. For a sultry evening look, line your upper and lower lids with a jewel-toned liner and use white shadow stick at the inner corners of your eyes to instantly enhance your peepers.

We like Smashbox Limitless Eye Liner, $19; smashbox.com.

Define your cheekbones and bone structure by applying an illuminating fluid with a touch of bronzer as part of your everyday makeup routine. A little will go a long way, so just one dab will do wonders.

We like Chanel Sheer Illuminating Fluid, $48; chanel.com.

“It isn't enough to just use expensive products and expect fast results,” says Elliot Entis, founder of Lift Lab Cosmetics. "You have to diagnose your skin problems and solve them first!" Talk to your derm or facialist about which products will have the highest concentration of healing ingredients for your mug.

We like Lift Lab Lift & Moisturize Daily Cream, $125; theliftlab.com.

When it comes to under-eye circles, reducing puffiness is only half the battle. Look for products with peptides to reduce pigmentation and increase elasticity of saggy skin.

We like Murad Renewing Eye Cream, $73; murad.com.

In a pinch, use a creamy concealer one to two shades lighter than your skin tone to instantly brighten sleep-deprived circles.

We like Maybelline New York FitMe Concealer, $5.49; amazon.com.

For last-minute toning and firming on the face and body, celebrity stylist Linda Rodin swears by spreading egg whites on clean skin and rinsing it off after a few minutes.

Embrace the burgeoning trend of face and body oils this season. They can help minimize signs of acne, rosacea, and, yes, even wrinkles.

We like Rodin Olio Lusso Luxury Body Oil, $140; olio-lusso-shop.com.

When the sun is shining, no one wants to spend extra time indoors fretting about skin-care routines. Simplify your mornings (and night) with a multi-tasking cream that promotes glow and circulation while filling out tiny lines.

We like First Aid Beauty 5-in-1 Restore Cream, $36; fabskincare.com.

Boston dermatologist, Dr. Ranella Hirsch says that a custom-mixed peel can do wonders for uneven skin tone and sun spots. If you're stressing about sun damage, set up a consultation with your dermatologist to go over your options.

"More and more women are becoming aware of the fact that age spots, acne marks, and hyperpigmentation prematurely age skin," says Hirsch. She recommends using a dark spot correcting cream at night to repair damage and minimize possible sun-related side effects.

We like Vichy ProEven Total Dark Spot Corrector, $42.50; vichyusa.com.

Unfortunately, there is no miracle cure for cellulite. However, you can fake smoother looking hips, gams, and arms by using a sculpting gel every day to temporarily tighten skin.

We like Shiseido Advanced Body Creator, $57.50; sephora.com.

Chug a glass of milk or treat yourself to a non-dairy calcium chew once a day to improve skin tone and strengthen your bones and heart. The better you feel, the better you’ll look!

We like Borba Firm & Fit Calcium Chews, $19.99; borba.com.

“You are never too young to start taking care of your skin,” says celebrity facialist June Jacobs. Her favorite quick fix for dull, sun-dried skin is applying a brightening serum under makeup.

We like Nature's Gate Light Switch Brightening Serum, $24.99; natures-gate.com.

Jacobs offers this at-home tip for minimizing fine lines in a jiffy: Combine potato puree and applesauce; apply to face and let it sit for five minutes; wash away with warm water. Viola! An instant face lift.

Fight sagging skin from head to toe with a body lifting cream that also soothes stretch marks.

We like Osmotics Blue Copper 5 Age Repair Body Lift, $95; osmotics.com.

Even if it's outside your budget, scrimp on other spending (do you really need another bikini?) and invest in a professional facial at the beginning of the summer and again at the end of the season to give your skin the T.L.C. it needs.

Highlighting your eye area draws attention away from fine lines and sun spots. Use pastel, metallic eye makeup to also to give you the appearance of having wider-looking eyes.

We like Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess Shadow Stick Duo, $20; esteelauder.com.

To prevent scars and stretch marks from getting darker with sun exposure, slather them with sunscreen. At night, apply a scar-minimizing topical to repair damaged tissue.

Not loving how your legs are looking in that mini-skirt? For instantly tighter-looking skin, rub baby oil on your gams (especially along the shin bone) to create the illusion of longer legs.

We like Johnson's Baby Oil with Aloe Vera, $4.70; soap.com.

Dr. Joel Schlessinger, one of the Midwest's best dermatologists, says that in-office microdermabrasion can help heal discolored skin. For extreme cases, he recommends at-home bleaching agents to help erase marks and scars.

We like Obagi Nu-Derm Clear, $85.50; lovelyskin.com.

We know you love to bask in those warm rays, but there's a reason Dr. Schlessinger and his contemporaries all agree that SPF is a daily must. Regularly using a sunscreen is the best way to prevent uneven skin tone and discoloration.

Over-dosing on nail polish can cause nails to yellow and thin out. Take a break from your lacquer and opt for a buff pedicure next time you hit the salon.