Hands, Arms & Décolleté Reset
- Penn Smith
- Aug 30
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 8
A Simple Routine for Hands, Arms & Décolleté: Fading Pigment + Bringing Back Glow
We spend so much time caring for the skin on our face, but often the first places to show sun damage and aging are our hands, arms, and chest. After a summer of sun and SPF reapplications, I noticed not only hyperpigmentation but also skin that looked dull and lackluster in these areas.
So, I designed a purposefully simple routine that anyone can follow. It doesn’t require dozens of products or complicated steps - just a few proven ingredients that target pigment, crepey texture, and loss of glow. And the best part? This routine works for hands, arms, décolleté, and even legs.
Why This Routine Works
This plan tackles pigment and aging concerns from multiple angles:
Adapalene (a retinoid): speeds up cell turnover, improves crepey skin, and helps fade hyperpigmentation.
Exfoliating acids: shed pigment sitting at the surface and smooth rough texture.
Vitamin C: brightens, protects, and brings back radiance.
SPF: protects your progress and doubles as your daytime moisturizer.
Exfoliating body wash (optional extra): boosts results with gentle, daily surface exfoliation.
Night Routine: Adapalene + Moisturizer
The star of this routine is adapalene - a vitamin A derivative you may know as Differin. Until recently, it was prescription-only, but now it’s available over the counter in both brand and generic forms (the generic is often much more affordable).
Unlike retinol, which needs to convert in the skin to become active, adapalene is already active - similar to prescription tretinoin (similar in that it is active like tretinoin, otherwise they work on different retinoic acid receptors). That means it’s effective from the start at:
speeding up cell turnover,
fading pigment,
improving laxity and crepey skin,
and smoothing texture.
Since retinoids can make the skin more sun-sensitive, adapalene should always be used at night. After applying, follow with any moisturizer you love. I’ll personally be using Photozyme Omega 36, but you don’t need anything fancy - just something that hydrates and supports your barrier.
How to Start Adapalene on the Body:
Begin every other night for a couple of weeks - you only need a very thin film of adapalene. We use a pea size on our face, think of that equivalent on our body.
Then move to two nights on, one night off.
By fall (when sun exposure is lower), you can likely build to nightly use.
Adapalene Gel 0.1% (there are 2 coupons available, be sure to attach them!) https://amzn.to/3HZFgrd
Photozyme Omega 36 DNA Body Complex (35% off site wide for Labor Day!) https://photozyme.com/pages/penn-smith?ref=PENNYSMITH
Morning Routine: Exfoliating Acid + Vitamin C + SPF
Exfoliating Acid:
I’ll be using Prequel’s Multi-Acid Serum to help shed pigment and smooth surface texture.
A great budget-friendly option is AmLactin, which uses ammonium lactate to gently exfoliate while hydrating. Please note: If you decide to use Amlactin as your exfoliating step then it goes after your Vitamin C serum but before SPF.
Vitamin C:
I’ll be applying Timeless Vitamin C (yes, the giant 4oz size). Vitamin C is a powerhouse for the body as well as the face:
It’s a tyrosinase inhibitor, which helps prevent new pigmentation.
It’s an antioxidant, protecting the skin from free radicals that speed up aging.
And it delivers that glow - something we want on our arms and chest as much as our face.
SPF (also your moisturizer):
Sunscreen protects all of this work from being undone by the sun.
To keep things simple, I let my body SPF double as my moisturizer. I’ve used and loved Aveeno Body SPF for years - it’s lightweight, hydrating, and reliable.
Prequel Multi Acid Milk Peel https://amzn.to/3UUaPph
Amlactin Daily 12% Lotion https://amzn.to/45VXphD
Timeless Vitamin C 20% (4oz bottle) https://amzn.to/4lPGZx2 or on the Timeless website https://go.shopmy.us/p-24204859 currently 30% off for Labor Day with code LD30
Aveeno Protect & Hydrate SPF 60 Body https://amzn.to/46d4Zpo
Extra: Exfoliating Body Wash
Want to boost your results even more? Swap your body cleanser for one that exfoliates. I’ll be using Naturium’s The Smoother Glycolic Acid Body Wash. It’s huge, very affordable, and gently removes dead cells while you shower. Think of it as an effortless way to help “shed” surface pigment daily.
Naturium The Smoother Glycolic Acid Body Wash https://amzn.to/4oZi5xK
Bringing It All Together
This routine is straightforward but powerful:
Night: Adapalene + moisturizer
Morning: Exfoliating acid → Vitamin C → SPF/moisturizer
Extra: Exfoliating body wash anytime
I’ll be documenting my progress with before-and-after images from my Canfield Reveal camera, which highlights reds and browns under the skin. This way, you’ll see the true changes as this routine gets to work.
If you’ve been looking at your arms, chest, or hands and thinking they look a little dull or spotted, this is the perfect time to reset. Join me in trying this routine - I’ll be sharing updates along the way.
FTC: Links in this post are affiliate. Please note that all links on this page are affiliate, and I participate in the Amazon Associates program which is an affiliate program. Any time you see an Amazon link, it is an affiliate. If you choose to use my links, please know that I appreciate it!
Disclaimer: This post is not intended to provide diagnosis, treatment, or medical advice. Content provided on this blog is for informational and entertainment purposes only. Please consult with a physician or other healthcare professional regarding any medical or skin-related diagnosis or treatment options. Information on this website should not be considered a substitute for advice from a healthcare or skin professional. The statements made about specific products throughout this website are not to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. It is important that you check labels to determine if a product is right for you. Before starting any treatment at home, consult a healthcare or skin care professional to determine if it’s right for you.