Hawaiian Freckles & Sun Spots

The warm tropical sun brings locals and tourists alike to the beaches and shores of Hawaii. But spend more than a couple of weeks here and one may end up getting freckles and sun spots on one's face and body. Oh, what's a girl and guy to do?

Wear: Sunscreen and hat.
Do: Stay out of the direct sun during peak hours (11-1pm).
Choose: To either not care, or to treat it with skin products naturally or chemically.

One natural skin care line that I've been getting into recently is Aveda. This line is primarily plant and herbal based. Two products (based on mulberry root and grape extracts) that I've been trying out to treat freckles and sun spots:

• Aveda Enbrigtenment Correcting Serum: This highly targeted treatment contains our most highly concentrated plant-powered brightening blend to diminish the appearance of dark spots and discoloration.
• Aveda Enbrightenment Correcting Creme: Intensely moisturizes with organic shea butter and contains ceramide 3 to help strengthen your skin's moisture barrier as brightening components work to diminish the appearance of dark spots.

Basically, these two products can be added to your basic skin care routine. That is, wash your face with your regular cleanser. Apply toner. Then apply the Serum. Followed by the Creme (as a moisturizer). The Creme is rich and best used at night. Aveda carries a moisturizer that is lighter for the day time.
A more chemically based way to treat freckles and sun spots is to bleach it chemically. For this, I bought the Shiseido "White Lucent Brightening Serum" ($165/1 ounce). The product is for targeted areas, that is, you just apply a small dot of serum on the sun spot or freckle only (not your entire face). The tube allows you to squirt out a tiny creme drop just the perfect size to cover even the tiniest freckle. It's costly but lasts a long time, and time and again I hear first hand how people claim it really works. Results are said to show within 4-6 weeks.

As for me, I've been using the product on and off over the past year. It helps to retard the pigmentation of new freckles and sun spots...but it's harder for me to bleach the darker freckles that popped up when it first arrived on the island. Then again, I'm not as avid as others who use the product daily.
Where it's at:
Aveda: Aveda store at Ala Moana Shopping Center (near Neiman Marcus top floor); booth at Kahala Mall; Elements Spa and Salon (on Kapiolani Blvd)
Shiseido: Nordstrom, Macy's, Neiman Marcus