Brightening is one of the busiest categories in most skincare catalogs, and one of the most confusing for shoppers. Vitamin C, niacinamide, azelaic acid, tranexamic acid, exfoliating acids, retinoids. A scan helps by putting a name and a level on what the shopper is seeing. Your mapping decides whether that turns into a sensible short list or a wall of serums.
Key terms
- Pigment (concern): uneven tone and darker spots as they appear in the photo. One of Face Age's 13 concerns.
- Severity: low, medium or high. Products are matched against it.
- Extra Condition: include or exclude rules tied to quiz answers. Exclusions always win.
- Routine generator: builds morning and night routines from products with a routine step assigned (Plus and above).
- Customer Recommended Products: an optional storefront carousel that shows a shopper's matched products outside the result screen.
How does a scan read pigment?
The shopper takes or uploads a selfie, and Face Age reads visible concerns, pigment among them, then shows each with a severity. Readings for dullness (in beta) and redness often sit next to pigment, and they're worth mapping too, because a shopper who sees "pigment: medium, dullness: medium" usually wants one serum that covers both rather than two.
The scan reads what's visible in that photo. It can't tell whether a spot is from sun, a healed breakout or something that needs a professional look, and it shouldn't try. Keep that limit in mind when you write result copy (Step 4).
For a refresher on all 13 concerns and how store teams describe them, our skin concerns glossary is a handy reference.
Step 1: group your brightening range
Before mapping anything, sort the range into three groups using the wording on your own product pages:
- Everyday base: sunscreen, a gentle cleanser, a moisturizer. These suit every pigment level.
- Daily brighteners: vitamin C, niacinamide and similar serums positioned for tone.
- Stronger products: higher-strength exfoliating acids, retinoids and leave-on products your brand positions for more visible spots.
If a product page doesn't talk about tone or dark spots, don't map it to pigment. Shoppers notice when the suggestion doesn't match the description.
Step 2: map products by severity
In Shopify Admin, open Apps > Face Age > Connect Products and set concern and severity per product.
| Product type | Pigment severity | Also link to | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily sunscreen | Low, medium, high | Dullness | The one product nearly every pigment shopper should see |
| Vitamin C serum | Low, medium | Dullness (beta) | Gentle daily option for early unevenness |
| Niacinamide serum | Low, medium, high | Redness, pores | Broad fit, usually well tolerated |
| Exfoliating acid toner | Medium, high | Dullness (beta) | Hidden on low so a light reading doesn't pull an acid |
| Retinoid serum | High only | Fine wrinkles | Pair with a sensitivity exclusion |
| Spot-focused serum or gel | Medium, high | None | Only if your PDP positions it for dark spots |
Sunscreen is the product I'd never leave out. Whatever else the shopper buys, most brightening advice falls apart without it, and putting it at the top of the list is the most honest thing a pigment result can do.
Automate AI can draft the first pass from product names and descriptions. Review every pigment mapping by hand.
Step 3: quiz questions and exclusions
A photo can't tell you how someone's skin handles actives or what they're already using. Three questions do most of the work:
- "Does your skin react easily to new products?" (Yes / Sometimes / No)
- "Do you wear sunscreen most days?" (Yes / Sometimes / No)
- "Are you already using a retinoid or exfoliating acid?" (Yes / No)
Then add Extra Conditions:
- Reacts easily = Yes: exclude retinoids, strong acids and fragranced brighteners.
- Sunscreen = No or Sometimes: include your sunscreen even if it's already mapped, and put a short line in the result about daily use.
- Already using a retinoid or acid = Yes: exclude your own retinoid and acid products so the list doesn't stack two strong actives.
Exclusions override severity, so these rules hold even when the scan reads pigment as high. The full priority order is in how AI skin analysis picks products.
Step 4: write honest result copy
Dark spot products are where marketing language gets carried away. Avoid "erase dark spots" or "even skin in 14 days". The scan is a cosmetic reading of one photo, and it shouldn't sit next to claims your products can't back.
Something like this works:
"Your scan showed some visible uneven tone (medium). These products are matched to that reading. Daily sunscreen comes first; brightening serums work alongside it."
Keep the disclaimer near the result, and add a line suggesting a dermatologist visit if a spot changes, grows or looks unusual. It costs you nothing and it's the right call.
Step 5: build a short routine (Plus and above)
On Plus, the routine generator builds morning and night routines from products that have a routine step assigned. For a pigment-led routine, a simple pattern:
- Morning: cleanser, vitamin C or niacinamide serum, moisturizer, sunscreen.
- Night: cleanser, acid or retinoid (only for higher readings and only if not excluded), moisturizer.
Don't assign a routine step to every brightening product you sell. If three serums share the same step, the routine gets crowded. Leave extras in the product list instead. Our routine generator guide covers step assignment.
Repeat scans and comparison
Pigment shoppers tend to come back and check. On Plus and above, analysis history and the Compare tab let them pick an earlier scan and see each concern marked Improved, Regressed or Stable. Lighting changes tone readings more than most concerns, so encourage the same spot, same time of day and no makeup. Present any difference as a change in the photo reading, not proof that a product worked.
Using the same setup for breakouts
Many shoppers read medium on pigment and acne at the same time, often from marks left after spots. If your store sells both ranges, map them together so the list doesn't double up on acids. Our companion guide on acne skin analysis and product matching uses the same steps for blemish care.
Which plan do you need?
Pigment analysis, product matching, the quiz and exclusions are on every Shopify plan, starting with Start at $59 a month. Routines, history and Compare start on Plus at $129; Growth is $249 and Scale $499. Full details on pricing.
FAQ
Can an AI skin scan read dark spots and uneven tone? Face Age reads pigment as one of 13 concerns with low, medium or high severity. Not a medical diagnosis; does not replace a dermatologist.
Should sunscreen show up for every pigment reading? For most brightening ranges, yes. Map it to all three severity levels.
How do I keep strong brightening actives away from sensitive shoppers? Ask whether their skin reacts easily and use an exclude rule. Exclusions beat severity.
Can shoppers compare pigment readings over time? On Plus and above, the Compare tab marks each concern Improved, Regressed or Stable.
Which plan includes pigment analysis? Every plan, starting with Start at $59 a month.
