Classic Articles

In these articles, Laziza shares the professional products we carry and how we use them at our New York City LAZ Clinic: which skin concerns each product helps with, and where it fits in a routine. For a full explanation of an ingredient or a skin concern, see Skincare Ingredients and Skin Concerns.

Daily Sun Protection for Melasma-Prone Skin

Melasma isn’t just about dark patches—it’s about understanding your triggers and protecting your skin every single day. In my NYC clinic, one of the first things I address with melasma clients is daily SPF. Pavise Dynamic Age Defense SPF 30 is one of the most advanced formulas I’ve used for supporting even tone and protecting against pigment flare-ups.

How to Support Melasma-Prone Skin Without Overdoing It

Melasma can be a stubborn and emotionally frustrating condition to manage. As an NYC-based esthetician, I’ve worked with countless clients who feel like they’ve tried everything—yet the patches of discoloration keep returning. One underrated factor? Your cleanser. Pavise Gentle Amino Powerwash has quietly become one of my go-to tools for helping clients address melasma without aggravating their skin.

Melasma Management with Barrier-Safe Brightening: A Clinical Approach

Melasma is one of the most stubborn forms of hyperpigmentation, often triggered by hormones and UV exposure. At my NYC clinic, I help clients manage melasma through a gentle, multi-pathway approach that prioritizes skin barrier health. One standout option in our brightening lineup is the Hydrinity Vivid Brightening Serum, which tackles discoloration without causing irritation.

Targeting Melasma with Retinaldehyde & Niacinamide

Melasma is one of the most stubborn skin concerns I treat in my NYC clinic—but with the right actives, we can absolutely make progress. One of my go-to formulas for supporting clients with melasma is the Face Reality Retinaldehyde B3 Serum. This serum brings together gentle exfoliation, skin-brightening niacinamide, and a stabilized vitamin A to help fade stubborn pigment over time.

Targeting Melasma Gently: How Retinol + Peptides Help Fade Persistent Pigment

Melasma is one of the most stubborn forms of hyperpigmentation—and it needs a delicate yet effective approach. At my NYC clinic, I often reach for Face Reality Retinol Peptide Serum when we want to reduce melasma without triggering inflammation or compromising the skin barrier.

My Strategy For Fading Melasma Safely and Effectively

Melasma is one of the most stubborn forms of hyperpigmentation—and it’s often misunderstood. In my NYC clinic, I work with clients every day who feel frustrated by uneven tone and persistent discoloration. That’s why I love introducing Face Reality GlowTone Corrective Serum, a formula that helps target pigment safely and effectively—especially for sensitive and acne-prone skin.

Laziza Strait, licensed esthetician at LAZ Skincare, holding a bottle of Face Reality Brighten-C Mask.

A Calmer, Smarter Way to Treat Melasma

Melasma is one of the hardest forms of hyperpigmentation to manage, especially if your skin is reactive or inflames easily. Here is the gentle, clinically-informed approach I take at my NYC clinic, and how I use the Face Reality Brighten-C Mask with clients dealing with melasma.

What Is PIH—and Why Won’t It Fade?

Excerpt: Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) can feel endless—especially when you're doing all the "right" things. In this post, I share my clinic-tested approach to treating PIH gently but effectively, including how the Face Reality Brighten-C Mask fits into pigment-correcting routines for sensitive or acne-prone skin.

Epicutis Arctigenin Brightening Treatment, stocked by LAZ Skincare

Understanding Melasma: More Than Just Dark Patches

I have seen more melasma spread from a peel than from a summer. Here is why melasma is an inflammatory condition rather than ordinary sun damage, and how I use the Epicutis Arctigenin Brightening Treatment to brighten skin that cannot tolerate vitamin C.

Calecim Professional Serum, stocked by LAZ Skincare

How I Approach Melasma With Skin Recovery in Mind

When a brightening serum stops working, almost nobody's first instinct is to stop using it. That instinct is why melasma plateaus. Here is how I reset reactive, stalled skin with the Calecim Professional Serum at my NYC clinic, and how to bring pigment treatment back afterward.

Calecim Professional Pigment Solution, stocked by LAZ Skincare

How I Approach Melasma With Pigment-Safe Repair

Melasma has no cure, and the realistic goal is control. Here is why one strong brightener plateaus, what tranexamic acid does that the others cannot, and how I use the Calecim Professional Pigment Solution at my NYC clinic.

Azelaic Acid + PHA: My Favorite Duo for Uneven Skin Tone

Melasma punishes the aggressive approach more reliably than any other pigment problem I treat. Here is how azelaic acid compares with hydroquinone, why tolerance beats potency over six months, and how I use the Anfisa ÂN-DEW at my NYC clinic.