BYOMA Hydrating Serum for skin with dark spots
Tri-Ceramide Complex
Squalane
Glycerin
Ceramide Np
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
High
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for skin with dark spots; a few moisturizers fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dark spots: hyperpigmentation, sun spots, and uneven skin tone. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Highly suitable for your normal skin due to the presence of glycerin and squalane, which provide excellent moisturizing and support barrier resilience.
- Lactic acid and dipotassium glycyrrhizate offer moderate benefits for pigmentation by providing mild exfoliation and soothing effects.
- The formula is safe for your normal skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your AM and PM routine. Start using it 3 times a week and move to daily use if your skin likes it.
- Apply this moisturizer after your cleanser and toner, right before your morning SPF.
- Gently press a small amount of the moisturizer into your skin. Avoid rubbing it too hard so it absorbs nicely.
- For the best moisture, you can apply it when your skin is slightly damp. This helps your skin stay soft and happy.
- Remember to avoid the eye area when applying. Always do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.4Overall rating based on 2.6k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with dry, dehydrated, and sensitive skin frequently praise this serum for its ability to repair a damaged skin barrier and reduce redness, often describing the outcome as "bouncy" and "plump" skin. While many appreciate its lightweight, milky texture for daily maintenance, some users with extremely dry skin note that it requires layering with a rich moisturizer to be fully effective.
Highlights
Strengthens skin barrier Mostly Mentioned
- “helped heal my barrier”
- “calmed my redness”
- “skin feels less reactive”
Instant hydration Often Mentioned
- “skin looks dewy”
- “leaves face feeling plump”
- “got rid of dry patches”
Lightweight & fast-absorbing Often Mentioned
- “sinks in immediately”
- “not greasy at all”
- “perfect under makeup”
Poor dropper design Often Mentioned
- “dropper barely works”
- “hard to get product out”
- “struggle to pick up serum”
Affordable price point Sometimes Noted
- “great value for money”
- “beats expensive serums”
- “budget-friendly staple”
Gentle & fragrance-free Sometimes Noted
- “no irritation on sensitive skin”
- “doesn't sting”
Bottle feels empty Sometimes Noted
- “arrived half full”
- “finished too quickly”
- “deceptive packaging size”
Insufficient hydration alone Sometimes Noted
- “need to layer it”
- “not enough for winter”
- “skin felt dry later”
Sticky texture Rarely Noted
- “leaves a tacky film”
- “feels a bit gluey”
- “sticky until it dries”
Sources: lovi.care, target.com, boots.com, cultbeauty.co.uk, ulta.com, reddit.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes BYOMA Hydrating Serum a great fit for skin with dark spots?
BYOMA Hydrating Serum is a great fit for skin with dark spots because it brings together glycerin and squalane to keep your skin hydrated and supported, alongside lactic acid and dipotassium glycyrrhizate for gentle exfoliation and soothing care. This combination helps smooth and calm your skin while keeping irritation away.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for skin with dark spots?
This serum is a great fit for skin with dark spots because it contains lactic acid and dipotassium glycyrrhizate, which help by providing mild exfoliation and soothing effects. Glycerin and squalane also help keep the skin soft and support the moisture barrier safely without irritation.
What do Ceramides do for skin with dark spots?
Ceramides help keep the skin barrier strong and hold in moisture, which supports an even skin tone and helps calm irritated areas that can lead to dark spots. While ceramides protect and repair the surface, fading dark spots effectively usually requires pairing them with brightening ingredients like niacinamide or vitamin C.
Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2023The British Journal of Dermatology, 2000
What does Squalane do for skin with dark spots?
Squalane helps keep skin soft and smooth, but it is unlikely to directly fade dark spots on its own. For hyperpigmentation, this type of product needs added brightening ingredients like vitamin C or antioxidants to help even out skin tone.
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for skin with dark spots?
This serum goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing, which keeps the routine simple and safe around sun exposure. Using it at night helps soothe the skin and offers mild exfoliation to address dark spots safely without irritation.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
Yes, you can use this hydrating serum with retinol by applying the serum first to keep your skin calm and moisturized. Using a barrier-supporting moisturizer alongside retinoids is unlikely to cause irritation and helps your skin adjust comfortably to the treatment.
How often should I use this serum?
This hydrating serum fits your skin with dark spots well and is used in the evening routine. The formula is safe for your skin with no risks of irritation, and helps improve pigmentation through mild exfoliation and soothing effects.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for skin with dark spots?
This serum is unlikely to cause breakouts or clogged pores for skin with dark spots because it is free of harsh ingredients and has a safe profile. Lactic acid helps provide mild exfoliation to keep your skin smooth.
Can I use this serum around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this serum on your body, but the skin around your eyes is much thinner and may require a specialized eye cream. This formula is unlikely to irritate normal skin, though, thanks to its gentle and safe ingredients.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Topical application of a ceramide complex cream significantly ameliorated lactic acid sensations and increased stratum corneum total ceramide content in 39 female subjects with sensitive skin compared with placebo.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2018A canine-specific ceramide complex consisting of a 4:1 ratio of CER [NS] to [EOP] reduced proinflammatory cytokine expression, upregulated skin barrier-related genes and enzymes, improved stratum corneum organization, and accelerated skin barrier repair in vitro and in vivo.
Animals, 2026Squalane at 0.005-0.015% counteracts UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen metabolism inhibition while stimulating fibroblast migration in human dermal fibroblasts.
Molecules, 2025Plant-derived squalane protected human dermal fibroblasts against UVA-induced damage by counteracting ROS formation, suppressing apoptosis-related proteins p53, caspase-3, caspase-9, and PARP, and restoring the pro-survival p-Akt/mTOR pathway.
Antioxidants, 2025The emollient V0034CR significantly reduced TEWL compared to vehicle and vehicle plus glycerol, and significantly increased corneometry scores compared to vehicle and vehicle plus petrolatum in healthy volunteers with dry skin, demonstrating combined barrier function improvement from petrolatum and hydration improvement from glycerol.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012Combining 755 nm alexandrite laser with topical licorice gel significantly reduces terminal hair counts compared to alexandrite laser with placebo in women with idiopathic hirsutism.
Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015Licochalcone A activated Nrf2 signaling, elevated cytoprotective enzymes, increased the reduced-to-oxidized glutathione ratio, and decreased reactive oxygen species in human fibroblasts and neutrophils, while a LicA-rich licorice extract lowered UVA-induced oxidative processes in vivo.
Experimental Dermatology, 2015Bioactive glycyrrhizic acid and oxymatrine ionic liquid self-assembled nanomicelles significantly promoted the transdermal permeation, subcutaneous retention, and anti-photoaging efficacy of palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 in cellular and animal models compared to unformulated peptide.
Advanced Science, 2025
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Squalane, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Vp Copolymer, Dipropylene Glycol, Ceramide Np, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Stearic Acid, Oleic Acid, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Oleate, Lactic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrogenated Rapeseed Alcohol, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sodium Phytate, Xanthan Gum, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Tocopherol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
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