Biossance Squalane + Lactic Acid Resurfacing Night Serum for skin with dark spots
Squalane
Lactic Acid
Glycerin
Lavender Oil
Acacia Senegal GumAverage
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for skin with dark spots; other products fit it 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
- Offers moderate exfoliation for your normal skin due to lactic acid, which helps regulate desquamation, and squalane provides emollient action, supporting overall skin health.
- While beneficial for general skincare, the formula lacks targeted ingredients to address your primary concern of pigmentation.
- The product is safe for your normal skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh or prohibited ingredients.
How to apply
- Use your exfoliant PM once a week to start, moving up to twice a week if your skin likes it. Always apply SPF during the day while using this product.
- Apply this exfoliant step right after your cleanser and toner, and before your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliant into your skin and let it dry. Avoid rubbing your face hard.
- Apply the product on clean, completely dry skin to make sure it works best for your pigmentation goals.
- Remember to avoid the delicate eye area and do a quick patch test before using it for the first time.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 2.8k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this serum is highly effective at smoothing rough texture and brightening dull skin, often overnight, without causing dryness. Most users, including those with sensitive skin, find it gentle and hydrating. A moderate number of users dislike the herbal scent and find the product expensive, while a low number report experiencing irritation or breakouts.
Highlights
Smoothes skin texture Mostly Mentioned
- “smooths out rough skin”
- “baby soft results”
- “bumps are gone”
- “refined my texture”
Brightens complexion Often Mentioned
- “woke up glowing”
- “skin looks luminous”
- “radiant next morning”
- “removed dullness”
Gentle and hydrating Often Mentioned
- “no irritation at all”
- “didn't dry me out”
- “great for sensitive skin”
- “moisturizing feel”
Fades dark spots Sometimes Noted
- “acne scars faded”
- “helped with pigmentation”
- “evened skin tone”
- “spots look lighter”
Herbal scent disliked Sometimes Noted
- “smells a bit funny”
- “strong lavender scent”
- “off-putting smell”
- “scent is weird”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “very expensive”
- “pricey for the size”
- “wish it was cheaper”
- “investment product”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “broke me out”
- “caused tiny bumps”
- “purging period”
- “woke up with zits”
Causes irritation Rarely Noted
- “burned my face”
- “caused red blotches”
- “stings upon application”
- “too strong for me”
Sources: lovi.care, biossance.com, sephora.com, influenster.com, cultbeauty.co.uk, makeupalley.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Biossance Squalane + Lactic Acid Resurfacing Night Serum work for skin with dark spots?
This serum is an average fit for skin with dark spots because it provides moderate exfoliation with lactic acid, but it lacks targeted ingredients for pigmentation. To work best for dark spots, a product of this type needs a blend of effective antioxidants, soothing ingredients, and skin-brightening agents like niacinamide.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for skin with dark spots?
Lactic acid helps gently smooth your skin, while squalane supports overall skin health with a soft, moisturizing touch. However, to truly fade dark spots, this serum needs extra ingredients like antioxidants and soothing plant extracts.
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.
What does Lactic Acid do for skin with dark spots?
Lactic acid helps fade dark spots and even out skin tone. It works by gently removing dead surface skin and helping with pigment concerns.
International Journal of Dermatology, 2020Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2010
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for skin with dark spots?
Apply this treatment serum in the evening. Skincare routines for dark spots need targeted brightening ingredients like vitamin C or niacinamide alongside gentle exfoliants to effectively fade discoloration.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this serum with retinol by applying this treatment first and waiting for it to absorb before applying your retinol. This product helps smooth your skin with lactic acid, but skin with dark spots needs brightening ingredients like vitamin C or niacinamide to specifically fade discoloration.
How often should I use this serum?
Start by using this serum once a week in the evening, and if your skin handles it well and you see good results, you can carefully use it more often. An average fit for dark spots, this product lacks targeted brightening ingredients and needs added brightening agents and antioxidants to properly fade dark spots.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for skin with dark spots?
This serum is unlikely to cause breakouts for skin with dark spots, as reviewer complaints about breakouts are low and the formula is safe for normal skin. However, it may cause mild irritation or purging for some users due to the lactic acid, which helps regulate skin shedding.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (linalool). Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
What the research says
Topical application of a vitamin C-squalene bioconjugate significantly increased epidermal thickness, type III collagen production, and glycosaminoglycans production in human skin explants compared to free vitamin C and vitamin C-palmitate.
Scientific Reports, 2020Squalane at 0.005-0.015% counteracts UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen metabolism inhibition while stimulating fibroblast migration in human dermal fibroblasts.
Molecules, 2025Application of squalene/phosphotungstate calcium nanowires (Sql/PWC) oleogel on UVB-irradiated skin decreased epidermal thickness, increased dermal thickness, and promoted the expression of elastin, collagen, and skin barrier markers through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.
Journal of Nanobiotechnology, 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, 2025Application of a cream containing lactic acid 12% and pramoxine HCl 1% significantly improved skin dryness, hydration, and itch compared with a nontreated control in 24 women with a history of dry itchy skin.
Cutis, 2004Topical 12% ammonium lactate produced a significant sparing of epidermal and dermal atrophy induced by clobetasol propionate in human volunteers, without influencing the corticosteroid's bioavailability or antiinflammatory properties.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 1992A lactic acid/ceramide lotion significantly improved skin moisturization and desquamation compared to no treatment in women with dry, rough skin on the anterior shins.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2020A 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, 2017The 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, 2001Polysaccharide-based O/W emulsions incorporated with lavender essential oil applied to cellulosic support are non-irritating, provide softness and moisturizing effects, and are safe for topical patch applications.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2021Gellan gum hydrogel films co-encapsulating ofloxacin with tea tree or lavender oil achieved 98% wound contraction and completely healed epidermis in rats after ten days of treatment compared to baseline.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2021Topical application of lavender oil significantly promoted wound contraction, collagen synthesis, and fibroblast differentiation with up-regulation of TGF-beta in a rat model compared to control.
BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2016Acacia gum and carbopol hydrogel wound dressings containing gentamicin showed faster wound healing, well-developed fibroblasts, and blood capillaries compared to open wounds in swiss albino mice.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2013Barley beta-glucan films formulated with sorbitol and acacia gum demonstrated suitable mechanical properties and stimulated in vitro keratinocytes growth.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2023Gum arabic and beta-cyclodextrin microencapsulated peony seed oil emulsion protected against ultraviolet radiation by inhibiting reactive oxygen species generation, increasing cell viability from 54.75% to 92.69% in UVB-damaged HaCaT cells, and repairing 95.56% of UVB-damaged skin within 7 days in animal experiments through regulation of the NF-kappaB signaling pathway.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2026
Why other products fit skin with dark spots better
Niacinamide significantly decreased hyperpigmentation and increased skin lightness compared with vehicle alone after 4 weeks of use in women by inhibiting melanosome transfer.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Treatment with 14% ferulic acid and 12% l-ascorbic acid significantly reduced pigmentation and erythema while improving hydration and elasticity in 20 women with photoaged skin, with neither acid proving definitively more effective overall though ascorbic acid showed slightly greater skin lightening.
Dermatologic Therapy, 2022
Ingredients
Acacia Senegal Gum, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycerin, Lactic Acid, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil Lavender Oil, Lespedeza Capitata Stem Extract Leaf, Linalool, Phenoxyethanol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Propanediol, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sorbitan Olivate, Squalane, Water, Xanthan Gum
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?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.