Topicals Faded Brightening & Clearing Gel for dry sensitive skin
Niacinamide
Tranexamic Acid
Alpha-Arbutin
Azelaic Acid
Kojic Acid DipalmitateHigh
- HighDry Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
One of the best serums for dry sensitive skin.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry sensitive skin: flakiness, tightness, redness, fine lines, and wrinkles. 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 dry and sensitive skin, this formula leverages niacinamide and tranexamic acid to enhance hydration and improve skin tone, while shea butter and jojoba seed oil provide essential emollient benefits to smooth and nourish your complexion.
- The inclusion of alpha-arbutin and kojic acid dipalmitate further supports your goal of brightening and evening skin tone, working synergistically to address hyperpigmentation.
- This product is safe for your skin, as it contains no harsh or prohibited ingredients that would cause irritation.
How to apply
- Use this PM routine for your evening skincare. Start using the serum 3 times a week and increase to daily use if your skin feels comfortable.
- Apply the serum after cleansing and toner, but right before your moisturizer. This step locks in deep hydration for dry skin.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin using your palms. Let it absorb completely for a minute ⏱ before applying your next product.
- Since your skin is sensitive, apply the serum on completely dry skin for better tolerance and less irritation.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area during application. Always do a patch test before your first use to ensure your skin reacts well.
People Say
★4.5Overall rating based on 2.5k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users find this serum highly effective for fading hyperpigmentation, post-acne marks, and melasma, with many reporting success where other products have failed. A significant number of reviews mention that results take time, typically 1-3 months, and note a strong, unpleasant sulfur-like smell and fragile packaging.
Highlights
Fades dark spots Mostly Mentioned
- “lightened dark bullseye on forehead”
- “faded stubborn post-acne marks”
- “visible reduction in sun spots”
- “helped old scars finally fade”
Unpleasant smell Mostly Mentioned
- “smells like rotten eggs”
- “strong sulfur/chemical scent”
- “smells like perm solution”
- “scent lingers for a while”
Evens skin tone Often Mentioned
- “skin looks more uniform”
- “reduced overall redness”
- “gave me a glowy complexion”
- “corrected uneven patches”
Poor packaging Often Mentioned
- “metal tube cracked on side”
- “product oozes out uncontrollably”
- “leaked all over my bag”
- “cap broke off easily”
Gentle but effective Sometimes Noted
- “didn't burn my sensitive skin”
- “effective without damaging barrier”
- “gentle enough for daily use”
- “moisturizing unlike other actives”
Improves texture Sometimes Noted
- “skin feels much smoother”
- “softened rough patches”
- “helped with texture bumps”
- “reduced look of pores”
Breakouts or purging Sometimes Noted
- “caused tiny whiteheads”
- “broke me out in cysts”
- “clogged my pores”
- “triggered fungal acne”
Texture issues Rarely Noted
- “feels sticky/tacky on skin”
- “pills under makeup/sunscreen”
- “too heavy for oily skin”
- “leaves a weird film”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, amazon.com, mytopicals.com, reddit.com, skinsort.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Topicals Faded Brightening & Clearing Gel a great fit for dry sensitive skin?
This product is a great fit because it uses niacinamide and tranexamic acid to improve skin tone while adding rich shea butter and jojoba seed oil to nourish and smooth dry skin. It also features alpha-arbutin and kojic acid dipalmitate to help brighten dark spots with a very low chance of irritation.
Which ingredients make this treatment a good fit for dry sensitive skin?
This treatment is a great fit for your dry sensitive skin because it uses niacinamide and tranexamic acid to boost hydration and even your skin tone, while shea butter and jojoba seed oil smooth and nourish your complexion. It also includes alpha-arbutin and kojic acid dipalmitate to help brighten your skin without causing irritation.
What does Niacinamide do for dry sensitive skin?
Niacinamide helps dry sensitive skin by calming irritation and keeping moisture locked in so your face feels soft and smooth. It works to build up your skin barrier and calm redness while being very gentle and unlikely to cause irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2004International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2013
What does Tranexamic Acid do for dry sensitive skin?
Tranexamic acid helps dry sensitive skin by repairing the skin barrier and soothing irritation. It works well to calm redness and restore moisture without causing heavy side effects.
International Journal of Dermatology, 2014Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2024
Where does this treatment go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
This treatment goes in your evening routine after your toner and before your moisturizer. Putting it in the evening keeps things simple and helps avoid extra sun sensitivity.
Can I use this treatment with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this treatment with retinol by applying your retinol first, letting it dry, and then applying this gel to avoid irritation. Alternatively, you can alternate nights between your retinol and this treatment to help keep your dry, sensitive skin calm and comfortable.
How often should I use this treatment?
You can use this treatment in your evening routine, starting just once a week and gradually using it more often if your skin tolerates it well. Niacinamide and other key ingredients in the formula help improve skin tone and reduce dark spots with a low risk of irritation.
Can this treatment clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
This treatment is unlikely to cause severe issues, though some shoppers may experience mild breakouts or purging as it works. The formula includes nourishing oils and butter that help keep your dry skin soft while brightening dark spots.
Is this treatment fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Behenyl alcohol and cetearyl alcohol are fatty alcohols, which soften the skin.
What the research says
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, 2002Encapsulation of alpha arbutin in an optimized ethosomal gel significantly improved skin melanin reduction, moisture content, and elasticity in human volunteers compared to conventional formulations.
Heliyon, 2023Topical application of jojoba wax reduced LPS-induced secretion of IL-6, IL-8, and TNFα by approximately 30% and increased the synthesis of pro-collagen III and hyaluronic acid compared to untreated skin in an ex-vivo human skin organ culture model.
Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2024Topical post-laser application of human adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell media combined with niacinamide significantly improved wrinkle index, melanin index, patient satisfaction, and investigator esthetic improvement scores compared to vehicle cream in patients with aging skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical nicotinamide prevented solar-simulated UV-induced immunosuppression in healthy volunteers, and men experienced immunosuppression at solar-simulated UV doses three times lower than those required for women.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008Topical 5% niacinamide applied twice daily for 12 weeks reduced fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmented spots, red blotchiness, and skin sallowness, and improved skin elasticity compared to vehicle control in 50 female white subjects with facial photoaging.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2005A non-hydroquinone topical formulation (SKNB19) improved hyperpigmentation by 28.5% in patient self-assessment and 27% in independent reviewer assessment compared with 4% hydroquinone in 18 adult subjects, while showing significantly less irritation and better tolerability.
Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2020Combining a home-based radiofrequency device and arbutin cream reduced mMASI scores by 25.6% and melanin index by 22.8% at 8 weeks compared to baseline in 38 participants.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Polyvinyl pyrrolidone-K90/Eudragit RL100 dissolving microneedle patches loaded with alpha-arbutin and resveratrol enhanced intradermal delivery by approximately 2.6 times compared to cream and slightly decreased the melanin index in human participants without causing skin irritation.
Biomaterials Science, 2023Azelaic acid nanocrystal hydrogel 10% achieved a higher success rate and greater lesion reduction than azelaic acid cream 20% in patients with mild to moderate facial acne.
Pharmaceutics, 2021Application of 15% azelaic acid gel significantly reduced post-inflammatory erythema and hyperpigmentation, decreased hemoglobin and melanin content, improved quality of life, and contributed to acne improvement in patients with mild to moderate acne compared to placebo.
Dermatology and Therapy, 2024Topical application of a dermocosmetic containing Myrtus communis extract and azelaic acid reduced acne relapses and helped maintain remission compared to a light moisturizing cream in adult females in the acne maintenance phase over 16 weeks.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2023A topical formulation containing kojic acid, emblica extract, and glycolic acid demonstrated efficacy parity compared with hydroquinone 4% in multiethnic participants with mild to moderate facial dyschromia.
Cutis, 2010A nanoemulsion containing 1 mg/mL kojic dipalmitate and 5% rosehip oil demonstrated high incorporation efficiency, suitable physicochemical stability, antioxidant and depigmenting efficacy close to 1 mM ascorbic acid, and no cytotoxicity at concentrations from 0.06% to 1% in vitro.
Pharmaceutics, 2023Topical application of iron chelators kojic acid and deferiprone significantly accelerated wound healing in rats compared to control groups, with deferiprone showing superior efficacy due to higher antioxidant and iron chelation abilities.
International Wound Journal, 2013
Ingredients
Water, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Glyceryl Stearate, Tranexamic Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter, Jojoba Seed Oil, Alpha-Arbutin, Behenyl Alcohol, Kojic Acid Dipalmitate, Glutathione, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ethylene Brassylate, Dimethylmethoxy Chromanyl Palmitate, Azelaic Acid, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Licorice Root Extract, Melatonin, Phytic Acid, Squalane, Allantoin, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Arginine, Lecithin, Glycine Soja Soybean Sterols, Cetyl Palmitate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sclerotium Gum, Zinc Ricinoleate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Tetrahydroxypropyl Ethylenediamine, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Ceteareth-12, Ceteareth-20, Phenoxyethanol
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
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