Aēsop Parsley Seed Facial Cleanser for skin with dark spots
Licorice Root
Lactic Acid
Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil
Jojoba Seed Oil
Parsley Seed Oil
Average
- AverageNormal Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for skin with dark spots; other cleansers 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 cleansing for your normal skin due to Sodium Laureth Sulfate and Coco-Betaine, which help decongest pores, but it lacks specialized ingredients to effectively address your main goal of pigmentation.
- Glycerin provides some humectant action for your normal skin, but insufficient emollient ingredients like jojoba seed oil and ribes nigrum seed oil may not fully address potential dryness.
- The product is safe for your normal skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- You can use this cleanser AM and PM every single day. Start slowly 3 times a week and move to daily use if your skin likes it.
- Apply this cleanser as the first step in your morning routine or the second step in your evening routine. Follow it with toner and moisturizer.
- Massage a small amount of cleanser gently onto your face using circular motions. Rinse well with lukewarm water and pat dry.
- For the best results, apply your cleanser directly to wet skin to help wash away dirt. Make sure your face is clean before you begin.
- Avoid getting the cleanser in your eyes. Always do a quick patch test before using the product for the very first time.
People Say
★4.3Overall rating based on 600+ reviewsThis cleanser is highly praised for its gentle and effective cleansing, leaving skin feeling soft and refreshed, particularly beneficial for combination, oily, or sensitive skin types. It is noted as a good option for a morning cleanse or as a second step in a routine, though it may not be sufficient for removing heavy makeup and some users find it can be slightly drying. The product's high price point and polarizing scent are also frequently mentioned drawbacks.
Highlights
Gentle cleansing Often Mentioned
- “Leaves my face feeling soft after cleansing.”
- “Cleanses the skin well without any gross/sticky/greasy residue.”
- “Gentle on the skin but it is a shame it is so expensive.”
Non-stripping formula Often Mentioned
- “Will not remove makeup—which is exactly what you want for a gentle morning wash.”
- “Doesn't feel like it's stripping my skin at all.”
- “Does not cause the skin to feel or look dry.”
Expensive product Often Mentioned
- “The price is quite high for the amount you get.”
- “Expensive. But the price is more than a bit off-putting.”
- “It is a shame it is so expensive.”
Improves skin Sometimes Noted
- “I used to have severe flaking... but after using this product, it's disappeared.”
- “My skin absolutely glows after using this.”
- “Kept my problem skin in check.”
Refreshing scent Sometimes Noted
- “Soft herbal scent that feels fresh and floral.”
- “I love the scent—herbal refreshing and invigorating.”
- “Lovely calming smell.”
Packaging issues Sometimes Noted
- “The downside is the pump.”
- “Does not come with a pump.”
- “Glass bottle... makes it that much heavier, and more importantly, that much more fragile.”
Poor makeup removal Sometimes Noted
- “I found this doesn't effectively remove makeup.”
- “Not great at removing eye make-up.”
- “Not the most thorough cleanser on its own.”
Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
- “Nasty smell... would not buy again.”
- “The scent was too strong for a cleanser.”
- “A peculiar, subtle licorice-like scent.”
Sources: lovi.care, hwahae.com, spacenk.com, whatsinmyjar.com, youtube.com, thevelvetlife.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Aēsop Parsley Seed Facial Cleanser work for skin with dark spots?
This cleanser works moderately well for your skin, though other products fit it better because it lacks specialized ingredients to effectively target dark spots. A cleanser for skin with dark spots needs high-quality ingredients like niacinamide and ceramides to effectively address pigmentation while providing a gentle, balanced cleanse.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for skin with dark spots?
Licorice root and lactic acid are the main ingredients that help with dark spots, though this cleanser only offers moderate results for this skin. A cleanser for skin with dark spots needs ingredients like niacinamide and ceramides to effectively address pigmentation, alongside gentle cleansing and hydrating components.
What does Licorice Root Extract do for skin with dark spots?
Licorice root extract helps fade dark spots and uneven areas by slowing down the pigment production in your skin. It also calms redness and protects against sun-induced darkening while keeping skin comfortable and safe with regular use.
Pigment Cell Research, 1998Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2025
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 cleanser go in a skincare routine for skin with dark spots?
This cleanser goes in your morning and evening routines after removing makeup. Skin with dark spots needs a routine that includes targeted brightening treatments and a gentle cleanser to help clear pores without irritation.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser daily in the morning and evening as part of your routine. A cleanser of this type needs specialized brightening ingredients like vitamin C or niacinamide to help fade dark spots.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for skin with dark spots?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on your skin, as it gently decongests pores without using harsh ingredients. However, it does not target dark spots, so this skin type needs targeted brightening ingredients like vitamin C or niacinamide to help fade them.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cleanser on your body, but you should avoid the thin skin around your eyes since facial cleansers can easily dry out that sensitive area. Cleansers for skin with dark spots need gentle exfoliating acids and targeted brightening ingredients to safely fade discoloration.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (benzyl alcohol, linalool, and d-limonene).
What the research says
Combining 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, 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, 2020Multiple applications of blackcurrant seed oil successfully impregnated the stratum corneum of human dry skin, combining its essential and other fatty acids with endogenous lipids to potentially enhance protective effects.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 1988Clay jojoba oil facial masks reduced total skin lesions by a mean of 54% after 6 weeks in 133 participants with acne-prone, lesioned skin and mild acne compared to baseline.
Forschende Komplementarmedizin, 2012Topical 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 jojoba oil application in male mice decreased exercise-induced pro-inflammatory gene expression (Il-1b and Il-6 in soleus, Il-1b in gastrocnemius) compared to untreated exercised mice.
Biomolecules, 2025
Why other cleansers 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, 2002
Ingredients
Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Olive Peg-7 Esters Oil, Sodium Peg-7 Olive Carboxylate Oil, Coco-Betaine, Potassium Lactate, Peg-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Sodium Citrate, Lactic Acid, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil Lavender Oil, Glycerin, Jojoba Seed Oil, Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil, Ormenis Multicaulis Oil, Chamomilla Recutita Oil Flower Matricaria Oil Flower, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Licorice Root Extract, Parsley Seed Oil, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Linalool, D-Limonene
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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