Biossance Squalane + Vitamin C Dark Spot Serum for oily acne-prone skin
Ascorbic Acid
Squalane
White Shiitake Mushroom Extract
Licorice Root Extract
Sodium Hyaluronate
Superior
- SuperiorOily Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
One of the best serums for oily acne-prone skin.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily acne-prone skin: shine, breakouts, blemishes, and enlarged pores. 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
- Excellent suitability for your oily skin as 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid and Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract provide potent antioxidant and brightening effects, directly addressing your concerns with acne, blemishes, and oiliness.
- The presence of Sodium Hyaluronate and Glycerin ensures adequate hydration without contributing to excess oil, supporting your skin's balance.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your oily skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your PM routine. Start 3 times a week and build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply your serum after cleansing and toning, but before putting on your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2 to 3 drops of the serum into your skin and let it absorb for a minute.
- Apply the serum on clean, dry skin to help manage your blemishes safely.
- Do a patch test before your first use and avoid the delicate eye area.
People Say
★4.4Overall rating based on 1.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this serum is frequently praised for its lightweight, milky texture that hydrates while effectively brightening dull complexions and fading acne scars over time. Many with sensitive skin find it gentle and non-irritating, although a subset of users experienced no visible changes in pigmentation or suffered severe allergic reactions like redness and swelling.
Highlights
Brightens complexion Mostly Mentioned
- “skin looks brighter”
- “gives you glowing skin”
- “visible brightening instantly”
- “boost of brightness”
Fades dark spots Often Mentioned
- “drastically decreased my acne scars”
- “sun spots lightening”
- “diminish of my brown spots”
- “fades dark spots effectively”
Hydrating texture Often Mentioned
- “feels very hydrating”
- “not at all sticky”
- “lightweight and fast absorbing”
- “glides on my skin”
Gentle formula Sometimes Noted
- “gentle on sensitive skin”
- “no reaction”
- “didn't irritate my skin”
High price Sometimes Noted
- “expensive for results”
- “not the most affordable”
- “quite spendy”
- “pricey for the amount”
No visible results Sometimes Noted
- “saw no difference”
- “didn't do much for dark spots”
- “cannot say it has lighten”
- “spots would still linger”
Allergic reactions Rarely Noted
- “swollen and red under eyes”
- “patches of red dry skin”
- “blistered and painful”
- “severe allergic reaction”
Poor packaging Rarely Noted
- “pump stops working”
- “hard to get last bit”
- “messy to open”
- “bad packaging”
Sources: lovi.care, biossance.com, influenster.com, sephora.ph, cultbeauty.com, spaceNK.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Biossance Squalane + Vitamin C Dark Spot Serum one of the best fits for oily acne-prone skin?
This serum is an excellent fit for oily skin because vitamin C and licorice root extract brighten dark spots and help control oiliness. At the same time, sodium hyaluronate and glycerin keep your skin hydrated without adding extra oil, and the formula has an excellent safety profile with no risk of irritation.
Polymers, 2023Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
This serum is an exceptional fit for your oily, acne-prone skin because 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid and Licorice Root Extract deliver brightening and antioxidant benefits to help clear blemishes and oiliness. At the same time, Sodium Hyaluronate and Glycerin provide lightweight moisture without adding extra oil, and the formula avoids harsh ingredients to ensure a very low risk of irritation.
Polymers, 2023Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
What does Vitamin C do for oily acne-prone skin?
Vitamin C helps brighten skin, smooth out texture, and improve uneven spots for oily acne-prone skin. It may also help fade marks left behind by blemishes.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023
What does Squalane do for oily acne-prone skin?
Squalane may help keep oily skin soft and smooth, but oxidized squalene can trigger inflammation in acne-prone skin. Because of this, oily acne-prone skin needs lightweight, non-greasy ingredients that balance moisture without clogging pores.
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This serum goes in your evening routine, applied after cleansing and before moisturizing. Putting treatments in the evening helps keep things simple and adds extra safety around sun exposure.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this serum with retinol by applying this treatment first in your evening routine, followed by your retinol. The gentle formula of this serum is unlikely to cause irritation when paired this way, though you should watch how your skin feels and adjust if dryness or sensitivity occurs.
How often should I use this serum?
Use this serum in your evening routine, applying it once a day or a few times a week. It helps brighten dark spots and manage oiliness without causing irritation.
Polymers, 2023Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This serum is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for oily acne-prone skin because it relies on hydrating ingredients that provide balance without adding extra oil. It also has a very safe profile with no harsh ingredients that typically trigger irritation or flare-ups.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
A multi-component dissolving microneedle patch loaded with glabridin, 3-O-ethyl-L-ascorbic acid, and tranexamic acid effectively reduced chloasma and age spots while demonstrating safety in clinical evaluation, alongside significant antioxidant, anti-tyrosinase, and melanin-reduction effects in vitro and in vivo.
Polymers, 2023A topical serum containing vitamin C, vitamin E, and raspberry leaf cell culture extract improved skin color, elasticity, radiance, smoothness, scaliness, and wrinkles compared to the untreated contralateral side in fifty female volunteers.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Concurrent treatment with 3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid and cannabigerol in UVB-irradiated human keratinocytes prevents membrane structure alterations, promotes cell survival, enhances antioxidant enzyme activity and GSH- and Trx-dependent systems, reduces lipid and protein oxidative modifications, and exerts anti-inflammatory effects.
Free Radical Biology & Medicine, 2025A 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 5% vitamin C cream significantly improved global clinical scores, increased skin microrelief density, and induced elastic tissue repair in photoaged skin compared to excipient control in healthy female volunteers.
Experimental Dermatology, 2003Ascorbic acid 2-glucoside gel significantly reduced gingival melanin pigmentation after 4 weeks compared to placebo in 73 subjects with symmetric pigmentation.
Journal of Periodontology, 2009Topical application of VC-IP cream twice daily for 8 weeks reduces periorbital wrinkles in female subjects compared to a placebo cream.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022Squalane 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, 2025Lentinan reduced benzo(a)pyrene-induced oxidative stress, malondialdehyde levels, and inflammatory cytokine production while increasing antioxidant enzyme activities in human keratinocytes.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Shiitake mushroom ethanol extract exhibited moderate antioxidant capacity, 51.99% elastase inhibition, concentration-dependent collagenase suppression, and non-toxicity in human keratinocytes, supporting its safe incorporation into stable topical anti-aging skin-care formulations.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026Combining 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, 2025Topical application of 0.1% hyaluronic acid formulations of different molecular weights led to significant improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, with low-molecular-weight formulations also significantly reducing wrinkle depth in seventy-six female subjects compared to a vehicle control.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011Topical application of hyaluronic acid in conjunction with free gingival graft significantly reduced donor site postoperative pain until day 7 compared to normal saline, with no significant differences in graft dimensions or patient satisfaction.
Clinical Oral Investigations, 2022Treatment with a hyaluronic acid-containing mouth rinse or topical gel led to significant lesion reduction, pain relief, and normalization of lesion color in adult patients with minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis, with the gel formulation showing an earlier healing onset at 3 days.
BMC Oral Health, 2019
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Squalane, Lentinus Edodes Mycelium Extract, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Licorice Root Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citric Acid, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
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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