SOME BY MI Yuja Niacin Blemish Care Serum for skin with dark spots
Yuja Extract
Niacinamide
Glutathione
Arbutin
Licorice Root ExtractHigh
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for skin with dark spots; a few serums 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
- Excellent brightening and evening of skin tone for your normal skin is achieved through niacinamide and arbutin, which regulate melanogenesis and support skin brightening. Panthenol and glutathione further enhance antioxidant activity and skin radiance.
- The formula is highly suitable for your normal skin type, offering antioxidant benefits and melanogenesis regulation.
- The product is safe for your normal skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing components like niacinamide and panthenol.
How to apply
- Apply this serum as part of your PM routine starting 3x/week and build up to daily use if your skin likes it.
- Place the serum after cleansing and toning, but before your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and wait a minute for it to absorb.
- Apply the serum on dry skin to help fade pigmentation effectively.
- Avoid the eye area and always use SPF 30+ during the day.
People Say
★4.4Overall rating based on 900+ reviewsThis serum is highly effective at brightening dull skin and fading dark spots and hyperpigmentation, with users frequently noting its lightweight, fast-absorbing texture and refreshing citrus scent. It is particularly well-suited for oily, combination, and sensitive skin types. Some users with dry skin found it necessary to layer with a moisturizer, and a small number reported minimal results or slight irritation.
Highlights
Lightweight, fast-absorbing Mostly Mentioned
- “It's lightweight, absorbs instantly, and makes my skin feel hydrated all day.”
- “I love how quickly this serum sinks in - I don't have a lot of time to wait around in the mornings.”
- “It's super lightweight, absorbs quickly, and my sensitive skin hasn't reacted negatively to it at all.”
- “Its light, weightless gel texture absorbs instantly without leaving a sticky or greasy residue.”
Brightens dull skin Often Mentioned
- “My skin looks visibly brighter, too.”
- “I can definitely see it brightened my skin a lot and helped me reduce the redness of acne scars.”
- “When I started to use the product my skin is brighter and no more pimples.”
- “Yuja Niacin Blemish serum rejuvenated my dull, tired skin giving it a fresh dewy feel and look.”
Fades dark spots Often Mentioned
- “This serum brightened my dark spots and evened out my skin tone beautifully.”
- “I especially noticed a difference in those stubborn dark spots that seemed impossible to get rid of.”
- “The 82.3% Yuja extract has worked wonders in brightening my complexion and fading dark spots.”
- “Go to serum at night for fading blemishes, the right percentage of Niacinamide for my skin.”
Refreshing citrus scent Sometimes Noted
- “The product has a gel consistency and a refreshing citrus scent.”
- “It has a refreshing citrus scent that uplifts your mood whether you are using the serum during the day or at night.”
- “Good serum, has a nice scent!”
- “The refreshing citrus scent is just an added bonus.”
Minimal dramatic results Rarely Noted
- “My results are pretty minimal to be very honest. My acne scars are still present, my freckles haven't changed in the slightest.”
- “I did NOT have the results nearly as dramatic and drastic as SOME BY MI claims.”
- “The previous serums I've tried that have less drastic claims as this serum actually worked significantly better.”
- “I truly question the validity of all their advertisements about this serum as these results don't seem reasonably obtainable.”
Needs extra moisturizer Rarely Noted
- “Those with dry skin paired it with a heavier moisturizer for added hydration.”
- “I have dry skin and needed to follow up with a thick cream.”
- “It's lightweight but not moisturizing enough on its own for winter.”
- “Needs to be layered with other hydrating products if you have dry skin.”
Potential breakouts Rarely Noted
- “After using this serum for a few days, I got a few pimples.”
- “I wouldn't apply this over active breakouts due to potentially irritating ingredients such as peppermint extract and citrus peel oil.”
- “Vitamin C can sometimes trigger sensitivity in some people.”
- “Irritation potential: high.”
Sources: lovi.care, gopicky.com, lemon8-app.com, kbeautyhobbit.com, boniik.com.au, littlewonderland.eu, and more
Questions and answers
What makes SOME BY MI Yuja Niacin Serum a great fit for skin with dark spots?
This serum is a great fit because it uses niacinamide, arbutin, and licorice root extract to brighten dark spots and even out your skin tone. It also has a very safe and gentle formula with soothing ingredients like panthenol and glutathione that keep your skin calm and radiant without causing irritation.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for skin with dark spots?
Niacinamide, arbutin, and glutathione make this serum a great fit for dark spots because they help brighten skin and even out your skin tone by managing dark pigment. Niacinamide significantly decreases dark spots and increases skin lightness, while glutathione improves smoothness and reduces dark pigment.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2014
What does Yuja Extract do for skin with dark spots?
Yuja extract helps fade dark spots by lowering melanin production in the skin. It also supports overall brightness and protects against UV damage.
What does Niacinamide do for skin with dark spots?
Niacinamide helps fade dark spots and uneven pigmentation by slowing down the transfer of pigment in the skin. It is generally well tolerated and may improve overall skin brightness with consistent use.
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for skin with dark spots?
This serum goes in your evening routine after cleansing and toning, and before moisturizing. Putting treatments in the evening provides simplicity and 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 the serum first, waiting for it to absorb, and then following with your retinol product, or by using them on alternating nights to help prevent any possible irritation. Niacinamide and panthenol help keep your skin calm and safe while you target dark spots.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2014
How often should I use this serum?
This treatment is used in the evening routine. Treatments with active ingredients are placed in the evening for simplicity and extra safety around sun exposure, though some may also be used in the morning or twice a day.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for skin with dark spots?
This serum is a great fit and is unlikely to cause breakouts, as potential breakouts are a very low complaint for it and it contains soothing ingredients like niacinamide and panthenol.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (limonene and linalool).
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, 2002Topical oxidized glutathione significantly decreases the skin melanin index and improves moisture content, smoothness, wrinkle formation, and elasticity compared to placebo in healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2014Topical dexpanthenol acts as a moisturizer, improves stratum corneum hydration, accelerates wound healing and epidermal regeneration, reduces erythema, and improves symptoms of skin irritation compared to vehicle or no pretreatment.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002Citrus junos callus extract decreased melanin content in melanocytes 1.85-fold compared with arbutin and promoted the proliferation of and procollagen synthesis by human fibroblasts by 154% and 176% at 500 μg/mL.
Molecules, 2017Yuja-peel fractions (ethyl acetate, hexane, and butanol) inhibited MMP expression, induced moisturizing factors filaggrin and serine palmitoyltransferase, and decreased melanin content in UVB-irradiated HaCaT, HDF, and α-MSH-treated B16F10 cells.
Antioxidants, 2022Upcycled low-molecular-weight anionic peptides from Citrus junos seeds protected UVR-irradiated keratinocytes and reconstructed skin tissue by scavenging reactive oxygen species, reducing paracrine cytokines, inhibiting melanin synthesis and TRP-2 expression, and increasing filaggrin, laminin-5, and type I collagen expression.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 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, 2005Glutathione amino acid precursors effectively increase cellular glutathione levels, reducing oxidative stress, ATP depletion, and DNA damage in human keratinocytes, clinical subjects, and ex vivo skin compared to controls.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2024Topical glutathione improves hyperpigmentation, reduces ultraviolet-induced erythema and wrinkles, decreases transepidermal water loss, and enhances antioxidant capacity.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2025RayGel reduced skin reaction severity with a lower average score of 93.7 compared to 123.3 for the placebo group in patients undergoing whole breast external-beam irradiation.
American Journal of 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, 2020Encapsulation 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, 2023Combining 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, 2025Combining 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
Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Propanediol, C12-14 Pareth-12, Water, Trehalose, C12-14 Pareth-7, Carbomer, Citrus Junos Peel Oil, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Coptis Chinensis Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Licorice Root Extract, Agrimonia Eupatoria Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cellulose Gum, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Disodium Edta, Arbutin, Perilla Frutescens Leaf Extract, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Saussurea Involucrata Extract, Glucose, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Peppermint Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Panthenol, Glutathione, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Maltodextrin, Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract Avocado Fruit Extract, Pancratium Maritimum Extract, Folic Acid, Biotin, Pyridoxine, Tocopherol, Cyanocobalamin, Linoleic Acid, Thiamine Hcl, Beta-Carotene, Riboflavin, Inositol, Limonene, Linalool
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.
-
Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
-
Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
-
Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
-
Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
-
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
-
Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
-
Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
-
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.