Sunday Riley U.F.O. Ultra-Clarifying Face Oil for skin with dark spots
Salicylic Acid
Licorice Root Extract
Nigella Sativa Seed Oil
Cranberry Seed Oil
Silybum Marianum Seed Oil MilkAverage
- AverageNormal Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for skin with dark spots; other serums 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 benefits for pigmentation with ingredients like Hexylresorcinol and Glycyrrhiza Glabra Licorice Root Extract, which target hyperpigmentation through their skin-brightening properties, while Salicylic Acid provides moderate exfoliation suitable for normal skin.
- The formula is generally safe for your normal skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients, ensuring no risks of irritation.
- While effective for acne-prone skin and offering moderate benefits for pigmentation, the product lacks sufficient humectant ingredients for optimal hydration of normal skin.
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
★4.6Overall rating based on 1000+ reviewsThis medicated dry oil is widely praised by users with oily and acne-prone skin for its ability to rapidly clear cystic acne and congestion without causing dryness. While many users report smoother texture and diminished redness overnight, results regarding blackhead removal are mixed, and the product's potent herbal scent is a polarizing feature.
Highlights
Rapidly clears acne Mostly Mentioned
- “shrinks pimples overnight”
- “vanished in 2-3 days”
- “cleared hormonal breakouts”
- “stopped cystic acne”
Strong medicinal scent Mostly Mentioned
- “smells like oregano”
- “pungent herbal smell”
- “scent is repulsing”
- “smells like dirt”
Fast absorption Often Mentioned
- “sinks in immediately”
- “dry oil texture”
- “not greasy at all”
- “mattified appearance”
High price point Often Mentioned
- “very expensive”
- “hefty price tag”
- “not budget friendly”
- “pricey for the size”
Fades scars/redness Sometimes Noted
- “diminished facial redness”
- “faded acne scars”
- “evened skin tone”
- “calms inflammation”
Non-drying formula Sometimes Noted
- “doesn't dry out skin”
- “hydrating but clarifies”
- “no flaky patches”
- “leaves skin soft”
Caused breakouts/purging Rarely Noted
- “caused tiny bumps”
- “broke me out”
- “irritated my skin”
- “made acne worse”
Ineffective for blackheads Rarely Noted
- “didn't clear blackheads”
- “pores look same”
- “no change in congestion”
Sources: lovi.care, ulta.com, spacenk.com, sephora.sg, sephora.co.uk, cultbeauty.co.uk, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Sunday Riley U.F.O. Face Oil work for skin with dark spots?
Sunday Riley U.F.O. Ultra-Clarifying Face Oil works moderately well for skin with dark spots, using ingredients like licorice root extract and hexylresorcinol to brighten your complexion while salicylic acid gently exfoliates. A product for dark spots needs powerful antioxidants, soothing agents, and deeply hydrating ingredients to properly nourish and clear your skin.
Which ingredients make this oil a good fit for skin with dark spots?
Hexylresorcinol and licorice root extract target dark spots with skin-brightening properties, while salicylic acid gently exfoliates. To work best for skin with dark spots, a product of this type needs a blend of effective antioxidants, soothing ingredients, and plenty of hydrating components to keep skin soft.
What does Salicylic Acid do for skin with dark spots?
Salicylic acid helps fade dark spots and uneven skin tone left behind after breakouts. It gently clears away surface buildup, which may improve the look of dark marks and support a smoother, more even complexion over time.
What does Licorice Root Extract do for skin with dark spots?
Licorice root extract helps fade dark spots and uneven areas by calming the skin and gently reducing excess pigment formation. It is generally well-tolerated and works gradually to give your skin a more even, clear look over time.
Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2025Pigment Cell Research, 1998
Where does this oil go in a skincare routine for skin with dark spots?
This oil is used as a treatment in the evening routine, but skin with dark spots also needs hydrating ingredients to keep the skin plump and moist.
Can I use this oil with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this treatment alongside retinol by applying the retinol first and following with this oil, or using them on alternate nights to keep your skin calm. The formula is generally safe for normal skin and unlikely to cause irritation, but a product for this skin needs more hydrating humectants to keep it properly moisturized.
How often should I use this oil?
Start using this treatment once a week in the evening, and if your skin feels comfortable and you see good results, you can carefully use it more often. To work best for skin with dark spots, this product needs ingredients that provide deep hydration and extra skin-brightening benefits.
Can this oil clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for skin with dark spots?
This oil is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for your skin, as it has a very low complaint rate for causing purging. A product of this type for skin with dark spots needs brightening ingredients like hexylresorcinol and licorice root extract, along with enough hydrating ingredients to keep your skin smooth and soft.
Is this oil fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It contains fragrance (linalool, limonene, farnesol, and geraniol) and drying alcohol (isopropyl alcohol).
What the research says
Topical 1% hexylresorcinol is equivalent to 2% hydroquinone in significantly reducing the appearance of facial and hand pigmentation in healthy female participants over 12 weeks, with both treatments showing no adverse effects.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2023A formulation combining 4-hexylresorcinol and niacinamide significantly improved hyperpigmentation, skin tone, fine lines, wrinkles, and firmness compared to niacinamide alone in Chinese subjects without adverse events.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2022Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen achieved a higher cure rate (39%) than salicylic acid (24%) and a wait-and-see approach (16%) for cutaneous warts at 13 weeks in primary care patients.
CMAJ, 2010A moisturizer containing licochalcone A, 1,2-decanediol, L-carnitine, and salicylic acid significantly reduced noninflammatory, inflammatory, and total acne lesion counts compared to a vehicle control in Thai patients during a 12-week maintenance phase.
BioMed Research International, 2020Treatment with 2% supramolecular salicylic acid hydrogel resulted in a regression and markedly improvement rate of 51.01% compared to 43.10% for Adapaline gel in patients with mild to moderate facial acne vulgaris, showing no significant difference in efficacy.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Combining 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, 2025Thymoquinone-loaded liposomal chitosan gel demonstrated superior in vivo anti-inflammatory activity over thymoquinone gel and a comparable effect to marketed indomethacin gel in rats with carrageenan-induced paw edema.
AAPS PharmSciTech, 2018Thymoquinone pre-treatment attenuated UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and mitochondrial apoptosis in human HaCaT keratinocytes through COX-2 inhibition via the activation of the NrF2/ARE pathway.
Molecular Immunology, 2021Topical application of thymoquinone treated with cold plasma significantly improved wound healing potential, augmenting skin regeneration indices, reducing tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and enhancing hyaluronic acid, collagen type I, interleukin-10, alpha smooth muscle actin, and vascular endothelial growth factor compared to thymoquinone alone in a rat wound model.
International Immunopharmacology, 2023Silybum marianum flower extract increased human hair follicle dermal papilla cell proliferation and VEGF production while suppressing cellular senescence, and in a clinical study using hair shampoo, it significantly increased hair density and total hair count at 16 and 24 weeks compared with a placebo group.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Topical 0.5% silymarin-loaded antioxidant serum applied twice daily significantly reduced clinical acne severity, lesion counts, and melanin pigmentation in 22 Korean acne patients over 4 weeks without associated adverse events.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023Topical silymarin cream 1.4% showed comparable results to salicylic acid 30% peels in reducing acne severity in 30 patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris.
Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery, 2024
Ingredients
Silybum Marianum Seed Oil Milk, Nigella Sativa Seed Oil, Cucumis Sativus Seed Oil, Punica Granatum Seed Oil, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Cranberry Seed Oil, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Licorice Root Extract, Prunus Armeniaca Apricot Kernel Oil, Hexylresorcinol, Ethyl Linoleate, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Oil Flower, Citrus Aurantium Amara Oil Flower, Melia Azadirachta Neem Flower Extract, Helianthus Annuus Sunflower Seed Oil, 4-Terpineol, Linalool, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Limonene, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Amber Powder, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Isopropyl Alcohol, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Rosemary Leaf Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Farnesol, Geraniol, Water, Grapefruit Peel Oil, Ocimum Basilicum Leaf Extract Flower, Salicylic Acid
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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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
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Victoria Derkova, MS
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