CeraVe Psoriasis Moisturizing Cream for skin with dark spots
Salicylic Acid
Urea
Glycerin
NiacinamideAverage
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for skin with dark spots; other moisturizers 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
- Suitable for normal skin, this product offers excellent moisturizing treatment due to urea and salicylic acid, which hydrate and gently exfoliate.
- While Glycerin and Shea Butter provide general skincare benefits like hydration and soothing, they are not specifically targeted for your main goal of pigmentation.
- 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
- Could be used as part of your AM and PM routine. Start using it 3 times a week and move to daily use if your skin likes it.
- Apply this moisturizer after your cleanser and toner, right before your morning SPF.
- Gently press a small amount of the moisturizer into your skin. Avoid rubbing it too hard so it absorbs nicely.
- For the best moisture, you can apply it when your skin is slightly damp. This helps your skin stay soft and happy.
- Remember to avoid the eye area when applying. Always do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 200+ reviewsWhile many praise its texture and absorption, some users with sensitive skin experienced stinging, and others found the price high for the quantity.
Highlights
Non-greasy texture Often Mentioned
- “absorbs quickly”
- “non-greasy finish”
- “rich but sinks in”
- “doesn't stain clothes”
Reduces scaling Often Mentioned
- “removes scales”
- “less flaky”
- “smooths rough patches”
- “cleared up flakes”
Relieves itching Often Mentioned
- “stopped itching immediately”
- “calms the skin”
- “best itch relief”
- “soothes irritation”
Effective ingredients Sometimes Noted
- “salicylic acid works”
- “ceramides help barrier”
- “niacinamide calms redness”
- “gentle exfoliation”
Expensive for size Sometimes Noted
- “expensive for small jar”
- “small amount”
- “pricey”
- “wish it came bigger”
Burning sensation Rarely Noted
- “burned my skin”
- “stinging sensation”
- “irritation at first”
- “too harsh for me”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “pump malfunctioned”
- “lid issues”
- “hard to get out”
- “pump broke”
Variable effectiveness Rarely Noted
- “didn't work for me”
- “made it redder”
- “not strong enough”
Sources: lovi.care, cerave.com, dermstore.com, target.com, walmart.com, amazon.com, and more
Questions and answers
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for skin with dark spots?
Niacinamide helps fade dark spots by slowing down pigment transfer. Skin with dark spots also needs effective brightening ingredients and antioxidants.
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 Urea do for skin with dark spots?
Urea helps improve dark spots and uneven skin tone, as seen in treatments for conditions like acanthosis nigricans. It works by gently removing dead skin cells and supporting overall skin texture.
Where does it go in a skincare routine for skin with dark spots?
This moisturizing treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before your final moisturizer, or as your daytime moisturizer followed by sunscreen. While it hydrates and gently exfoliates, skin with dark spots also needs targeted brightening ingredients like vitamin C or niacinamide used consistently to fade discoloration.
Can I use it with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this moisturizing treatment alongside retinol, applying it after your retinol step in the evening routine. This product is safe for your skin, as it is unlikely to cause irritation.
How often should I use this cream?
This cream works well for your skin when used daily as a regular moisturizer, though it lacks specialized ingredients for dark spots. Skin with dark spots typically needs brighteners like vitamin C, niacinamide, or alpha arbutin to effectively fade discoloration.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for skin with dark spots?
This cream is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on your skin, as it contains no harsh or prohibited ingredients. However, because it gently sheds surface skin cells, you might notice very mild initial purging while your skin adjusts.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
You can safely use this moisturizing treatment on your body, but it is not specifically formulated for the thin skin around the eyes. A product for the eye area needs targeted ingredients like low molecular weight heparan sulfate or specialized botanical extracts to safely address concerns there.
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetearyl alcohol and cetyl alcohol are fatty alcohols, which soften the skin.
What the research says
A 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, 2017Niacinamide 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, 2002Cryotherapy 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, 2024Topical 40% urea cream achieved improvement in less time and showed superiority over 12% ammonium lactate lotion in skin roughness, fissure reduction, thickness, and dryness at day 14 in patients treated for moderate to severe xerosis.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002Topical treatment with K101 achieved a significantly higher mycological cure rate compared to placebo in patients with ≤50% nail involvement (27.2% vs 10.4%), while showing early visible improvements in nail appearance and no safety issues.
Mycoses, 2012The emollient V0034CR significantly reduced TEWL compared to vehicle and vehicle plus glycerol, and significantly increased corneometry scores compared to vehicle and vehicle plus petrolatum in healthy volunteers with dry skin, demonstrating combined barrier function improvement from petrolatum and hydration improvement from glycerol.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012Topical 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, 2005
Why other moisturizers fit skin with dark spots better
Topical 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 application of Lactobacillus plantarum-GMNL6 enhanced collagen synthesis and SPTSSA gene expression while reducing melanin synthesis, Staphylococcus aureus biofilm, and Cutibacterium acnes proliferation, leading to clinical improvements in skin moisture, color, spots, wrinkles, UV spots, and porphyrins in human volunteers.
International Journal of Medical Sciences, 2021
Ingredients
Salicylic Acid, Water, Urea, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Cetyl Alcohol, Peg-100 Stearate, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Laureth-9, Gossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, C12-13 Alkyl Lactate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dimethicone, Ceramide Np, Ceramide Ap, Ceramide Eop, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholesterol, Tasmannia Lanceolata Leaf Extract Fruit, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium Edta, Tocopherol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hydrogenated Olive Oil, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Citric Acid, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, 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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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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