Vichy Liftactiv Specialist B3 Serum for sensitive skin
Niacinamide
Glycolic Acid
Tranexamic Acid
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Average
- AverageNormal Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for sensitive skin; other serums fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with sensitive skin: redness, stinging, and reactions to new products. 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 suitability for your normal skin, as niacinamide and tranexamic acid help regulate melanogenesis and provide antioxidant activity, though it lacks sufficient emollient ingredients for optimal hydration.
- The presence of niacinamide and glycolic acid offers moderate skin brightening and smoothing by evening skin tone and improving texture, while niacinamide and allantoin provide mild soothing and barrier support beneficial for your redness and irritation.
- The product is safe for your sensitive skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Use your serum in the PM routine, starting 3 times a week before building up to daily use if your skin is happy.
- Apply the serum after cleansing and toning, but before putting on your moisturizer for the best results.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and wait a minute ⏱ for it to soak in.
- Since your skin is sensitive and easily irritated, apply the serum on completely dry skin to help keep it calm.
- Always do a patch test before your first use and avoid getting the serum too close to your eyes .
People Say
★4.5Overall rating based on 1.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this serum is highly praised by users dealing with hyperpigmentation, dullness, and uneven skin tone for its ability to visibly fade dark spots and brighten the complexion. Its lightweight, fast-absorbing formula is frequently noted as gentle on sensitive skin. Some users indicate that consistent, long-term use is necessary to see significant results on stubborn dark spots and deep wrinkles.
Highlights
Evens skin tone Often Mentioned
- “it has seemed to have evened my skin tone as I used to have alot of dark patches”
- “My skin looks brighter and more plump”
- “I can see my skin is brighter and glowing after 3 weeks.”
- “Now I have radiant, even and smooth skin.”
Fades dark spots Often Mentioned
- “I have definitely noticed a difference in my dark spots they seem to be slowly fading”
- “helps me correct some dark pigmentation spots I had on my left cheek.”
- “Helps with smoothing fine lines & fading dark spots!”
- “diminishing the appearance of dark spots and evening out skin tone.”
Lightweight and fast-absorbing Often Mentioned
- “The formula is so light and doesn't leave skin feeling oily.”
- “It absorbs quickly into my skin and is so smooth”
- “This lightweight, non-greasy serum absorbs quickly into the skin without leaving a sticky residue.”
- “The serum is light and Its absorbs quite quickly and it's not sticky”
Gentle on sensitive skin Sometimes Noted
- “This is a great serum for sensitive skin.”
- “I like it doesn't irritate my skin.”
- “didn't cause me any negative reaction and my skin felt smoother”
- “gentle on sensitive skin.”
Takes time for results Sometimes Noted
- “haven't seen a change in dark spots but I need to give it more time”
- “It's still too early to tell any visible difference”
- “hopeful that with continued use I will see the changes”
- “Repeated use and time will tell.”
Applicator design issues Rarely Noted
- “The only issue I have with it is the applicator, I wish it had a drop applicator instead so I don't waste so much product”
- “The applicator... is a bit unique. With the long pointed tip offering precision, I felt like a scientist”
- “I wish it had a drop applicator instead so I don't waste so much product”
Ineffective on deep wrinkles Rarely Noted
- “so far have not seen any improvement in my deep wrinkles.”
- “I'm hoping in time I will see some results.”
- “haven't seen any improvement in my deep wrinkles.”
Sources: lovi.care, dermstore.com, lookfantastic.com, walmart.ca, my-origines.com, lovelyskin.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Liftactiv B3 Serum work for sensitive skin?
Vichy Liftactiv Specialist B3 Serum works moderately well for sensitive skin, as its niacinamide and tranexamic acid help even skin tone while its allantoin provides mild soothing for redness and irritation. It is safe for sensitive skin with no risk of irritation, though a product of this type needs more softening and moisturizing ingredients for optimal hydration.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2020
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for sensitive skin?
Niacinamide and allantoin make this serum a good fit for sensitive skin because they help calm redness and irritation. To fit this skin even better, a treatment of this type needs more hydrating ingredients to keep the skin feeling soft and comfortable.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2020
What does Niacinamide do for sensitive skin?
Niacinamide helps calm sensitive skin by strengthening the skin barrier and reducing redness and irritation. It is very well tolerated and may improve overall comfort and resilience with regular use.
What does Glycolic Acid do for sensitive skin?
Glycolic acid can be too harsh for sensitive skin, leaving it dry and irritated, so this type of skin needs a gentler exfoliating ingredient and calming plant extracts to keep the skin barrier safe and comfortable.
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
Apply this serum in your evening routine, using it once a week at first and carefully building up frequency if your skin tolerates it well. A product of this type for sensitive skin also needs rich softening ingredients to provide optimal hydration.
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, but this type of product needs extra moisturizing ingredients to keep sensitive skin fully hydrated and comfortable.
How often should I use this serum?
This serum works well in your evening routine once a week to start, as products with exfoliating acids need careful introduction on sensitive skin. If your skin feels comfortable and you see good results, you may carefully use it more often. Sensitive skin of this type also needs plenty of nourishing and hydrating ingredients to stay soft and smooth.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?
This serum is unlikely to cause breakouts or clog pores on sensitive skin because it is free of harsh ingredients, though a product for this skin type typically needs rich, soothing oils and hydrating helpers to keep pores clear and skin soft.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
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 treatment of nicotinamide, alone or in combination with other active ingredients, reduces the progression of skin aging and hyperpigmentation in clinical trials while being well tolerated.
Antioxidants, 2021A topical gel containing chitosan, chlorhexidine, allantoin, and dexpanthenol significantly reduced postoperative pain, trismus, swelling, and analgesic consumption, while improving wound healing after third molar surgery compared to a placebo.
Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2020Topical 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, 2005Repeated short-contact 70% glycolic acid peels provided superior results in atrophic acne scars compared to daily low-strength glycolic acid cream or placebo in 58 women over 24 weeks.
International Journal of Dermatology, 2000Serial glycolic acid peels combined with a modified Kligman formula significantly reduced facial PIH severity in Indian patients compared to the modified Kligman formula alone.
Dermatologic Surgery, 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, 2022Rice protein hydrolysate and its characteristic peptides Leu-Leu-Lys, Leu-Pro-Lys, and pyroGlu-Lys reduced melanin content, tyrosinase activity, and ROS production in UVB-induced human epidermal melanocyte PIG1 cells by regulating the JNK/Β-Trcp/NFΗB-p65/MITF signaling pathway and lowering TRP-1 and TRP-2 expression.
Food & Function, 2020
Ingredients
Water, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Propylene Glycol, Glycolic Acid, Tranexamic Acid, Allantoin, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Vitreoscilla Ferment, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Xanthan Gum, Pentylene Glycol
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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PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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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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