Thayers-focused skincare routine for skin with dark spots
A routine for skin with dark spots built around Thayers products, complemented by other brands where they fit better, for complete care.
Cleansers and toners with hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and centella asiatica extract help hydrate and calm the skin, while sunscreens with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide protect against UV rays that worsen dark spots. Serums and moisturizers with niacinamide and ceramides help fade hyperpigmentation and even out skin tone, while toners and enzyme powders with polyhydroxy acid, lactic acid, and papain gently exfoliate to improve skin texture.
The morning routine prepares the skin for the day: it cleans off the night, hydrates, and protects, with sunscreen as its last step. The evening routine removes sunscreen, makeup, and the day's oil, then treats the skin while it rests away from the sun. The weekly routine takes the place of the evening routine once a week and adds the deeper steps to target hyperpigmentation, sun spots, and uneven skin tone.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2014Skin Research and Technology, 2014
Products are rated for the concerns frequently associated with dark spots: hyperpigmentation, sun spots, and uneven skin tone. For a routine based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Morning
Step 1Cleanser
Cleansers with niacinamide, Centella Asiatica Extract, and licorice root extract help clean impurities and may address hyperpigmentation and uneven skin tone. These cleansers are used every morning, every evening, and once a week in place of the evening routine.
-
CeraVe
Foaming Facial Cleanser
€21.45
-
Fresh
Soy Face Cleanser
€56.86
-
Some By Mi
Snail Truecica Miracle Repair Low pH Gel Cleanser
€18.98
-
iS Clinical
Cleansing Complex
€95.00
-
ETUDE
Soonjung pH 6.5 Whip Cleanser
€18.75
-
MISSHA
Super Aqua Ultra Hyalron Cleansing Foam
€11.92
-
Pyunkang Yul
Calming Low pH Foaming Cleanser
€12.10
Step 2Hydrating Toner
In the Lovi routine for this skin the hydrating toner step is used every morning. Hydrating toners with hyaluronic acid and glycerin help keep the skin soft and moist, while those with niacinamide, licorice root extract, and botanical extracts help brighten dark spots and even out skin tone.
-
Thayers
Facial Toner
€22.90
-
La Mer
The Tonic
€115.30
-
Some By Mi
Snail Truecica Miracle Repair Toner
€19.99
-
COSRX
Full Fit Propolis Synergy Toner
€14.28
-
Dear, Klairs
Supple Preparation Facial Toner
€16.52
-
Paula's Choice
Advanced Replenishing Toner
€36.00
-
ROUND LAB
Birch Juice Moisturizing Toner
€16.68
-
Paula's Choice
Resist Weightless Advanced Repairing Toner
€36.00
Step 3Moisturizer
Moisturizers with niacinamide, ascorbic acid, and arbutin help brighten the complexion and address hyperpigmentation and sun spots. They are used every morning and every evening, and once a week in place of the evening routine.
-
Some By Mi
Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream
€18.99
-
SKIN1004
Madagascar Centella Probio-Cica Enrich Cream
€17.84
-
d'Alba
First Spray Serum
€23.05
-
Elizabeth Arden
Advanced Ceramide Lift and Firm Night Cream
€50.82
-
GUERLAIN
Abeille Royale Day Cream
€92.72
-
NEOGEN Dermalogy
Real Ferment Micro Essence
€33.30
-
SkinCeuticals
Hydrating B5 Gel
€100.00
Step 4SPF
Sunscreens with zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, vitamin C and niacinamide help defend against UV rays and reduce dark spots, while formulas with hyaluronic acid, panthenol and allantoin provide hydration and help prevent further pigmentation issues. The sunscreen step is used every morning.
-
d'Alba
UVessence Mild Waterfull Sun Cream SPF 50
€17.42
-
Murad
City Skin Age Defense Broad Spectrum SPF 50 PA++++
€56.52
-
Torriden
DIVE-IN Mild Sunscreen
€26.27
-
Colorescience
Sunforgettable Total Protection Face Shield Matte SPF 50
€99.00
-
d'Alba
Piedmont Waterfull Mild Sunscreen
€17.43
-
Purito
Daily Soft Touch Sunscreen
€20.81
-
Altruist
SPF 50 Sunscreen
€8.69
-
SKIN1004
Madagascar Centella Air-Fit Suncream Plus
€15.80
Evening
Step 1Pre-Cleanser
Makeup removers with Centella Asiatica Extract and Licorice Root Extract help soothe your skin and address pigmentation concerns. This step is used every evening and once a week, in place of the evening routine.
-
Pyunkang Yul
Deep Clear Cleansing Balm
€16.53
-
Dermalogica
Precleanse
€56.00
-
Pyunkang Yul
Deep Cleansing Oil
€22.67
-
MISSHA
Ultra Hyalon Cleansing Cream
€16.25
-
Bioderma
Sensibio Lait Cleansing Milk
€25.65
-
Cetaphil
Gentle Makeup Removing Wipes
€22.99
-
Anua
Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil
€22.76
-
Purito
From Green Cleansing Oil
€24.99
Step 2Cleanser
Cleansers with niacinamide, Centella Asiatica Extract, and licorice root extract help clean impurities and may address hyperpigmentation and uneven skin tone. These cleansers are used every morning, every evening, and once a week in place of the evening routine.
-
CeraVe
Foaming Facial Cleanser
€21.45
-
Fresh
Soy Face Cleanser
€56.86
-
Some By Mi
Snail Truecica Miracle Repair Low pH Gel Cleanser
€18.98
-
iS Clinical
Cleansing Complex
€95.00
-
ETUDE
Soonjung pH 6.5 Whip Cleanser
€18.75
-
MISSHA
Super Aqua Ultra Hyalron Cleansing Foam
€11.92
-
Pyunkang Yul
Calming Low pH Foaming Cleanser
€12.10
Step 3Cleansing Toner
Cleansing toners with lactic acid, salicylic acid, and glycolic acid help fade dark spots and even out skin tone, while cleansing toners with niacinamide and polyhydroxy acids gently brighten and smooth the skin. This step is used every evening.
-
Medicube
Zero Pore Pad 2.0
€22.99
-
Some By Mi
AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner
€20.50
-
First Aid Beauty
Facial Radiance Pads
€33.00
-
Glow Recipe
Watermelon Glow PHA + BHA Pore-Tight Toner
€38.93
-
the SAEM
Derma Plan Peeling Toner Pad
€21.99
-
The INKEY List
PHA Toner
€8.41
-
Pixi
Glow Tonic
€34.00
-
SKIN1004
Madagascar Centella Tone Brightening Boosting Toner
€16.82
Step 4Serum or Treatment
Serums with niacinamide, tranexamic acid, and vitamin C help fade hyperpigmentation and brighten uneven skin tone, while options with squalane and ceramides support moisture and smooth texture. The serum step is used every evening and once a week, in place of the evening routine.
-
Thayers
Blemish Clearing Pads
€22.23
-
KraveBeauty
Great Barrier Relief
€49.45
-
MISSHA
The First Essence 5X
€27.80
-
SKIN1004
Madagascar Centella Tone Brightening Capsule Ampoule
€18.00
-
IT'S SKIN
Power 10 Formula VC Effector
€17.59
-
The Ordinary
Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
€8.99
-
Beauty of Joseon
Propolis + Niacinamide Glow Serum
€14.94
-
Some By Mi
Yuja Niacin Brightening Toner
€20.45
Step 5Moisturizer
Moisturizers with niacinamide, ascorbic acid, and arbutin help brighten the complexion and address hyperpigmentation and sun spots. They are used every morning and every evening, and once a week in place of the evening routine.
-
Some By Mi
Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream
€18.99
-
SKIN1004
Madagascar Centella Probio-Cica Enrich Cream
€17.84
-
d'Alba
First Spray Serum
€23.05
-
Elizabeth Arden
Advanced Ceramide Lift and Firm Night Cream
€50.82
-
GUERLAIN
Abeille Royale Day Cream
€92.72
-
NEOGEN Dermalogy
Real Ferment Micro Essence
€33.30
-
SkinCeuticals
Hydrating B5 Gel
€100.00
Once a week
Step 1Pre-Cleanser
Makeup removers with Centella Asiatica Extract and Licorice Root Extract help soothe your skin and address pigmentation concerns. This step is used every evening and once a week, in place of the evening routine.
-
Pyunkang Yul
Deep Clear Cleansing Balm
€16.53
-
Dermalogica
Precleanse
€56.00
-
Pyunkang Yul
Deep Cleansing Oil
€22.67
-
MISSHA
Ultra Hyalon Cleansing Cream
€16.25
-
Bioderma
Sensibio Lait Cleansing Milk
€25.65
-
Cetaphil
Gentle Makeup Removing Wipes
€22.99
-
Anua
Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil
€22.76
-
Purito
From Green Cleansing Oil
€24.99
Step 2Cleanser
Cleansers with niacinamide, Centella Asiatica Extract, and licorice root extract help clean impurities and may address hyperpigmentation and uneven skin tone. These cleansers are used every morning, every evening, and once a week in place of the evening routine.
-
CeraVe
Foaming Facial Cleanser
€21.45
-
Fresh
Soy Face Cleanser
€56.86
-
Some By Mi
Snail Truecica Miracle Repair Low pH Gel Cleanser
€18.98
-
iS Clinical
Cleansing Complex
€95.00
-
ETUDE
Soonjung pH 6.5 Whip Cleanser
€18.75
-
MISSHA
Super Aqua Ultra Hyalron Cleansing Foam
€11.92
-
Pyunkang Yul
Calming Low pH Foaming Cleanser
€12.10
Step 3Enzyme Powder
Enzyme powders with papain, salicylic acid, and rice enzymes help digest dull surface cells and brighten uneven skin tone, while ingredients like allantoin and tocopherol help support overall skin health. This step is used once a week in place of your evening routine.
-
FANCL
Facial Washing Powder
€42.16
-
Dermalogica
Daily Microfoliant
€76.00
-
VT
Cica Mild Powder Wash
€8.99
-
TONYMOLY
I'm Rice Exfoliating Enzyme Cleanser
€39.94
-
By Wishtrend
Green Tea & Enzyme Powder Wash
€15.91
-
Dermalogica
Daily Superfoliant
€77.00
-
DHC
Face Wash Powder
€22.00
Step 4Nourishing Mask
Nourishing masks with hyaluronic acid and centella asiatica extract help deeply hydrate and soothe skin, while formulas with niacinamide target dark spots and uneven tone. This step is used once a week in place of the evening routine.
-
Pyunkang Yul
Calming Mask Pack
€16.89
-
Mediheal
Watermide Essential Mask
€28.40
-
Garnier SkinActive
Moisture Bomb Sheet Mask
€18.99
-
ma:nyo
Galac Niacin Essence Mask
€47.66
-
I'm From
Mugwort Mask
€39.56
-
Biodance
Bio-Collagen Real Deep Mask
€18.00
-
Simple
Rich Moisture Sheet Mask
€13.52
-
Dear Klairs
Rich Moist Soothing Tencel Sheet Mask
€11.98
Step 5Serum or Treatment
Serums with niacinamide, tranexamic acid, and vitamin C help fade hyperpigmentation and brighten uneven skin tone, while options with squalane and ceramides support moisture and smooth texture. The serum step is used every evening and once a week, in place of the evening routine.
-
Thayers
Blemish Clearing Pads
€22.23
-
KraveBeauty
Great Barrier Relief
€49.45
-
MISSHA
The First Essence 5X
€27.80
-
SKIN1004
Madagascar Centella Tone Brightening Capsule Ampoule
€18.00
-
IT'S SKIN
Power 10 Formula VC Effector
€17.59
-
The Ordinary
Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
€8.99
-
Beauty of Joseon
Propolis + Niacinamide Glow Serum
€14.94
-
Some By Mi
Yuja Niacin Brightening Toner
€20.45
Step 6Moisturizer
Moisturizers with niacinamide, ascorbic acid, and arbutin help brighten the complexion and address hyperpigmentation and sun spots. They are used every morning and every evening, and once a week in place of the evening routine.
-
Some By Mi
Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream
€18.99
-
SKIN1004
Madagascar Centella Probio-Cica Enrich Cream
€17.84
-
d'Alba
First Spray Serum
€23.05
-
Elizabeth Arden
Advanced Ceramide Lift and Firm Night Cream
€50.82
-
GUERLAIN
Abeille Royale Day Cream
€92.72
-
NEOGEN Dermalogy
Real Ferment Micro Essence
€33.30
-
SkinCeuticals
Hydrating B5 Gel
€100.00
Research behind this routine
The effect of niacinamide on reducing cutaneous pigmentation and suppression of melanosome transfer
Glycerol and the skin: holistic approach to its origin and functions
Niacinamide - mechanisms of action and its topical use in dermatology
Photoprotection beyond ultraviolet radiation: A review of tinted sunscreens
Behind this routine
Lovi builds every routine from each product's 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
Get a routine for your skin
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