AXIS-Y Spot The Difference Blemish Treatment for skin with dark spots
Niacinamide
Salicylic Acid Bha
Glycolic Acid Aha
4-Terpineol
Ceramide NpHigh
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
One of the best serums for skin with dark spots.
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 exfoliation for your pigmentation concerns due to the presence of salicylic acid and glycolic acid, which gently address mild chemical exfoliation for your normal skin.
- Niacinamide and salicylic acid provide excellent seboregulation and keratolytic action, making it highly suitable for your skin type.
- The product is safe for your normal skin, featuring soothing ingredients like Centella Asiatica Extract and Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, with no risks of irritation.
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 800+ reviewsUsers with acne-prone, oily, and sensitive skin praise this lightweight gel for effectively reducing redness and calming active breakouts without drying out the skin. While many experience fast results and appreciate the hydrating ceramide capsules, some find the bottle size too small and note that it may take time to see significant changes on stubborn blemishes.
Highlights
Gentle & non-drying Mostly Mentioned
- “hydrating ceramide capsules”
- “doesn't dry skin”
- “soothing sensation”
- “no irritation”
Effective acne relief Often Mentioned
- “reduces pimple size”
- “calms active breakouts”
- “flattens bumps”
- “clears blemishes overnight”
Lightweight texture Often Mentioned
- “absorbs quickly”
- “non-sticky gel”
- “layers well”
- “lightweight formula”
Small product size Often Mentioned
- “tiny bottle”
- “finished quickly”
- “wish it was bigger”
- “small quantity”
Good for sensitive skin Sometimes Noted
- “no irritation”
- “gentle formula”
- “suitable for sensitive skin”
- “calms redness”
Slow results Sometimes Noted
- “not an overnight fix”
- “took a few days”
- “didn't see difference”
- “slow progress”
Absorption issues Rarely Noted
- “takes time to absorb”
- “leaves wet layer”
- “sticky if overapplied”
- “capsules take time to melt”
Scent/applicator Rarely Noted
- “mild tea tree scent”
- “dropper is small”
- “hard to dispense”
- “herbal smell”
Sources: lovi.care, stylekorean.com, olivekollection.com, iherb.com, yesstyle.com, axis-y.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes AXIS-Y Spot The Difference Blemish Treatment a great fit for skin with dark spots?
This treatment is a great fit because it contains glycolic acid and salicylic acid to gently fade dark spots through moderate exfoliation. Niacinamide helps balance oil, while soothing ingredients like Centella asiatica extract keep your skin calm and comfortable.
Which ingredients make this treatment a good fit for skin with dark spots?
Salicylic acid and glycolic acid make this treatment a great fit by providing gentle exfoliation to help fade dark spots. Niacinamide and soothing plant extracts like centella asiatica also help calm the skin and even out its tone.
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.
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.
Where does this treatment go in a skincare routine for skin with dark spots?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and toning, and before moisturizing. Putting treatments in the evening helps maintain safety around sun exposure.
Can I use this treatment with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this treatment with retinol by alternating nights rather than applying them together to help prevent irritation on your skin. Use your retinol on one night and this treatment on another, making sure to follow with a gentle moisturizer.
How often should I use this treatment?
Use this treatment in your evening routine once a week to start, and if your skin tolerates it well and you see good results, you can carefully use it more often. The formula includes soothing ingredients like Centella Asiatica Extract and Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, which help keep irritation unlikely.
Can this treatment clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for skin with dark spots?
This treatment is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on skin with dark spots because it features ingredients that gently clear dead skin cells and keep oil balanced. Soothing botanical extracts also help keep your skin calm while you use it.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016BioMed Research International, 2020
Is this treatment fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
A 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, 2020Twice daily application of a multitargeted dermocosmetic cream provided comparable efficacy to benzoyl peroxide 5% gel in reducing inflammatory, non-inflammatory, and total lesions in 150 Caucasian subjects with mild-to-moderate acne over 56 days, while demonstrating superior skin tolerability.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Cosmetic formulations containing 5% Centella asiatica extract showed the best efficacy in improving skin moisture and decreasing transepidermal water loss, while also exhibiting antiinflammatory properties in 25 volunteers compared to baseline measurements.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016Topical 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, 2005Cryotherapy 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, 2010Treatment 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 5% benzoyl peroxide plus salicylic acid achieved the greatest lesion reduction at early 2 to 4 week time points compared to benzoyl peroxide, clindamycin, and combination benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin, while 5% benzoyl peroxide plus salicylic acid and combination benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin showed similar efficacy at 10 to 12 weeks in acne patients.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2010Repeated 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, 2017A foam formulation of 2% 4-terpineol killed common ocular microorganisms within 60 seconds and at 14 and 28 days without causing skin or ocular irritation in human subjects.
BMJ Open Ophthalmology, 2018Topical tea tree oil and terpinen-4-ol produce good clinical outcomes in the management of Demodex blepharitis.
Cornea, 2022Topical treatment with Australian tea tree oil and terpinen-4-ol effectively moderates human demodicosis by lowering mite counts, relieving symptoms, and modulating the inflammatory immune response.
Parasitology, 2018
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycereth-26, Niacinamide, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Monarda Didyma Leaf Extract, Hydrangea Macrophylla Leaf Extract, Mentha Aquatica Extract, Sasa Quelpaertensis Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Tree Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Camphor Leaf Extract, Cryptomeria Japonica Leaf Extract, Pinus Pinaster Bud Extract Bark, Rosmarinus Officinalis Oil Leaf Rosemary Oil Leaf, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Water, Trehalose, Octyldodeceth-16, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, C12-14 Pareth-12, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Disodium Edta, Ceramide Np, Fructooligosaccharides, Beta-Glucan, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, 4-Terpineol, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Rhizome Licorice Root Rhizome, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Glycolic Acid, Salicylic Acid, 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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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
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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