E45 Cream for skin with dark spots
White Soft Paraffin
Light Liquid Paraffin
Anhydrous Lanolin Medilan
Glyceryl Monostearate
Citric Acid MonohydrateAverage
- AverageNormal Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
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
- Offers moderate moisturizing for your normal skin due to glycerin and paraffinum liquidum, which hydrate and enhance barrier resilience, but these ingredients do not address your main goal of pigmentation.
- The formula provides general skincare benefits, but lacks sufficient ingredients for optimal results in targeting pigmentation concerns.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components like glycerin.
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
★4.7Overall rating based on 500+ reviewsWhile widely celebrated for being gentle and fragrance-free, some users with oily or acne-prone skin find it too heavy or comedogenic for facial use.
Highlights
Soothes dry skin Mostly Mentioned
- “stopped the itching”
- “healed dry patches”
Gentle and fragrance-free Often Mentioned
- “no stinging”
- “great for sensitive skin”
- “perfect for babies”
- “zero irritation”
Improves skin texture Often Mentioned
- “skin feels soft”
- “smooths rough elbows”
- “leaves a protective film”
- “softens calluses”
Excellent value Sometimes Noted
- “huge tub lasts ages”
- “affordable price”
- “cheap but effective”
- “great budget skincare”
Versatile multi-purpose Sometimes Noted
- “good for sunburn”
- “used after shaving”
- “great hand cream”
- “works on cracked heels”
Greasy or sticky Sometimes Noted
- “feels slimy”
- “takes ages to absorb”
- “leaves a greasy film”
- “makes hands slippery”
Causes breakouts Rarely Noted
- “clogged my pores”
- “gave me whiteheads”
- “too heavy for face”
- “caused acne flare-up”
Lanolin sensitivity Rarely Noted
- “caused allergic reaction”
- “made rash worse”
- “redness and stinging”
- “irritated my skin”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “pump stopped working”
- “tub is unhygienic”
- “messy to use”
- “lid broke easily”
Sources: lovi.care, boots.com, superdrug.com, influenster.com, ocado.com, reddit.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does E45 Cream work for skin with dark spots?
E45 E45 Cream works as an average fit for skin with dark spots, offering moderate hydration while lacking ingredients that actively target pigmentation. A moisturizer for this skin needs effective brightening ingredients, soothing components, and antioxidants to address dark spots while maintaining normal skin health.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for skin with dark spots?
Glycerin and paraffinum liquidum make this cream a moderate fit by keeping your skin hydrated and smooth, though it lacks brightening ingredients to target dark spots. A moisturizer for this skin needs effective brightening ingredients, soothing components, and antioxidants.
What does White Soft Paraffin do for skin with dark spots?
White soft paraffin keeps dry skin soft and protected by locking in moisture. It is unlikely to actively fade dark spots on its own, so skin with dark spots needs brightening ingredients like vitamin C or retinoids to even out skin tone.
What does Light Liquid Paraffin do for skin with dark spots?
Light Liquid Paraffin does not actively target dark spots or lighten skin discoloration. For dark spots, a product of this type needs added ingredients like brighteners or antioxidants to help even out skin tone.
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for skin with dark spots?
This cream goes toward the end of your morning routine after your hydrating toner, and as the final step of your evening routine after your treatment serum. It helps keep your skin soft and hydrated with a very low risk of irritation, but to properly fade dark spots, this skin type needs a moisturizer that includes targeted brightening ingredients.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream alongside retinol to help keep your skin comfortable and soft while you treat it. Apply your retinol first, let it absorb, and then smooth this moisturizer over top to lock in hydration and lower the chance of dryness.
How often should I use this cream?
You can use this cream daily as part of your morning and evening routine to keep your skin soft and hydrated. Regular daily application is unlikely to cause irritation and helps maintain skin barrier resilience.
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for skin with dark spots?
This cream is unlikely to cause breakouts for skin with dark spots since reviewers report a low risk, though it can feel greasy.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cream safely on your body and around the eyes because it has a very gentle formula with soothing glycerin and no harsh ingredients. This type of skin needs hydrating ingredients like glycerin and lightweight oils to keep the thin skin soft and comfortable without causing irritation.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
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, 2017The 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, 2020Topical treatment with skin-identical lipids in a petrolatum-rich cream base showed no superiority over pure petrolatum in promoting normalization of barrier recovery and inflammation in detergent- and tape-stripped-perturbed human skin over 14 days.
Acta Dermato-venereologica, 2000Topically applied extra virgin olive oil and petrolatum both significantly improved skin barrier function and microtopographic features in 54 healthy adult volunteers, with petrolatum exerting stronger occlusive effects and extra virgin olive oil uniquely promoting epidermal renewal.
Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2025Repeated application of concentrated water-in-oil emulsions over four weeks caused no skin irritation, positively affected skin properties, and delivered almost 50% of the applied fluorescein sodium, with isopropyl myristate showing superior penetration performance compared to liquid paraffin in healthy volunteers.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2019Daily bathing with an emulsified lanolin and mineral oil bath additive significantly reduced dry skin severity on the lower legs of patients compared to usual bath soap over 17 days.
Cutis, 1981Sunscreen formulations containing ethoxylated lanolin as an additional film former resulted in lower and constant physical-mechanical parameters and a higher and better reproducible SPF compared to the formulation without it.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2021Nanoemulsion-based lanolin derivatives increased skin hydration and oiliness without changing cutaneous pH values and proved non-toxic by causing no skin irritation.
Molecules, 2016A novel composition containing salicylic acid, capryloyl salicylic acid, HEPES, glycolic acid, citric acid, and dioic acid showed similar tolerance and efficacy compared with clindamycin 1% and benzoyl peroxide 5% gel in subjects with acne vulgaris.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2013Daily treatment with a facial serum containing multiple acids reduced post-inflammatory hyperchromia lesion grade and number by 29.4% at 56 days, and decreased skin oiliness by 30.7% at 7 days in Brazilian patients with acne vulgaris.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical 20% citric acid lotion increases viable epidermal thickness and dermal glycosaminoglycan content in sun-damaged skin compared to vehicle alone.
Dermatologic Surgery, 1997
Why other moisturizers fit skin with dark spots better
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 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
Water, Glycerin, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Carbomer, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Sodium Hydroxide
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
How does it fit your skin?
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