Biossance Squalane + Probiotic Gel Moisturizer for skin with dark spots
Squalane
Probiotics
Glycerin
Lactococcus Lysate Ferment
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Average
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for skin with dark spots; other moisturizers fit it better.
- Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
- Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015
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 benefits for your normal skin, as squalane and glycerin provide excellent moisturization and barrier support, though it lacks specialized ingredients like Vitamin C to address your pigmentation concerns.
- The inclusion of sodium hyaluronate further enhances hydration, making it a good general skincare product for maintaining skin health.
- The product is safe for your skin, with no reported risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh or prohibited 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
★4.5Overall rating based on 2.3k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this lightweight gel moisturizer is highly recommended for oily, combination, and sensitive skin types, effectively hydrating without pore clogging and visibly reducing redness. However, a significant number of recent reviews indicate dissatisfaction with a formula change, noting a stickier texture and less pleasant scent compared to the original. Dry skin types may find it insufficient for hydration, and some users express concerns about the price point. A small number of users have reported irritation or breakouts.
Highlights
Lightweight & fast absorbing Mostly Mentioned
- “absorbs instantly”
- “feels like water”
- “zero greasy residue”
- “perfect for humid weather”
Balances oily skin Often Mentioned
- “controls my oil”
- “perfect balance”
- “doesn't clog pores”
- “matte but hydrated”
Calms redness & irritation Often Mentioned
- “redness vanished overnight”
- “calms angry skin”
- “instant cooling effect”
Reformulation complaints Often Mentioned
- “new formula is sticky”
- “smells terrible now”
- “too thick”
- “ruined a perfect product”
Excellent makeup base Sometimes Noted
- “makeup glides on”
- “no pilling under sunscreen”
- “acts like a primer”
- “smooth finish”
Not hydrating enough Sometimes Noted
- “skin felt tight”
- “need a second layer”
- “too light for dry skin”
- “not enough moisture”
Price point Sometimes Noted
- “way too expensive”
- “pricey for a basic gel”
- “jar is small”
- “not worth the money”
Irritation and breakouts Rarely Noted
- “burned my face”
- “caused cystic acne”
- “stung upon application”
- “broke me out”
Sources: lovi.care, biossance.com, sephora.com, influenster.com, reddit.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Biossance Squalane + Probiotic Gel Moisturizer work for skin with dark spots?
This moisturizer provides moderate benefits for skin with dark spots, as squalane and glycerin keep your skin soft and hydrated, though it lacks targeted brightening ingredients like Vitamin C. To get better results on dark spots, this type of skin needs a product that combines effective brightening ingredients with hydrating agents.
Which ingredients make this moisturizer a good fit for skin with dark spots?
This moisturizer provides squalane and glycerin to help keep your skin soft and hydrated, but it lacks the targeted brightening ingredients needed to properly address dark spots. A moisturizer for this skin needs effective brightening ingredients alongside hydrating agents to fade spots while keeping the skin smooth and healthy.
What does Squalane do for skin with dark spots?
Squalane helps keep skin soft and smooth, but it is unlikely to directly fade dark spots on its own. For hyperpigmentation, this type of product needs added brightening ingredients like vitamin C or antioxidants to help even out skin tone.
What do Probiotics do for skin with dark spots?
Probiotics help brighten skin with dark spots by reducing melanin production and improving overall skin health. Clinical studies show that topical probiotic applications may significantly fade spots and improve skin color.
International Journal of Medical Sciences, 2021Current Issues in Molecular Biology, 2022
Where does it go in a skincare routine for skin with dark spots?
This moisturizer goes in the morning routine after your hydrating toner, and in the evening routine as the final step after your treatment. It helps keep skin soft and hydrated with safe ingredients, but skin with dark spots also needs targeted brightening ingredients like Vitamin C.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Can I use this moisturizer with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this moisturizer with retinol by applying the retinol first and following with the moisturizer. This helps keep your skin hydrated and is unlikely to cause irritation. Skin with dark spots used alongside retinol needs a product with specialized brightening ingredients like Vitamin C to fade dark spots effectively.
How often should I use it?
You can use this moisturizing treatment twice a day to keep your skin soft and hydrated. Regular daily application helps improve moisture levels and supports the skin barrier while being gentle and unlikely to cause irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this moisturizer clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for skin with dark spots?
This moisturizer is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for skin with dark spots, as it has a very low risk of irritation and no harsh ingredients.
Can I use it around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this moisturizing treatment around your eyes and on your body, as its safe formula is unlikely to cause irritation. However, because the skin on the eyelids is exceptionally thin, keep the product out of the eyes and apply it gently.
Is this moisturizer 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, 2017Hyaluronic acid extracts are safe and efficacious products for skin repair when used in tissue regeneration alone or in combination with herbal or Western medicine.
Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Optimized transfersomes loaded with epigallocatechin-3-gallate and hyaluronic acid increased cell viability while reducing lipid peroxidation, intracellular ROS, and MMP expression in HaCaT cells, and exhibited higher skin permeation and deposition compared to plain EGCG.
Drug Delivery, 2017Squalane at 0.005-0.015% counteracts UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen metabolism inhibition while stimulating fibroblast migration in human dermal fibroblasts.
Molecules, 2025Plant-derived squalane protected human dermal fibroblasts against UVA-induced damage by counteracting ROS formation, suppressing apoptosis-related proteins p53, caspase-3, caspase-9, and PARP, and restoring the pro-survival p-Akt/mTOR pathway.
Antioxidants, 2025The 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, 2012A 1-year clinical study on human facial skin demonstrated that Zingiber officinale (L.) Rose extract inhibits the UV-induced decrease in skin elasticity and prevents or improves wrinkle formation around the eye.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2008Ginger extract transethosomal hydrogel improved skin permeability, sustained drug release, and exhibited significant inhibition of edema swelling along with reduced reactive oxygen species and prostaglandin E2 compared to free ginger extract hydrogel and ketoprofen gel in a rat-paw edema model.
International Journal of Nanomedicine, 2023Topical delivery of ginger extract-loaded nanoemulsions significantly reduced arthritic symptoms, paw edema inhibition by 27.7%, and inflammatory cytokines in RA-induced rats compared to the negative control.
Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2023
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, Squalane, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Pentylene Glycol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Vp Copolymer, Lactococcus Lysate Ferment, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Dimethiconol, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Glycine Soja Soybean Sterols, Linoleic Acid, Sodium Phytate, Lecithin, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lactic Acid, Lepidium Sativum Extract Sprout, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
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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