Topicals Faded Serum for combination skin
Tranexamic Acid
Niacinamide
Azelaic Acid
Alpha-Arbutin
Kojic Acid DipalmitateHigh
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for combination skin; a few serums fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with combination skin: an oily T-zone, enlarged pores, and dry cheeks. 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
- This formulation is highly suitable for your combination skin, as tranexamic acid, alpha-arbutin, and kojic acid dipalmitate effectively target hyperpigmentation while niacinamide and azelaic acid help control sebum production and reduce pore appearance.
- The inclusion of ingredients like licorice root extract and glutathione further supports skin brightening and offers antioxidant benefits.
- 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
- Use your serum as part of your PM routine. Start using it 3 times a week and move to daily use if your skin likes it.
- Apply the serum after cleansing and toner, and right before your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and wait a minute ⏳for it to soak in.
- Apply the serum on clean and dry skin since your skin is not sensitive.
- Always do a patch test before using the serum for the first time, and avoid the eye area .
People Say
★4.4Overall rating based on 3.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this serum is widely praised as a "holy grail" for fading stubborn hyperpigmentation, post-acne marks, and melasma, with users reporting brighter and more even skin tone after consistent use. While highly effective for discoloration, the original formula is infamous for its strong sulfur-like scent, though a newer unscented version has mitigated this concern for many.
Highlights
Fades dark spots Mostly Mentioned
- “Cleared my post-acne marks in weeks”
- “Faded dark spots I've had for years”
- “Best product for hyperpigmentation I've tried”
- “Noticeable difference on my melasma”
Unpleasant smell Mostly Mentioned
- “Smells like rotten eggs”
- “The scent is unbearable”
- “Smells like a perm”
- “Has a strong sulfur funk”
Brightens skin tone Often Mentioned
- “My skin looks so much brighter”
- “Gave me a nice glow”
- “Evened out my skin tone completely”
- “My face looks less dull”
Poor packaging Often Mentioned
- “Tube cracked on the side”
- “Product oozes out when opened”
- “Cap broke easily”
- “Messy packaging wastes product”
Creamy texture Sometimes Noted
- “Feels like a light lotion”
- “Very moisturizing”
- “Doesn't dry me out”
- “Nice creamy consistency”
Effective ingredient blend Sometimes Noted
- “Love the ingredient list”
- “Great mix of actives”
- “Contains everything needed for discoloration”
- “Better than buying separate serums”
Causes breakouts Sometimes Noted
- “Broke me out in tiny bumps”
- “Caused cystic acne”
- “Too heavy for my oily skin”
- “Triggered a bad breakout”
Sticky finish Rarely Noted
- “Leaves a sticky residue”
- “Feels heavy on the skin”
- “Pills under my sunscreen”
- “Too tacky for daytime use”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, amazon.com, reddit.com, purewow.com, nbcnews.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Topicals Faded Serum a great fit for combination skin?
Topicals Faded Serum is a great fit for combination skin because tranexamic acid, alpha-arbutin, and kojic acid dipalmitate target dark spots while niacinamide and azelaic acid help control oily areas and reduce the look of pores. Additional ingredients like licorice root extract and glutathione support brightening, and the product is unlikely to cause irritation.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2014The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for combination skin?
Tranexamic acid, alpha-arbutin, and kojic acid dipalmitate make this serum a great fit because they target dark spots, while niacinamide and azelaic acid help control oily shine and keep pores looking small.
What does Tranexamic Acid do for combination skin?
Tranexamic acid helps fade dark spots and uneven areas across different parts of combination skin while improving overall brightness. This ingredient is generally well-tolerated and may help target unwanted pigment without causing widespread irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2020
What does Niacinamide do for combination skin?
Niacinamide helps balance oily areas by reducing excess shine and pore size while keeping dry patches hydrated and smooth. It also works to calm redness and even out skin tone, making it very suitable for combination skin.
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing, following Lovi routines that place treatments at night for simplicity and safety. It is a great fit for your combination skin because its ingredients effectively target dark spots while helping control oil and reduce pore appearance.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this serum with retinol, but to avoid irritation it is best to apply them on alternate nights or use the retinol in your PM routine and this treatment on a different night. Since this product contains potent brightening ingredients, alternating nights helps protect your skin barrier while still tackling dark spots and uneven tone.
How often should I use this serum?
You can use this treatment in your evening routine, applying it once a week at first and carefully working up to more often if your skin tolerates it well and shows good results. It is safe for your skin with an absence of harsh or prohibited ingredients.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
Topicals Faded Serum may occasionally cause breakouts for combination skin, as some reviewers note, though it is unlikely to cause severe irritation because it lacks harsh ingredients. It helps brighten dark spots and manage oil without clogging pores.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Behenyl alcohol and cetearyl alcohol are fatty alcohols, which soften the skin.
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 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, 2014Glutathione amino acid precursors effectively increase cellular glutathione levels, reducing oxidative stress, ATP depletion, and DNA damage in human keratinocytes, clinical subjects, and ex vivo skin compared to controls.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2024Topical 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, 2005Azelaic acid nanocrystal hydrogel 10% achieved a higher success rate and greater lesion reduction than azelaic acid cream 20% in patients with mild to moderate facial acne.
Pharmaceutics, 2021Application of 15% azelaic acid gel significantly reduced post-inflammatory erythema and hyperpigmentation, decreased hemoglobin and melanin content, improved quality of life, and contributed to acne improvement in patients with mild to moderate acne compared to placebo.
Dermatology and Therapy, 2024Topical application of a dermocosmetic containing Myrtus communis extract and azelaic acid reduced acne relapses and helped maintain remission compared to a light moisturizing cream in adult females in the acne maintenance phase over 16 weeks.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2023A non-hydroquinone topical formulation (SKNB19) improved hyperpigmentation by 28.5% in patient self-assessment and 27% in independent reviewer assessment compared with 4% hydroquinone in 18 adult subjects, while showing significantly less irritation and better tolerability.
Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2020Encapsulation of alpha arbutin in an optimized ethosomal gel significantly improved skin melanin reduction, moisture content, and elasticity in human volunteers compared to conventional formulations.
Heliyon, 2023Combining a home-based radiofrequency device and arbutin cream reduced mMASI scores by 25.6% and melanin index by 22.8% at 8 weeks compared to baseline in 38 participants.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025A topical formulation containing kojic acid, emblica extract, and glycolic acid demonstrated efficacy parity compared with hydroquinone 4% in multiethnic participants with mild to moderate facial dyschromia.
Cutis, 2010A nanoemulsion containing 1 mg/mL kojic dipalmitate and 5% rosehip oil demonstrated high incorporation efficiency, suitable physicochemical stability, antioxidant and depigmenting efficacy close to 1 mM ascorbic acid, and no cytotoxicity at concentrations from 0.06% to 1% in vitro.
Pharmaceutics, 2023Topical application of iron chelators kojic acid and deferiprone significantly accelerated wound healing in rats compared to control groups, with deferiprone showing superior efficacy due to higher antioxidant and iron chelation abilities.
International Wound Journal, 2013
Ingredients
Water, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Glyceryl Stearate, Tranexamic Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter, Jojoba Seed Oil, Alpha-Arbutin, Behenyl Alcohol, Kojic Acid Dipalmitate, Glutathione, Curcuma Longa Butter, Ethylene Brassylate, Dimethylmethoxy Chromanyl Palmitate, Azelaic Acid, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Licorice Root Extract, Melatonin, Phytic Acid, Squalane, Allantoin, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Arginine, Lecithin, Glycine Soja Soybean Sterols, Cetyl Palmitate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sclerotium Gum, Zinc Ricinoleate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Tetrahydroxypropyl Ethylenediamine, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Ceteareth-12, Ceteareth-20, Phenoxyethanol
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
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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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