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Skin Nutrition Botanicals Niacinamide 5% + Squalane Serum for skin with dark spots

High

  • HighNormal Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • 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

  • Highly suitable for your normal skin, this serum effectively brightens and evens skin tone with moderate concentrations of kojic acid, while squalane provides emollient action.
  • Glycerin and panthenol offer general hydration and soothing benefits, supporting your skin's overall health.
  • The formula is safe for your normal skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.

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

★4.5Overall rating based on 100+ reviews

Some users with sensitive skin have reported mild irritation. There are also infrequent comments regarding the brand's lack of transparency and difficulty in finding the product.

Highlights

  • Affordable price Mostly Mentioned
    • “accessible way to try skincare without the hefty price tag”
    • “surprisingly effective for the price point”
    • “elevate your skincare game without draining your wallet”
    • “the price feels shocking”
  • Hydrating and moisturizing Often Mentioned
    • “makes your skin nice and smooth”
    • “maintains skin hydration effectively”
    • “softens, hydrates and moisturizes”
    • “skin just feels fresher”
  • Causes irritation Sometimes Noted
    • “makes my skin burn when I put moisturizer over it”
    • “had some kind of reaction to it, face became tight and red”
    • “stings even after letting the serum sit”
    • “can be an irritant for some, especially those with very sensitive skin”
  • Hard to find Rarely Noted
    • “hard to find the specific serum in stores”
    • “all look similar, maybe I've missed it”
    • “still on the hunt for it”
  • Lacks transparency Rarely Noted
    • “company has no contact info or presence otherwise”
    • “super sus, hard to find company info”
    • “genuinely worried about bad labeling or inconsistent packaging”
    • “not been able to find anything on the product nor the company”

Sources: lovi.care, reddit.com, ebay.com, skinsort.com, lemon8-app.com, and more

Questions and answers

What makes Skin Nutrition Botanicals Niacinamide 5% + Squalane Serum a great fit for skin with dark spots?

This serum is a great fit because it brightens and evens skin tone with kojic acid and niacinamide, while squalane and panthenol keep skin soft and calm. It is unlikely to cause irritation, making it safe for regular use on your skin.

American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002

Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for skin with dark spots?

Kojic acid and Niacinamide make this serum a great fit by effectively brightening and evening out skin tone on dark spots. Kojic acid helps fade discoloration, while Niacinamide supports an even complexion.

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.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

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.

Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for skin with dark spots?

This treatment serum goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing, keeping your skincare simple and safe around sun exposure.

Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?

You can use this serum with retinol by applying the serum first to help brighten dark spots, followed by your retinol. This formula is unlikely to cause irritation on normal skin since it lacks harsh ingredients and contains soothing panthenol and squalane to keep your skin calm and soft.

American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002

How often should I use this serum?

You can use this treatment serum in your evening routine for simplicity and extra safety around sun exposure. This serum is a great fit for skin with dark spots because it effectively brightens and evens skin tone with moderate kojic acid, while squalane softens and glycerin and panthenol keep skin calm.

American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002

Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for skin with dark spots?

This serum is a great fit and is unlikely to cause breakouts or clogging for skin with dark spots because its ingredients are well tolerated and free of harsh additives. Squalane provides smooth softness without heavy trapping, while panthenol and glycerin help keep skin calm and hydrated.

American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017

Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.

What the research says

  • Topical dexpanthenol acts as a moisturizer, improves stratum corneum hydration, accelerates wound healing and epidermal regeneration, reduces erythema, and improves symptoms of skin irritation compared to vehicle or no pretreatment.

    American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
  • A new topical panthenol-containing emollient significantly improved transepidermal water loss reduction, stratum corneum hydration, and intercellular lipid lamellae length compared with control in healthy subjects without negatively impacting bacterial viability.

    The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017
  • Topical 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, 2021
  • Topical 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, 2008
  • Topical 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, 2005
  • Squalane at 0.005-0.015% counteracts UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen metabolism inhibition while stimulating fibroblast migration in human dermal fibroblasts.

    Molecules, 2025
  • Plant-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, 2025
  • A 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, 2010
  • A 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, 2023
  • Topical 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
  • A dermocosmetic cream containing Punica granatum Pericarp extract, Salicylic acid, Niacinamide, Zinc gluconate, and Aqua Posae Filiformis significantly decreased inflammatory, non-inflammatory, and total lesion counts in subjects with mild to moderate acne compared to untreated hemi-faces after 15 days.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026
  • Daily use of a deep cleansing gel containing salicylic acid 2%, zinc gluconate 0.2% and lipohydroxy acid 0.05% significantly reduced total lesion count by 56.3% after 84 days in 35 subjects with mild to moderate truncal acne.

    Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2023
  • Different strains of Propionibacterium acnes modulate cutaneous innate immunity with varying pro-inflammatory potentials, with P. acnes type III showing the highest and P. avidum the weakest, and zinc gluconate down-regulates the expression of most induced immune markers.

    Experimental Dermatology, 2013
  • Moisturizer containing 5% panthenol, madecassoside, and copper-zinc-manganese decreased adverse reactions and downtime after ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser resurfacing with comparable efficacy to 0.02% triamcinolone acetonide cream in 20 subjects.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019
  • Topical dexpanthenol formulated in lipophilic vehicles improved stratum corneum hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control in humans.

    Arzneimittel-Forschung, 2000
  • Hyaluronic acid, hyaluronic acid plus dexpanthenol, and isotonic saline nasal sprays all significantly improved dry nose symptoms over four weeks in 240 patients, with hyaluronic acid plus dexpanthenol providing superior nasal moisturisation compared to the other two.

    Auris, Nasus, Larynx, 2020

Ingredients

Glycerin, Rice Ferment Filtrate, Kojic Acid, Sucrose, Squalane, Saccharomyces Xylinum Black Tea Ferment, Panthenol, Zinc Gluconate, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Disodium Edta, Carbomer, Beta-Carotene, Lauryl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Tocopherol

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.

How does it fit your skin?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.