Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster for skin with dark spots
Azelaic Acid
Salicylic Acid
Licorice Root Extract
Glycerin
AdenosineHigh
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for skin with dark spots; a few serums fit it even 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 high suitability for your normal skin, as azelaic acid and salicylic acid effectively target pigmentation and provide mild exfoliation without causing irritation.
- The inclusion of licorice root extract and allantoin further aids in reducing redness and evening skin tone, complementing your primary goal.
- The product is safe for your skin, containing no harsh ingredients and posing no risk 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
★4.5Overall rating based on 6.6k+ reviewsMost find the lightweight texture effective for smoothing bumps and clearing breakouts, though some users find the small tube size expensive and the natural scent off-putting.
Highlights
Fades dark spots Often Mentioned
- “acne scars faded”
- “hyperpigmentation is gone”
- “brightened dark spots”
- “marks disappearing quickly”
Reduces redness Often Mentioned
- “calmed redness immediately”
- “soothed my cheeks”
- “less flushed look”
Expensive for size Often Mentioned
- “tiny tube”
- “pricey for amount”
- “runs out fast”
- “wish it was bigger”
Clears acne Sometimes Noted
- “stopped hormonal breakouts”
- “shrunk cystic acne”
- “cleared stubborn pimples”
- “prevented new zits”
Lightweight consistency Sometimes Noted
- “absorbs instantly”
- “layers well”
- “non-greasy finish”
- “lightweight gel-cream”
Smooths texture Sometimes Noted
- “skin feels softer”
- “smoothed bumpy texture”
- “glass skin results”
- “reduced sebaceous filaments”
Unpleasant smell Sometimes Noted
- “smells like grain”
- “earthy scent”
- “weird funk”
- “overpowering smell”
Breakouts/Purging Rarely Noted
- “caused cystic acne”
- “bad purging”
- “broke me out”
- “worsened my skin”
Causes irritation Rarely Noted
- “stung my face”
- “caused dryness”
- “too strong”
- “damaged skin barrier”
Product pilling Rarely Noted
- “pills under makeup”
- “balls up”
- “rolls off skin”
- “doesn't layer well”
Sources: lovi.care, amazon.com, paulaschoice.co.uk, sephora.co.uk, dermstore.com, spacenk.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster a great fit for skin with dark spots?
Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster is a great fit for skin with dark spots because azelaic acid and salicylic acid effectively target pigmentation and gently clear the skin without causing irritation. Licorice root extract and allantoin further help reduce redness and even out skin tone. The formula is safe for your skin, containing no harsh ingredients and posing no risk of irritation.
Which ingredients make this treatment a good fit for skin with dark spots?
Azelaic acid and salicylic acid are the main ingredients that make this treatment a great fit, as they effectively target dark spots and gently clear the skin. Licorice root extract and adenosine further help even out skin tone and improve the overall look of the skin.
Dermatology and Therapy, 2024International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2026
What does Azelaic Acid do for skin with dark spots?
Azelaic acid helps fade dark spots and uneven skin tone by slowing down the overactive pigment production in your skin cells. It is unlikely to cause irritation and may gradually clear up stubborn marks left behind by breakouts or sun exposure.
Dermatology and Therapy, 2024Archives of Dermatological Research, 1990
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 before your moisturizer. Treatments with actives are placed in the evening for simplicity and extra safety around sun exposure.
Can I use this treatment with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this treatment alongside a retinol, but it is best to apply them on alternate nights or separate them into your morning and evening routines to keep your skin calm and avoid irritation. Layering them together may be too strong for your skin, so introducing them slowly helps prevent dryness.
How often should I use this treatment?
This treatment is a great fit for skin with dark spots and can be applied in your evening routine, starting just once a week. Azelaic acid and salicylic acid effectively target pigmentation and gently smooth the skin while keeping irritation very low, and you can carefully use it more often if your skin tolerates it well.
Dermatology and Therapy, 2024International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2026
Can this treatment clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for skin with dark spots?
This treatment is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for your skin, as its ingredients effectively target dark spots and provide gentle exfoliation without heavy oils. It helps clear the skin safely while evening out your skin tone.
Is this treatment fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
What the research says
Application 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 disodium adenosine monophosphate-based formulation reduced wrinkles and hyperpigmentation while improving hydration, barrier function, skin lifting, and epidermal turnover in female participants.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2026Licochalcone A activated Nrf2 signaling, elevated cytoprotective enzymes, increased the reduced-to-oxidized glutathione ratio, and decreased reactive oxygen species in human fibroblasts and neutrophils, while a LicA-rich licorice extract lowered UVA-induced oxidative processes in vivo.
Experimental Dermatology, 2015Azelaic 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, 2021Topical 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, 2023Topical administration of 20% azelaic acid cream and 5% tranexamic acid solution comparably improved acne-related postinflammatory hyperpigmentation in patients with acne vulgaris, while tranexamic acid demonstrated a significantly better safety profile at week 4.
Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 2023Cryotherapy 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, 2010A 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, 2020Treatment 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, 2024Combining 755 nm alexandrite laser with topical licorice gel significantly reduces terminal hair counts compared to alexandrite laser with placebo in women with idiopathic hirsutism.
Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015Bioactive glycyrrhizic acid and oxymatrine ionic liquid self-assembled nanomicelles significantly promoted the transdermal permeation, subcutaneous retention, and anti-photoaging efficacy of palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 in cellular and animal models compared to unformulated peptide.
Advanced Science, 2025Topical application of Glycyrrhiza glabra and Sophora japonica flavonoid-rich fractions individually and in combination significantly increased the wound healing rate and reduced oxidative stress compared to wound and Nolaver-treated groups.
Molecules, 2023A 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, 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, 2001Topical adenosine treatment significantly increased the anagen hair growth rate and thick hair rate compared to placebo in Japanese women with female pattern hair loss over 12 months.
The Journal of Dermatology, 2008Adenosine and cordycepin stimulate the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway through adenosine receptor and PKA activation, promoting cell proliferation, migration, and growth factor secretion in cultured dermal fibroblasts.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2021Adenosine treatment of dermal papilla cells upregulates fibroblast growth factor-7 expression via the A2b adenosine receptor and intracellular cAMP signaling, and fibroblast growth factor-7 significantly stimulates hair fiber elongation in human scalp hair follicle organ cultures.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2007
Ingredients
Water, Azelaic Acid, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethicone, Salicylic Acid, Adenosine, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Licorice Root Extract, Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Xanthan Gum, Sclerotium Gum, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, 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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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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