Palmer's Skin Success Anti-Dark Spot Fade Cream for oily acne-prone skin
Niacinamide
Retinol
Vitamin E
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Tricholoma Matsutake ExtractWarning
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- WarningSafety
A poor match for oily acne-prone skin; the serums alongside fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily acne-prone skin: shine, breakouts, blemishes, and enlarged pores. 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
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your PM routine. Start 3 times a week and build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply your serum after cleansing and toning, but before putting on your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2 to 3 drops of the serum into your skin and let it absorb for a minute.
- Apply the serum on clean, dry skin to help manage your blemishes safely.
- Do a patch test before your first use and avoid the delicate eye area.
People Say
★4.2Overall rating based on 4.6k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users report that this cream effectively fades post-acne scars, melasma, and sun spots with consistent use over several weeks, though results vary by skin type. Many praise its potent moisturizing properties and affordability, while others find the texture too heavy or greasy and the scent overpowering.
Highlights
Fades dark spots Mostly Mentioned
- “acne scars really fade away”
- “melasma is fading”
- “dark spots getting lighter”
- “spots gotten lighter brown”
Affordable price Often Mentioned
- “super cheap”
- “under 7 bucks”
- “good value”
- “money is worth it”
Deeply moisturizing Often Mentioned
- “keeps my sensitive skin moist”
- “skin feels hydrated and smooth”
- “richly moisturizing”
- “leaves skin soft”
Thick, greasy texture Often Mentioned
- “thick and hard to rub in”
- “greasy”
- “leaves a white cast”
- “heavy on my face”
Improves skin tone Sometimes Noted
- “brightens overall skin tone”
- “skin appeared fresher”
- “balances uneven skin tone”
- “unifying the color”
Slow results Sometimes Noted
- “no change after a month”
- “slow results”
- “didn't do anything”
- “takes time to work”
Unpleasant scent Sometimes Noted
- “distinctive lavender smell”
- “don't love the smell”
- “strong scent”
- “smell is not for everyone”
Skin irritation Rarely Noted
- “itching and burning”
- “causes breakouts”
- “dryness and irritation”
- “made me sweat”
Sources: lovi.care, iherb.com, walmart.com, target.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why does Lovi advise against Palmer's Anti-Dark Spot Fade Cream for oily acne-prone skin?
Lovi advises against this cream for oily acne-prone skin because it contains heavy ingredients like mineral oil and petrolatum derivatives that are likely to clog pores and trigger breakouts. To properly care for oily acne-prone skin, a treatment needs lightweight ingredients like niacinamide and vitamin C that control oil and soothe blemishes without heavy or pore-clogging oils.
Which ingredients make this cream a poor fit for oily acne-prone skin?
This cream is a poor fit for oily, acne-prone skin because it contains heavy oils and ingredients that may clog pores and trigger breakouts. An ideal treatment for this skin type needs lightweight, oil-balancing ingredients like niacinamide and soothing extracts to control excess oil and clear blemishes without heavy residues.
What does Niacinamide do for oily acne-prone skin?
Niacinamide helps balance oil production, calms redness, and is unlikely to irritate oily, acne-prone skin while improving blemishes. Clinical tests show it reduces excess oil and helps clear up both inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne breakouts.
Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2006Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
What does Retinol do for oily acne-prone skin?
Retinol helps oily acne-prone skin by clearing up breakouts and smoothing the skin, though it may occasionally cause some mild scaling or stinging. This ingredient works by addressing the root causes of acne, making it a reliable choice for keeping pores clear and skin smooth.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2019Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2018
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This cream is a poor match for oily acne-prone skin, as it contains heavy oils and ingredients that may clog pores and trigger breakouts. Oily acne-prone skin needs lightweight, oil-free treatments and non-clogging hydrators with soothing ingredients to keep pores clear and calm.
Can I use this cream with glycolic acid, and in what order?
You should not use this cream together with glycolic acid because combining these strong ingredients is very likely to cause severe irritation, redness, and dryness on oily acne-prone skin. Oily acne-prone skin needs lightweight, calming ingredients like niacinamide and gentle exfoliants that clear pores without overloading the skin barrier.
How often should I use this cream?
This cream is a poor match for oily acne-prone skin because heavy oils and pore-clogging ingredients may trigger breakouts. Oily acne-prone skin needs lightweight, oil-free treatments with gentle exfoliants and calming ingredients to keep pores clear.
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
Yes, this cream can easily clog pores, trigger breakouts and cause purging on oily acne-prone skin because it has a thick, greasy texture with heavy oils and pore-clogging ingredients. Oily acne-prone skin needs lightweight, oil-free formulas with gentle exfoliants and calming ingredients to stay clear and smooth without getting overloaded.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum, citronellol, linalool, and limonene). Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
What the research says
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, 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, 2005Topical 0.4% retinol significantly increased epidermal thickness, dermal vascularity, and extracellular matrix production by stimulating keratinocyte proliferation, endothelial cell proliferation, and fibroblast activation in naturally aged human skin compared to vehicle.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2017Topical bakuchiol 0.5% applied twice daily compared with retinol 0.5% applied daily significantly decreased wrinkle surface area and hyperpigmentation with no statistical difference between the compounds in 44 patients over 12 weeks, while retinol users reported more facial skin scaling and stinging.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019Silicone particles encapsulating retinol increased its half-life by 9-fold and yielded 12-23% lower skin irritation in human subjects compared to Microsponge particles while maintaining biological activity.
Journal of Controlled Release, 2018Topical application of an antioxidant serum containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented particulate matter-induced degradation of extracellular matrix components, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the skin of 15 female volunteers compared to untreated controls.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Dermatological products containing d-alpha tocopheryl acetate showed non-comedogenic potential with less than a 50% increase in microcomedones in 12 healthy male subjects compared to octyl palmitate.
Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 2021Topical application of an antioxidant mix containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented PM and UV-induced skin barrier perturbation, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory markers, MMP9 activation, and Type I collagen loss in 15 healthy females compared to untreated exposed skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Topical application of 5% vitamin C cream significantly improved global clinical scores, increased skin microrelief density, and induced elastic tissue repair in photoaged skin compared to excipient control in healthy female volunteers.
Experimental Dermatology, 2003Ascorbic acid 2-glucoside gel significantly reduced gingival melanin pigmentation after 4 weeks compared to placebo in 73 subjects with symmetric pigmentation.
Journal of Periodontology, 2009Topical application of VC-IP cream twice daily for 8 weeks reduces periorbital wrinkles in female subjects compared to a placebo cream.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022A targeted skincare regimen containing active ingredients such as rhodophyceae extract, ergothioneine, and L-carnosine significantly reduced transepidermal water loss by 24.09%, improved skin elasticity, and decreased redness, dryness, and desquamation in thirty-five female Chinese participants over 4 weeks following advanced optimal pulse technology treatment.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025A triple combination of ergothioneine, collagen peptides, and sodium hyaluronate attenuated UV-induced skin damage ex vivo and improved facial skin hydration, elasticity, barrier function, and wrinkles in Chinese women.
Frontiers in Nutrition, 2026Ergothioneine at nanomolar concentrations ameliorated UVA-induced skin damage, reactive oxygen species, and apoptosis in human keratinocyte-derived HaCaT cells by upregulating Nrf2/ARE-mediated antioxidant genes.
Free Radical Biology & Medicine, 2015
Ingredients
Water, Glyceryl Stearate, Paraffinum Liquidum Mineral Oil, Niacinamide, Propylene Glycol, Stearyl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Peg-75 Lanolin, Peg-100 Stearate, Dimethicone, Ceteareth-20, Isopropyl Myristate, Retinol, Tricholoma Matsutake Extract, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Leuconostoc Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Citric Acid, Disodium Edta, Butylene Glycol, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Xanthan Gum, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Sulfite, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Sulfate, Bht, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Citronellol, Hydroxycitronellal, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Linalool, Limonene, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
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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