Topicals Faded Serum for dry skin
Tranexamic Acid
Niacinamide
Azelaic Acid
Alpha-Arbutin
Kojic Acid DipalmitateHigh
- HighDry Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for dry skin; a few serums fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry skin: flakiness, tightness, dehydration, fine lines, and wrinkles. 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 dry skin, this serum effectively brightens and evens skin tone with potent ingredients like niacinamide and alpha-arbutin, which also offer moderate hydration to combat dryness and flakiness.
- The inclusion of shea butter and jojoba seed oil further supports your dry skin by providing essential emollient and humectant properties, enhancing overall skin smoothness and suppleness.
- This formula is safe for your skin, containing no harsh or prohibited ingredients that would cause irritation.
How to apply
- Apply this serum PM, starting 3×/week and working up to daily use as your skin adjusts.
- Place the serum after cleansing and toner, but right before your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and let it absorb for a minute.
- Apply the serum on slightly damp skin to help lock in extra moisture.
- Avoid the eye area and do a patch test before your first use.
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 dry skin?
Topicals Faded Serum is a great fit for dry skin because it brightens and evens your skin tone while delivering moderate moisture to fight dryness and flakiness. Shea butter and jojoba seed oil further support your skin by keeping it soft and smooth.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for dry skin?
Niacinamide and alpha-arbutin make this serum a great fit by brightening your tone while providing moderate hydration to combat dryness and flakiness. Shea butter and jojoba seed oil further support your skin by keeping it soft and smooth.
What does Tranexamic Acid do for dry skin?
Tranexamic acid helps repair and strengthen the outer barrier of dry skin, which keeps moisture locked in and improves hydration. This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation and may help soothe redness while supporting overall skin recovery.
International Journal of Dermatology, 2014Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
What does Niacinamide do for dry skin?
Niacinamide helps dry skin by strengthening the skin barrier, increasing hydration, and reducing water loss. It supports ceramide production and helps keep the surface smooth and calm. This ingredient tends to be very well tolerated and is unlikely to irritate dry skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2004Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before your moisturizer. Putting it in the evening keeps things simple and helps avoid extra sun sensitivity while you brighten and even out your skin.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this serum with retinol, but it is best to apply them on alternate nights or separate them into your morning and evening routines to avoid irritation. Since both active ingredients are potent, starting slowly helps your skin adjust safely without becoming overly dry.
How often should I use this serum?
You can use this treatment in the evening as part of your nighttime routine. It is a great fit for dry skin and helps brighten tone while keeping skin smooth and soft.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This serum is a great fit for dry skin, but it may occasionally cause breakouts for some users. The formula has an excellent safety profile, though rich ingredients like shea butter and oils can sometimes lead to clogged pores on certain skin types.
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, 2002Encapsulation 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, 2023Topical application of jojoba wax reduced LPS-induced secretion of IL-6, IL-8, and TNFα by approximately 30% and increased the synthesis of pro-collagen III and hyaluronic acid compared to untreated skin in an ex-vivo human skin organ culture model.
Frontiers in Pharmacology, 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, 2020Combining 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, 2025Polyvinyl pyrrolidone-K90/Eudragit RL100 dissolving microneedle patches loaded with alpha-arbutin and resveratrol enhanced intradermal delivery by approximately 2.6 times compared to cream and slightly decreased the melanin index in human participants without causing skin irritation.
Biomaterials Science, 2023A 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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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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